Ok. Now we’re excited. The Adventure Travel Show 2016 has announced its speaker line-up, and it might just be the best they’ve ever had.
When it comes to travel inspiration, you can’t beat listening to someone who’s been there and done that. This year’s ATS speakers have been there and done that again and again and again – and they’ve a world of stories to tell and advice to give about their travels.
So if you’ve been planning that trip to Australia (or anywhere else) for years and have never quite got round to it, this could be the best shot in the arm and boot up the backside you’ll ever have.
You can find a full speaker line-up here, but these are just some of the people we’ll be making a beeline for. We’ll start with this chap. If you haven’t caught his Australian travel series, buy/download/on demand it. It’s brilliant.
“British televisions most adventurous traveller” – Simon Reeve
After a decade spent making more than 60 programmes Simon has become a familiar face on British TV. He is well known for his extraordinary foreign journeys where he has visited more than 110 countries, making shows like the Caribbean, Australia, Indian Ocean, Equator, Tropic of Cancer and Sacred Rivers.
Most of Simon’s documentaries combine travel and adventure with global environmental, wildlife and conservation issues, and have taken him across jungles, deserts, mountains and oceans, and to some of the most beautiful, dangerous and remote regions of the world. Simon will be appearing at the show in a Q&A format, with the audience invited to question him about his extraordinary travels around the planet.
Lois Pryce – Adventurer and Author
After reading Chris Scott’s legendary ‘Adventure Motorcycling Handbook’ at the age of 29, Lois quit her day job, bought a small trail bike and embarked on her first adventure, riding from Alaska to Ushuaia. On her return Lois reached for her map and started planning her next adventure.
Since 2003 she has motorcycled from London to Cape Town, across the US, Europe and around Iran – all unsponsored and mainly solo. As a successful female adventurer Lois has had many incredible adventures behind her and continues to plan more.
Sean Conway – British Endurance Adventurer
Extreme endurance adventurer Sean Conway gave up a career in photography to pursue a dream of breaking the world record for cycling around the world. Sean set out on this epic adventure and after three weeks his dreams were shattered in America when a driver hit him, causing severe whip lash, concussion, torn ligaments and a compression fracture to the spine.
Despite this, Sean continued on and made it back home having covered 16,000 miles – 12,000 of them with a fractured spine. Looking for his next hard-core adventure, Sean decided to attempt to become the first person in history to swim the length of Great Britain. Having cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2008, he tackled the second leg of his GB Triathlon and after battling the weather, currents and a remarkably large amount of jellyfish, Sean and his legendary beard wrote history on November 11th 2013 after 135 days at sea.
Sean most recently has run the length of Britain, yet another incredible feat, which was featured as a series on the TV.
André Brugiroux – Travelled to every country in the world
In 1955 André set off from France to hitchhike around the world without any form of sponsorship, or even anywhere to sleep – resulting in half a century of extraordinary adventures. In 2014 he had visited his 250th country, realising his dream to visit all territories of the globe.
He remains one of the few people who have travelled to every single country on the planet. Describing his travels as a ‘complete tour of mankind’, his stories are both insightful and highly amusing and at 77 years old he is a true inspiration and living proof that adventure is the greatest anti-aging medicine.
Ed Stafford
Explorer and adventurer Ed Stafford is a Guinness World Record-holder for being the first man to walk the entire length of the Amazon River taking him 860 days – it was the longest jungle expedition ever attempted. It was also documented in the TV series Walking the Amazon on Channel 5.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes described his expedition as being “truly extraordinary… in the top league of expeditions past and present.” Ed filmed and blogged his deadly journey and engaged followers all over the world.
Dave Cornthwaite – Adventurer
When Dave quit his job as ‘a very bad’ graphic designer in 2005 his ambition was simple, to find a way to make a living based on passion, not expectation. As one of the most ambitious adventure projects of the modern era, Dave Cornthwaite’s Expedition1000 project consists of journeys of 1000 miles or more, each using a different form of non-motorised transport.
