The First Step

Blog written by George Hobson Erskine LEGGET

A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP

Ever since I opened my email inbox on the 22nd of December my mind has been buzzing with all the thoughts, tasks, questions and excitement of the incredible opportunity that lies in front of me. I can hardly believe it is real, but in just 16 days I will get on a plane to begin the adventure of a lifetime. I have thought about this for many years ever since I was lucky enough to meet Mike Horn and the Pangaea team in my home town of Auckland after their expedition to Fiordland, an amazing wilderness in southern New Zealand. I have been totally inspired by how the Pangaea project has progressed and I am absolutely blown away to think that I now have a chance to be a part of it.

I have learnt from reading Mike Horn’s account of his self-powered circumnavigation of the globe around the equator, ‘Latitude Zero,’ that the only way to tackle giant challenges is to break them down into smaller, more achievable goals. So I have been trying to break things down into small steps and get through the myriad of tasks, for example getting various certificates, insurance, contacting the press, meeting with my headmaster and also focusing on the gear that I need to take to Switzerland. In between times, I have been doing a lot of research on the Amazon rainforest and the challenges it faces, and its incredible importance to the entire world. I am really excited about the prospect of learning about this from world experts and applying that knowledge in order to make a difference in the future.

I have also been trying to prepare myself physically and mentally for what I know will be a very challenging but fulfilling camp by running, cycling and swimming. I am literally jumping out of my skin with excitement, and I cannot wait to meet the 17 other like-minded explorers from all over the world in Switzerland very soon!

In my preparation, I keep reminding myself of the Ancient Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I know that this is the journey of a lifetime, with an awesome opportunity to become part of the global community of ambassadors spreading the message to protect our planet for the future.

Thank you for the chance to take the next steps in this incredible journey!