My answer to this email was simple and direct: “You lost motivation and you hadn’t prepared enough!”

His email was similar to hundreds I have received in the last 25 years. After reviewing all of them at length, I realised these failed expeditions often had three things in common: Explorers had lost motivation, and they had failed to understand the need for good sleep, and the benefits of good food.

When the going got too tough, they proved not tough enough to keep on going! Key to any successful expedition is understanding why you go through all these hardships – at the most difficult of moments remember what it is that drives you, and draw on this, it can be your motivation.

Good sleep and good food are the two most important pillars of a successful expedition. If you don’t know how and where to pitch your tent, you will eventually fail due to lack of sleep.

The tent is your fortress and your home, where you spend most of your exploring life. This is where you rest, feed and recuperate. Don’t set off on an expedition until you can sleep very well in your tent. I have spent over 2500 nights in tents – many of them before even setting off.

As important, is being able to cook a great meal. You need energy and rest to be able to make the right decisions. So don’t leave before you know how to cook a gourmet meal on your petrol stove!

That said, you could just get out there! Trust me, this advice is only complementary; you really need to be out on the ground learning the lessons of exploration, if you want to succeed.

Johan Ivarsson at the pen:

Me and Mikael woke up at 4 am this morning and we could both feel the body aching with pain and tiredness. We then took the decission to stay at this abandoned hut and take a day of well needed rest. N 66°18´52,0 and E 151°46´34,7. Only -35°C today but snowy and bad visibility, light but cold wind from south.

´´I think we might have a problem!´´
I hear a touch of stress in Mikaels voice from inside the tent,
´´The stove´s dead!´´

I´ve always thought that sleeping for a long time in a tent when the temperature is as low as -43°F would be impossible. But I´ve proved myself wrong! It´s not as bad as I imagined. At least not once you get inside the tent and get the stove going. But there´s always some moments of stress before that happens, since it is not that easy to get the stove warm enough to ignite. So far, though, it have eventually worked out.

There´s always a lot of stress involved while the stove is running, to get everything else sorted out. So that the only thing you have to do once the stove is turned off, is as quick as possible, get inside the warm and cozy sleeping bag! It is important, though, not to get to wired up, since it is dead easy to make a nasty mistake, like burning a hole in the sleeping bag on the stove, or like I did the other night, tip a pot over and pour a liter of water all over myself and the sleeping mattress. A mistake like that can cause big problems.

One other problem in sleeping outdoors in low temperatures like these, is the huge amount of condensation that occurs. Snow together with your own body warmth and bathing, melts and makes everything wet. Sometimes it´s so foggy inside that it is impossible to see each other! Condensation is also a major problem regarding all technical equipment.

First thing we do once we´re inside the tent, is to melt some snow and boil it for a cup of coffee. It´s vital to get something hot inside the body to keep it warm. Then we melt more snow for dinner, a packet of dried food and one piece of whole grain bread each. Finally we melt additional snow for two cups of tea each before we go to sleep.

It stays warm inside the tent as long as the stove is running, but as quick as we open the zipper to fetch more snow, it gets immediately cold again. Also, it doesn´t take long before it is freezing cold again once the stove is turned off. On top of that, it´s not unusual that the stove stops working once or twice during the cooking, since the bad quality petrol that can be found here, has clogged it up totally. (Best quality is only 72 octane!)

To get inside the sleeping bag is not as easy as it sounds, not when you have to bring three pairs of wet mittens, an icy and wet facemask, two pairs of socks, a small palm computer and then finally the headlamp with it´s big poach loaded with batteries. First one has to get inside the inner fleece bag, where all the things I mentioned before also goes, then into the down bag itself. Hopefully by this time, one has succeeded well enough to make it possible to zip up. Then after 30 minutes or so, when one finally has gotten everything in place, I always have to get up again to empty a full bladder. This is a quite simple operation, though, since we have a bottle with us that makes it possible to pee inside the sleeping bag. But I still have to get up on my knees, which causes everything inside the bag to fall out and I have to start all over again when I´m done!

And every single time during the night, when one has to get up, or when moving about too much, the face gets wet and cold from snowflakes, caused by the condensation from breathing that have frozen like a pillar on the ceiling of the tent.

We wake up at 6 am every morning, in the dark, to start the day. The roof of the tent is then totally covered with snow and ice crust, hanging down in different shapes. It´s the same procedure as during the evening, first light the stove to melt snow, which will immediately cause a light rain to fall from the ceiling. After that, find all equipment dried overnight inside the sleeping bag and then quickly get dressed.

The breakfast consists of a big portion of porridge with raisins (250 grams each) and two pieces of whole grain bread. We also have to prepare our thermoses with noodle soup for lunch, eaten a few hours later, standing up, freezing, together with two frozen pieces of bread each. This is hard work for the old teeth!

