Author: James Handlon

Overseas Traveller, Would-be Mountaineer, Skier, Hiker & Occasional Idiotic Adventurer.

Second-class ambitions!

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fiennes“Life is too short for second-class ambitions.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE has:
Travelled up the White Nile on a hovercraft,
His Transglobe Expedition journeyed around the world on its polar axis, using surface transport only,
Completed the Northwest Passage in an 18 ft open Boston Whaler,
Attempted to walk solo and unsupported to the North Pole,
Amputated his own frostbiten fingers,
Ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents (after a heart attack),
Has climbed The North Face of The Eiger and
At the age of 65, he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest!

A statement of intent for 2012!

On By James HandlonIn Uncategorized2 Comments

It’s 2012 already, where an earth did 2011 evaporate to?

Last year I boldly lay down a ‘Statement of Intent’ for the year in a vain effort to force myself into attempting some outdoor activities way outside of my own personal comfort zone. In the main I managed to achieve all that I set out to do – see A statement of intent 2011 (update), in fact I enjoyed putting the challenges down in writing so much that I feel compelled to do it again this year.

So here it is the Statement of intent for 2012! Continue reading “A statement of intent for 2012!” →

Indochina Adventure (Part 2) – The Emperor’s Pagoda

On By James HandlonIn Indochina AdventureLeave a comment

Dodging mopeds and bikes in Saigon

With a couple of days downtime in Saigon before catching the train north to Hué it was time to venture out into the city and soak up some of the culture and sights that this famous city had to offer. Continue reading “Indochina Adventure (Part 2) – The Emperor’s Pagoda” →

Indochina Adventure (Part 1) – It’s hot, damn hot!

On By James HandlonIn Indochina AdventureLeave a comment

Saigon at night

It’s Boxing Day in the UK and its cold outside but I’m heading towards Heathrow airport for a flight to Hong Kong. I’m going to Hong Kong as it’s far cheaper than flying direct to Saigon, but at this moment in time I’m wishing I wasn’t such a tight-arse with a worrying total travel time that is going to be somewhere in the region of eighteen plus hours. But alas the dye is cut as they say and I’m now stuck with the journey come hell or high water, it’s eighteen hours like it or lump it! Continue reading “Indochina Adventure (Part 1) – It’s hot, damn hot!” →