And it makes a difference to ones inspiration! Not only was the setting perfect, but this was the opening day for the new University students and the ceremony was awesome. Please, for those of you with time and patience, enjoy it here!  the procession in itself was spectacular. If you don´t have the time why not see the lecture in itself? Made to inspire the students! I have had a lot of very positive feedback, many from the school and its staff itself. Like this one:

“You are an excellent speaker Mikael and that is a blessing to the field of exploration and explorers all over the world. Most astronauts complained that when asked about their experiences in space they had no answers to give. Astronaut John Young said that they should spend poets in space so that they can properly describe the experience. You dear friend are the poet in the adventure exploration arena. Keep it up!”

The whole visit in Segovia was like a dream. I was there with my whole family as part of the Hay Festival.  And the visit turned out a lot of media, for some unknown reason.  The University newsmedia did this lecture:

It was a great honor bestowed on me and I feel very privileged. And I met so many fantastic people, students, teachers on this visit, so I feel a lot of hope for the future!

However, to avoid, which occurs a lot, not too loose my train of thought….A visit to London to check the possibility of any Expedition and its success, is a must! So is connections which you have built up throughout the years. Two of the most important I have is friends doing pretty much the same thing – continuously putting pressure on life!

I am talking about two of the nicest people I have ever come across, my old friend and chairman of the British Chapter of Explorers Club, Barry Moss and the new Face of Discovery Channel – Olly Steeds. They have both helped me for many years with their belief, compassion, friendship and extraordinary kind words.

Ollie had set me up for a lot of meetings with some amazing people in his range of friends. Stephen and Jamie taught me pretty much about everything about the Gulf area and the digital side of exploration. As always I went to Stanfords to pick up some maps over Rub Al-Khali and went to the Royal Geographic Society to browse thru old Expedition papers and reports in the area where I am setting up my two upcoming Expeditions….didn´t find anything I dind´t know about though, Internet has changed a lot, for the better….and went to a lecture at the Scientific Exploration Society on Wednesday evening and had a chat with Sir John Blashford-Snell and then the pub again. The London Pub scene….I like it.

I spent all Thursday meeting a lot of people, who gave me a lot of positive and negative output on my upcoming Expedition. Most think it is impossible, which I like. I need to hear these things to concentrate and focus. And Thursday evening I spent at the Polish Club with some of my London friends….I have always been an Anglophile by the way….and I believe I have a new very good friend after that meeting, old Sam from the Hebrides. Same age, exiting life, gone through many obstacles, fantastic guy!

Came back three in the morning, went to the airport at 5….well, I am extremely tired…but, once again, the adventure is on!