The only thing left to do after finishing two hours of breakfast, is to pack everything together, get the ski-boots on and head out for another day of struggle and enjoyment in the coldest inhabited place on earth- Siberia!

Please visit my sponsors Termo who are making it possible for me to write 2 blog reports per week. Just click the logo to find the best underwear on earth.

The list is based on two people sharing stove, tent, axe, saw and gas.

• Backpack
• Raincover for backpack
• Garbage bag plus 2 spare ones, to pack all things in and tucked in the backpack
• Tent (3 season)
• 3 season sleeping bag
• Therma Rest plus a traditional foam pad (Not the thickest)
• 2 layered Gore tex jacket with hood and trousers
• Gaiters
• Boots (we will go for boots and use gaiters and duck tape to keep the water out whilst crossing)
• Trainers or type Teva sandels
• Trousers (for hiking, I use Tekaware from TNF)
• Long sleeved shirt (we use the underwear from Termo)
• Vest (Termo)
• Underwear (3 pairs, one long john and two shorties, we will wash along the trek, Termo)
• Socks (Termo, 2 thin, 2 thick)

• Tophat (Termo)
• Baseball Cap American style or similar (light is strong on the mountain)
• Gloves
• Warmer style top hat
• Towl (small one)
• Toilettries (personal use ,e.g  small soap, tooth paste, toothbrush, 2 rolls of toilet paper)
• Medical bag  (aspirin, bandaid, bandage, rennies, Compeed, tape for feet, mosquito repellent, Volcan knee cover)
• Sun lotion, small tube

• Lip balm
• Sunglasses
• Plastic cup, utensils ( I only bring a spoon)
• Stove and gas
• Lighter
• Jukka stick
• Leatherman tool

• Food for ten days (You said you would bring your breakfast, I will get lunch and dinner. Pack breakfast for 12 days in good sturdy bags, 2 as backup, trip will be 10 days. On top of that, what do you want, coffee and/or tea? And also do 10 bags, one for each day of trail food, like chocolate, nuts and so on. I will get bread here with some stuff to stick on. 2 slices per day per person.)

• Compass, preferably a Silva
• Map (I will get one each and send one to you soon)
• Mapcover in plastic
• Headlamp (even though we have 24 hours of daylight almost, but a simple back up)
• Camera (remember the weight)
• Binoculor
• Mobile phone (yours won´t work, I might bring the satellite phone)
• Dry bags to carry these items in
• A book
• Axe

• Saw
• Walking pole
• Snowshoes
• 2 12 kg dumbbells each

And there´s no doubt that light weight makes a difference. So leave those dumbbells at home.

Please visit my sponsors Termo who are making it possible for me to write 2 blog reports per week. Just click the logo to find the best underwear on earth.

1. Sleeping bag.

One of the most important things whilst adventuring is being able to sleep well. So a sleeping bag, especially picked for the environment you are adventuring in, is essential.

2. Mattress.

Part of the ‘sleeping’ issue. Depending on where you are, either choose a foam ridge rest or an inflatable mattress – or both for full protection. A puncture on the inflatable one is not unusual.

3. Tent.

Once again, should be chosen depending on area and goal. But, should always be good quality. You don’t want a leaking tent in a rainy area. I have always used the VE-25 from The North Face. It is big, but you need to feel comfortable when resting and taking care of yourself. This is vitally important. Do not bring a small tent just to avoid the weight.

4. Stove (pots, pans, eating utensils).

Warm and tasty food is essential to get piece of mind and energy to take the right decisions. If venturing into the developing world, petrol is the only choice as fuel. Or firewood. But then you have to know how to make a fire.

5. Clothes.

Good thermal underwear makes a huge difference in any climate. Trousers and shirt plus rain-and-wind gear should give a lot of space for knees and elbows.

6. Footwear.

Once again, it depends largely on what you’re doing, but a choice of sandals and a walking shoe works everywhere. I wear Scarpa, which have a covered toe since the Scandinavian Mountain Range is really rocky. But I have only heard positive remarks about Meindl, too.

A head cover, preferably a big-brimmed one, makes a big difference in any climate really. It shields you from sun, rain and overheating - or getting too cold.

7. Hat.

A head cover, preferably a big-brimmed one, makes a big difference in any climate really. It shields you from sun, rain and overheating – or getting too cold.

8. Compass.

Don’t bring a GPS. You need batteries to run it, you don’t exactly know where you have travelled and if it stops working, then you have a problem. A manual compass forces you to continuously to be aware exactly what the surroundings look like. Do bring a GPS for security, but not for navigation.