His first challenge was to skateboard across the UK and then Australia. Funny, insightful, breathtakingly honest and endlessly positive, Dave’s mission is to promote critical thought and action towards a happier, more adventurous life.
Spencer Conway – First Motorcyclist to Circumnavigate Africa
Spencer Conway circumnavigated Africa by motorbike, travelling through 34 countries covering 55,000 kilometres, solo and unsupported, on a Yamaha Tenere and raised over £30,000.00 for Save the Children. His journey took 283 days on the road, travelling from the UK to North Africa through to South Africa and then on to West Africa.
He currently has his new TV series premiering, showing this exceedingly gruelling and dangerous adventure. This expedition was filmed predominately on Spencer’s diary camera and captures his fears, tears, elations and the determination of an extreme traveller.
Rebecca Stephens MBE – British Mountaineer
Rebecca Stephens began her career in journalism but is best known for her accomplishments in a completely different field, that of mountaineering. Rebecca is the first British woman to have climbed Everest – an achievement recognised around the world.
Rebecca then went on to become the first English-speaking woman in the world to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Rebecca continues to adventure at every opportunity.
She has sailed the Southern Seas to the South Magnetic Pole and Antarctica, and competed in an eight-day Eco-Challenge with polar explorers Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Mike Stroud, running, biking and canoeing across the Canadian Rockies.
Paul Rose – Explorer, Polar Expert and Broadcaster
Television presenter, author and Polar explorer Paul Rose has travelled extensively over the years. His work has taken him to some of the most remote and challenging regions of the planet, from the harsh environments of both poles, to the colourful surroundings of the tropics, and pretty much everywhere in-between.
As a man at the front line of exploration and one of the world’s most experienced divers and polar experts, Paul Rose has been helping scientists unlock and communicate global mysteries for the past 30 years in the most extreme places on the planet.
Paul’s work communicates science, protects our oceans and reveals important global issues.
Chris Scott – Overlanding Expert
Renowned overlander and author of the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook Chris Scott has undertaken 40 expeditions through the Sahara, from Egypt to the Atlantic, by motorcycle, 4WD, M.A.N truck, Mercedes saloon car, bush taxi and lately with camel caravans.
They’ve enabled him to gain an unparalleled knowledge of the practicalities of desert travel across the entire Sahara, both as a tourist, a driver, rider, trekker and as a tour leader.
Dean Dunbar – Blind Adventurer
Dean Dunbar was born with full sight, but aged nine his sight suddenly deteriorated over night causing him to be registered as “partially sighted”. For the next fifteen years his sight remained pretty static, then in his mid-twenties he was registered blind.
From then onwards Dean embarked on adventures and he hasn’t stopped since. He has taken on all manner of adventure and extreme sports, including adventure racing, helicopter bungee jumping, sea kayaking, open-water swimming, power-boating, trekking, white water rafting, stand up paddle-boarding, and much, much more.
In total, over 80 challenges around the world. He lives his life like a true adrenaline junkie, either taking on or preparing for his next adrenaline fix. He is remarkable and shows how being blind means you don’t have to stop adventuring.
*Photo Credits: PA
40% off Adventure Travel Show 2016 tickets!
The Adventure Travel Show takes place at London’s Olympia on 23-24 January 2016.
This is your chance to immerse yourself in a weekend of adventure travel inspiration and discover off the beaten track travel experiences with the biggest collection of specialist travel operators under one roof. Plus, listen to over 100 FREE Talks from explorers, industry experts, guide book writers and expedition leaders who will help you uncover your perfect adventure.
Book your ATS tickets with Global Grapevine and you can save 40% off the door price! Get your tickets for only £6 by quoting ‘GRAPEVINE’ when you book online at www.adventureshow.com or call 0871 230 7159. (Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras).
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