Tuesday, 26 February 2013

The World’s Greatest Living Explorer - Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Ranulph Fiennes is truly amazing.  He has an inspiring and fascinating career, for over 40 years he has lived through countless life-threatening experiences.  The Guinness Book of Records described him as “the world’s greatest living explorer”. This was back in 1984 since then he has broken many more world records and led many more expeditions to remote regions.  Amazing!   Achievements include:

 - being the only man alive ever to have travelled around the Earth's circumpolar surface 
(more people have been on the Moon!)

- being the oldest Briton to summit Everest.

- only 3½ months after a massive heart attack, 3 day coma and double bypass along with with Mike Stroud he achieved the first 7x7x7 (Seven marathons in seven consecutive days on all seven continents).

And much more.  Amaze!  Incidentally, he has also cut off his own fingers using a fretsaw.

However, very sadly, he has been forced to pull out of perhaps his greatest challenge yet, an unaided journey across Antarctica during winter, after getting frostbite during a training exercise.  He is suffering from the condition after having to use his bare hands – in temperatures of -30C – to fix a ski binding after falling during training.  Sir Ranulph is said to be "gutted," 

The serial adventurer was set to be among a small group (The Coldest Journey team) attempting to become the first people to trek 2,000 miles across Antarctica during winter, when it is almost permanently dark  and temperatures drop to -90C.  Until recently the Foreign Office had refused to grant permission to attempt to cross Antarctica during winter because it was deemed “far too risky”.

The rest of The Coldest Journey team are set to continue the expedition.  They are raising money for Seeing is Believing, a sight-loss charity. Good luck, team!  And all the very best to Ran.



Sources: Telegraph, Guardian, The Independent, The Official Website for Sir Ranulph Fiennes

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