9. Maps.

Together with a manual compass, maps are key equipment for travelling safely. Maps need to be relatively fresh and preferably no more than 1:200 000 in scale.

10. Rucksack/panniers/pulk.

The gear has to be stored somehow. Choose good quality. Don´t save money on this item by buying something cheap that won't last.

The gear has to be stored somehow. Choose good quality. Don´t save money on this item by buying something cheap that won’t last.

11. Knife.

A good knife is very important. You’ll need it for everything from making a good fire to cutting food. You don’t really need a multi-tool. It needs to big a good quality knife with a decent-sized blade. I use a Marttiini knife from Finland, handmade with a superb blade and rubber grip. Your choice of knife has to take into account everything you will be using it for – from cutting wood when you’re making a fire to repairing kit and preparing food.

12. Lighter/matches.

You need to get that fire or stove going somehow. Just remember – keep them dry!

13. Water bottle.

Liquid is essential for survival! Carry it in a way so the carrier can’t easily be destroyed. This is a life saver.

14. Head lamp and batteries.

Extremely important to be able to set up camp, cook and survive when it’s dark. And a headlamp frees both hands for work.

15. Axe and saw.

If you decide not to bring a stove, you need an axe and saw, especially in cold climates, to make a fire.

16. Sunglasses.

You have to take care of your eyes. And most adventures today are done where the sun is strong and demanding. I use http://www.julbo-eyewear.com/en/ – the best!

17. Painkiller, bandage, band aids and medicine for fever and diarrhoea.

You need some basic medicine to keep you going until you can get proper help.

You need some basic medicine to keep you going until you can get proper help.

18. Duct tape.

It can pretty much fix anything!

19. Money.

Unfortunately you’re going to need it. But you don’t really need a lot to go out adventuring!

20. Passport and essential documents.

You don’t want to end up in the middle of a great adventure and find the authorities stop you because you don’t have the necessary papers. Always have a back up in the shape of a contact in the nearest city who can help you out of your problem.

21. Toothpaste, soap, towel.

If you deal with local people, you need to keep clean in order to get their respect and help.

22. Notebook and pen.

To be able to note down your position, details and observations.

23. Camera.

To document that great adventure! It depends what you want to do with the footage, but I use a Nikon D-90 SLR and always carry a smaller one like the Sony Cybershot.

Good luck, and remember, the most important thing is to get out there! Just to give you an idea how much gear we use today, see this equipment list from me and my partner Johan Ivarsson´s one-year Expedition in Siberia:http://www.siberia.nu/utrustning_en.html

The camp on the rim of the escarpment overlooking Wadi Ghul

Aaah, great being back in Oman again! Question is, for how long?

Yesterday I spent my first night in a tent since the beginning of January 2007 when I slept high up on a mountain in a snow storm in Grövelsjön, Sweden. Two and a half years is far too long a time! Even though I have have slept more than 2500 nights in a tent throughout my life, I have forgotten how good it was. Fresh air, a sense of total freedom -I just miss this feeling and state of being so much- and just…pure happiness! I had initially difficulties to sleep. I don´t think I slept at all really…I just lay there in the full moon, camped on a very steep escarpment overlooking the Grand Canyon of Oman – Wadi Ghul, enjoying life. First my thoughts drifted of to the Bedu of before, who had a life free of consumerism and obstacles to feel completely free, I wondered if that would be possible today? A slight wind pushed the tent on and off and a bunch of goats went through the rubbish left next to the smoking fire most of the night and I spent my night looking back on the life which had kept me away from sleeping in a tent for such a long time. Sometimes life just takes a different route than wished for but at the end of it, the new, unknown route could well be the better one! In my case, I know it is! Two and a half years ago I had no idea that I once would prepare for an Expedition bigger than the Siberian one. It seemed impossible. But here I am today, in Oman, trying to get ready for the trip through the Arab world. Together with one of my three partners to come, P. Nasr and Salim are working at the airport and in the military and won´t join us until things have been sorted out regarding when to start the Expedition, which still seems way off. Until than P and myself, we will get ready for the Expedition to come. Right now, doing research and training physically.

View over the camp where the trek start, called W 6....

Until yesterday we have just walked the beaches of Muscat in the heat of the day to acclimatize since we arrived here 10 days ago. However, both of us, have trained at least 3-4 times a week for the last two years, me at gyms, P a variety of physical training. But, yesterday we decided it was time to test how far we still have to go before we are ready to leave. So we decided to climb Omans highest mountain, Jebel Shams, 3075 meters above sea level (9872 feet).

