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Mac's intro

• Mac
• 7 Sep 06, 04:55 PM

Hello,

My name is Mac and I'm the Expedition Manager for the Xtreme Everest Expedition. I'm writing to you from our Base Camp in Tibet which is approximately 5000 meters (16,250') above sea-level.

Organsing all aspects of the expedition equipment is my main role within the team. This includes arranging equipment sponsorship (we currently have nearly 50 companies on board), deciding what equipment we will need, problem solving, the movement of equipment from the UK to expedition location, assisting with the marketing and PR of the expedition and acting as Base Camp Manager.

I'm not a mountaineer, have never been to the Himalayas before, don't particularly like heights and am not even a doctor! So, what am I doing as part of the biggest ever medical research expedition to Everest I hear you ask?

My job is as a professional 'adventurer' - I can't really use the word 'explorer' as there isn't a great deal left to explore on this planet. For the past 12 years I have been working on expeditions as a planner, team member and leader, which has taken me from the North Pole to Sahara desert and many interesting places in between.

I started out in 'expeditions' after leaving the British military in 1994. I had been an Army helicopter technician and trainee RAF fighter pilot. The defence cuts of the mid 90's got rid of me, so I spent a year working in Africa as an expedition leader. Driving a truck full of back-packers was great fun but not chalenging enough.

After representing the UK in the arduous Camel Trophy competition, which uses Land Rovers in extreme conditions, I was called up by Sir Ranulph Fiennes who was putting together a big Land Rover expedition using amphibious vehicles to drive around the world. We spent 10 weeks in Alaska with amphibious vehicles working out how to drive across the sea-ice to Russia. Although successful, Land Rover ran out of money and so the expedition never took place.

'Ran' then asked me to be his 'right-hand' man for his last North Pole trip in 2000. In addition to this, I have led teams to set 3 long distance driving world records, driven across the Sahara and been involved in many other expeditions, writing and giving talks about my adventures

It is because of my expedition experience, I was asked to work on Xtreme Everest and started full-time with the team at our London office in April of this year.