COME ADVENTURE WITH ME... in MADAGASCAR
This is the first instalment in a project to inspire and motivate adventure. Many of us have sat on the sofa and watched countless documentaries wishing we could be the person on the screen experiencing amazing things in awesome places. That was me prior to 2014 before I had the courage to quit my job and solo run from Canada to Argentina. Since then I have been trying to encourage people to take the leap into a more adventurous life.
With this project I want to go one step further. I want to take someone who might not ordinarilly be able to experience a multiday adventure somewhere exotic. The most common reasons (excuses) I hear for not taking the plunge are home commitments, jobs, lack of finance, not enough experience or just being a little scared. I am hoping to take away as many of those barriers as possible.
Through crowdfunding, corporate sponsorship and shameless pleading, I am looking to raise all the funds needed for me and a complete stranger to go on a 50 day, 2200km adventure in Madagascar.
Who will come with me?
I am using the internet to find someone to accompany me on this adventure. The person I choose will be the person I think would be least likely to have the opportunity to experience a journey like this and will ultimately benefit most from being part our experience.
I am going to be reaching out to charities, universities and any other groups I can think of to find the right person. The ideal candidate does not need to be an adventurer or have even left their home country, they just need to be determined, courageous, willing to rough it and be as enthusiastic as I am about making a great experience.
The criteria are:
· Over 20 years of age
· Able to cycle 50km per day
· Have a valid passport
· Be determined, adventurous and have a never give up attitude
· Some filming/photography skills helpful
· French speaking a bonus!
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU HAVE A WELL-PAID JOB, HAVE BEEN ON ADVENTURES OR COULD FUND AND SUPPORT YOURSELF ON AN ADVENTURE THEN THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!
I WANT TO BE TAKING AND FUNDING SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS BEFORE.
Together we will make...
This project hopes to deliver three outputs that will hopefully inspire more adventures.
THE DOCUMENTARY - Both myself and whoever joins me will have video cameras to document the whole journey from the moment we meet to the moment we depart. Over the course of the project we will video the journey, the surroundings and the interactions between ourselves and the people we meet. Combined with daily diary videos, I hope to create not only a documentary about visiting somewhere amazing but also capture an insight in to what drives me to adventure and how it benefits (hopefully) my adventure companion.
The documentary will be published on Vimeo and will be entered into Adventure Film Festivals.
THE BOOK - To accompany the documentary, we will both be writing a daily diary about our experiences and these will be combined to form a book that will give a two sided POV of going on an adventure.
SCHOOL SPEAKING TOUR - Post the adventure I hope to be able to fund a speaking tour at non-fee paying schools. Depending on the availability of my companion and funding, we will put together a tour of the UK speaking at as many schools as possible.
What does the adventure entail?
Madagascar has long been a land of dreams for me and ever since I was young I have wanted to visit and explore. Over the last few years, I have run over 18,000km in 19 different countries and now it is finally time that I tackle Madagascar...
The adventure will take place in July 2017 and will start at the most northerly village of Antisiranana and head 2200km south to the most southerly point. I will aim to run an average of 50km/day and complete the adventure in c.44 days.
My adventure buddy will accompany me on a bike and help transport the necessary equipment and food for the adventure. They will also act as official videographer of the adventure and while I am running capture as much awesome footage of Madagascar as possible.
A little bit about me:
I am a British Endurance Adventurer. In 2014, I quit my job in the City and focussed on completing a solo and unsupported run from Canada to Argentina. The 17,000km run passed involved 14 different countries and included obstacles such as the Andes, the Darien region and the Atacama Desert. This journey was life changing and is the starting point for more adventures around the world and a desire to help other experience the same feeling of being alive!
My adventures include:
· Running the Americas – A 17,000km solo & unsupported run from Canada to Argentina
· Atlantic2Andes – A 3700km cycle from Sao Paulo to La Paz
· Running the three peaks – A 700km solo run from Ben Nevis to mount Snowdon, climbing Scafell Pike on the way
· Running the Scottish Isles – A 430km solo run covering the Scottish Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Skye
· Running Vietnam – A 240km solo run through Vietnam
· Retrieving my bike from Scotland – A five-day cycle from Edinburgh to London
· Other adventures include: Kayaking the River Thames, Running the CCC route in The Alps, 10k openwater race and several marathons
MY CHOSEN CHARITY:
As with all my adventures, I will be raising money and awareness for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), a charity that is focussed on male suicide in the UK. Every day an average of 12 men take their lives in the UK and it is the single biggest killer of men under the ages of 45.
A separate donation website will be set up and shared to avoid any confusion with monies raised to finance the expedition.
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE www.TheCALMZone.net
How much money and what is it for?
To get this adventure running (no pun intended) I need to raise £5000-£6000. This will cover transport (biggest cost), food/accommodation and essential equipment needed for both of us to complete the expedition.
To produce the documentary properly will take an additional investment of an estimated £5000-£10,000. This includes buying/renting additional kit (such as a drone, gimbal etc) and hiring editing professionals.
All additional fund raised will be put towards this process. This is not a money making project
(This is the first of my adventures not to be self financed)