Before I get into a brief description of the climb, I´d like to say that when it comes to preparing for a big Expedition physically, I have changed my training from like for example a Facebook-pal of mine, Ripley Davenport, who right now prepares for his journey by dragging tires plus having a 20 kg rucksack on his back -amazing!- like I did before the Siberian journey, since I ain´t that young anymore, I have to be careful not over training, e.g getting injuries which never heals, and therefore have to use the first face of the Expedition in itself as preparation physically. I just have to keep my body in good shape, but not more. Or less. Anyway, back to the trek:

We got a late start after a reasonably failed breakfast and left a tourist camp at the start of the hike at around 08.15, with the words from the caretaker that the climb to the top was 3 hours up and three hours down. In total six hours. I didn´t trust his assessment a lot, since he was a mountain Bedu. A sign at the entrance just said 5 hours. One way or both ways? We would find out. It took us 5 hours to get just below the military camp located on the peak itself, just half an hour away, before we decided to return, due to total lack of water. Since I have been away for such a long time from anything even resembling trekking, I did so many mistakes. Not enough water, forgot my knife, utensils to eat with, a compass, altitude meter and watch. It was a rough scramble through sharp rock all the way up, but a spectacular trek due to the amazing scenery overlooking Wadi Ghul. I have enjoyed the scenery over Wadu Ghul before, I have even been inside it, visiting an interesting village of mountain Bedu at its end, but hiking up along all its rim is just amazing! It just has to be done!

Hiking down the trail overlooking Wadi Ghul

The route to the top was marked irregularly with a red, white and yellow flag painted on rocks and at times we had difficulties finding them and that is another thing which happens when you haven´t been doing this for awhile, you kind of loose your sense of direction initially and can´t see the overall picture, so therefore it took some time to get to the top. Or, just below it. We decided to abort the mission in strong heat just after one o´clock, to get down to camp before darkness. Even though the climb up was demanding, going down on sharp rock, through a very dry bush landscape, was demanding in its on way. No water, strong sun and continuously concentrated not to do a mistake by stepping on a loose stone and  fall and brake something vital, took a lot of energy and when arriving back at camp at 16.15 we were really tired. Knees, ankles…..we hike in trainers, since we need to strengthen feet, heels and ankles…heels and thighs where burning as the facial skin. But it was a good first test and as a whole, we are not far off being ready.

A view over Jebel Shams from the road leading up to the start of the trek.

The hike in itself was one long scramble, but really well worth doing. The only animal life seen was the odd skink or lizard and of course goats and donky´s plus their whistling herders. The people who live here are mountain Bedu. And yes, I did see a pair of ravens….I hope it is a good sign. And it sure was a good Pepsi at the end of it!

And it is really good being back in Oman again, with the great people here and the enormous amount of possibilities for the outdoor life!

I am a very, very privileged human being and enjoy life more than ever!

…and he will travel the world.

That is what my sister said when she was pushing me around in a stroller 47 years ago, when she met a neighbor and briefly stopped and talked to her. I learned that yesterday when I visited my American sister Sarah and met the neighbor. Since than I have traveled to 113 countries and spent more than 2500 nighs in a tent, many of them in a tent which you see to the right here. Photo is taken in the Sinai desert and this was one of the scariest nights in my life. Soon I will pass here again and I will worry less. Since than I have already met the worst demon of all.

As you can see, if you click on the photo to enlarge it, I have even been able to get my bicycle in, the one I used when I cycled from New Zealand to Cairo 1994-96, The reason was that i had been attacked the night before and was worried beyond belief. And trying to sleep then, isn´t easy. I just lay there in the dark, shivering, frightened, listening to every movement, just in case, somebody had spotted me leaving the main road and hiding behind this set of rocky outcrops, coming there to rob me, kill me…well, that is how the mind goes. Eventually i fell asleep, probably an hour before the arrival of dawn. Suddenly it happened!

Somebody attacked me, hit me hard in the right eye, I screamed and yelled, kicked and fought back against the attacker, and I shouted:

“You shouldn´t have done that!”

The attacker turned out being…..my bike. Strong wind had arrived and the bike just fell over and I got the end of my handlebar in my right eye….I did manage to brake a spoke and make life even more complicated, since I still, after almost 90 000 km:s and 7.5 years on a push bike, I still didn´t know how to adjust a spoke properly.

Another voice from the past also turned up yesterday, Bengt, a guy I worked with 1984-85, when saving money to do my first Expedition, from Chile to Alaska on a push bike, at a workshop manufacturing saw blades. He was my boss than and he´s kept track on me ever since and remembers the day I left for Chile. It was the same day the premier of Sweden, Olof Palme, was executed on a street in Stockholm. He came to honor me, traveled a big distance to do that, and that is such a privilege to experience.

I wish I was in Chile right now, because strong winds, grey sky and damp, bone chilling cold has arrived to Stockholm. I thought about yemen this morning and than thi article by a friend, Tim, showed up. Read it here!