CONNECTIONS

Connecting is what my job is all about. I head out, try to make the acquaintance of people that are little known to us - but who are well familiar with their world - and I come back. And then the connecting process begins again, as I try to communicate my 'findings' with people from my own society, back here.

Meeting up with a long lost friend, Korsai (PNG Highlands 2017)

And often that's where it becomes difficult! It may be tricky wading through swamps, or traversing a ravine, but that's usually straight forward because it's what I'm trained to do. Whereas an audience of say Chinese students in Hongkong, or a bunch of eight year olds at an Inner London Primary School, can throw up all sorts of unexpected issues - or questions. 'What's the best way to tackle a man-eating crocodile, if it's already got you by both legs? AND both arms!' a child asked recently.

Seeking to engage children in Hong Kong!

Yet there's nothing as important as addressing an audience, because that's the way you're challenged - and forced to be relevant. The same applies to everything that I share, from books and speeches to the little upbeat sketches that I do on a sandwich wrapper each morning for my son Freddie, who hates school (these posted on Twitter/X - @benedictallen - and also Bluesky - @benedictallen.bsky.social ) and my weekly video posts on Instagram (benedictallenexplorer). If anyone - Freddie or anyone else - is going to read or listen to me - I must be relevant.

One of my 'upbeat sketches of the day' for my son's sandwich wrapper

Anyway, the importance of finding a way to connect is very much in my mind at the moment, as I start to think ahead to what the new year might bring. Like all of us, I want to make the most of 2025 - and in my case that means going off on a new expedition - news of that coming soon, when hopefully I have the funds, at last! - and also a series of speeches.

Details of the speeches coming up - Sat 11th Jan 12:00, Adventure Travel Show, Business Design Centre, London (see https://www.adventureshow.com/ ) and Thurs January 16th 14:00 at the Destinations Travel Show, Manchester https://www.destinationsshow.com/manchester- are on my website. Do come along to one or other if you can make it. I'll try my best to encourage and inspire, should you need it! It would be great to see you, and hopefully chat to you.

Otherwise, there'll be all sorts of other exciting things happening in 2025 - and hopefully we'll connect through them!