Lost in the Desert With a Bottle of Water | Andrew Clough

So my misadventure was getting stuck in the middle of the Western desert in Egypt and having to walk back about 100km with a nomadic Arab called Achmed. But unfortunately, with only a liter and a half of water, which was difficult stroke, almost deadly.

How did you get in that position? Yes, start from the beginning.

Start from the beginning? Okay, so, well, how far do you want me to go back? I'll go from. You know what I see as the beginning.

I was born in 19.

I wasn't thinking that far back. Blimey, that'd take ages. No.So I went to Trailfinders, which is still around now, but that was the place to go if you were going to do around the World. I sat in front of a really nice young lady because they're a bit of a sales op, actually, and she was very good.And I said, right, okay, I want to go around the world. I mostly want to, you know, ticket for a year. She went, great. So we plotted out the journey. There we go. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.Sold me a ticket. I don't know, wasn't that much. So it was like 1,500 quid or something, so really cheap. And I was like, wow, that's amazing. Great.And the first stop was Coro. So there we go. So I'm like, great. All right, Tell all my mates. I mean, the only other bit of Tony did.I did a bit of Interrail, which is around Europe with a few friends, and that was great. And that really got me going on also. So Nick had been talking about. Also used to read these books. I think it's a Canadian author.I can't remember his name, but the main characters were Robin, Hal, and they used to go off on these mad adventures in the jungle and everything. I was like, yeah. So it was really in my head. And I was like, great. Okay. So now I was told all my mates did loads of partying, blah, blah, blah.You know, bought a rucksack from Millets or wherever it was. I don't think really it's going anymore. But, you know, didn't really sort of do much research.Next thing I know, I'm on a. I'm on the plane and I. I don't really know I've read anything about anything, right? So, you know, Lonely Planet. I had the Lonely Planet, right? But I hadn't really read it. And I fell asleep. Then I woke up.When I woke up, we're flying over Cairo. Cairo is massive, you know, it's like huge. And you're flying over forever. And I'M like, okay, okay. Next thing, there we are, landed.I'm in the arrivals area, loads of massive sort of Arab guys wearing big robes and everything. And I'm like, oh my God, what have I done? I don't really know what I'm doing. And then actually there was a girl in front of me.She looked around and she went, you look a bit worried. And I went, yeah. Cause then I gave her the bit of story. She went, okay, don't worry, my boyfriend's picking me up.She was English, Egyptian boyfriend. Yeah, he's picking me up. He knows, he'll take you somewhere. I'm like, great, okay, thanks. You know, next thing, I'm in the back of his car.I mean, I don't know if you've ever driven in Cairo roundabout. Oh my God. Next thing I know, pulls up, goes, yeah, this place here, this is pretty good, know, travel a place. There you go. I'm like, thanks.She's like, no worries, have a great trip. I'm like, great. Check in, you know, go in. There's sort of like, okay, check in. Thanks.Up in my room, little narrow room, you know, one window in this sort of hostel type place. And I'm like. And I'm still a bit like shell shocked and a bit like, my God, you know, what have I done?The thing I remember, I could hear that there was a. In the next door room, I presume, the next apartment. Okay. Building over. All I could hear was chickens. What? I said, loads of chickens next door.And then the mosques kicked off. Yeah, because it must have been like, I mean it was, it's night time, so it must be a nighttime, you know, call to prayer.

Yeah, it's the call to prayer.

Yeah.

At like sundown.

Oh no, no, but it was past sundown. Yeah, yeah.So there must be, I think there's multiple, there is multiple calls for prayer and they go on all night, but they don't in the UK because you just don't hear them. And so there was. And one went off and then the other one went off and the other one went off. And I was like, wow, that's pretty.I was like, that's pretty cool, man. That's pretty cool. And so, yeah, could you imagine C.

Of each other just doing that? They got all like the choirs going,.

Well, you know, it's funny, I lived in Finsby park for many years opposite church. And yeah, that used to like Saturday, Sunday morning, I presume. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Used to annoy the hell out of me anyway, anyway.But so yeah, so that, that was it, really, you know, chickens. And then I thought I was battered, so I just sort of laid down and then, yeah, woke up and thought, oh, I'll go for breakfast.And I just thought I'd check the Lonely Planet, you know, just to see where I am. Because I had the hotel name, lo and behold, top of the page, this best place to stay inquiring. And I was in it.I mean, how, you know, how fortuitous how, like, what's that density? Oh, no, destiny. Uh, sorry, that's the line out of Back to the Future. You are my density. I quite like it.So, yeah, so I went down for breakfast, you know, again, loads of other travelers there, sat at table, few people join me, you know, next thing, yeah, you know, mates, we head off to the.We head off to the pyramids together, which quite weirdly, right, you know, just off the motorway, which you don't really expect, right, you expect them to be like, right in the middle of the desert. But because we couldn't find, sort out the bus routes, we walked there. And so there was three of us walking around.Remember, because this is main road that goes snakes out quarry and there we are walking along the road and, you know, I've been there like 24 hours. I'm like. It's like 40 degrees. I'm sweating like a nutter. I'm a big lad as well, you know, I was quite chunky at that point. Like 20 stone. 18. 20 Stone.Yeah. And I'll tell you. And then this is when the amount of cars are pulled over. Oh, you know, this is how hospital.What their hospitality is like and how hospitable they are, you know, because every car that came, I said, all right, what are you doing? Right, well, walking to the room. What? Get in, have some water. Oh, my God. You know. You know, like.Because it's like, you know, three sort of white, massive white blood sweating their bits off. It's quite funny. It's great. But anyway, as you come around the corner to get around the corner, it's just amazing. There they are, these.These sort of like icons, these, you know, you've seen all your life just there in stark relief. And so that was great.

It's like the Stonehenge joke. It's like, why did they build them so close to the road?

Yeah, good. Yeah, I did. I often ask myself that question, actually. Really? Well, they weren't going to put a ton. They were going to tunnel under it, weren't they?But that got shelved because, yeah, there could have been like, come on, you can just see that going wrong, can't you? You know. Oh, where are the stones? Well,.

Yeah, they're more like the Leaning Stones.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Funny you should ask that. So.

Oh, yeah.

So, you know, I'll get to the. I'll get to the desert, right. Because there was lots of other adventures. A lot. There's lots of other adventures before we got there. But.So I think we, as a group, because we sort of stuck together, decided that, you know, we wanted to, you know, explore the coast. And so we went along to Alexandra, which is beautiful. It's amazing.You know, that's when I really got my love of, you know, smoking shisha pipes and drinking tea, you know, because that's so much. There's nothing better than sitting in a tea shop on the street in Alexandra watching it go on.And it's just like the whole world, you know, it's the madness of it, like, really not quite the same. I spent quite a lot of time in India on the same trip, actually. And that's even quite madder, actually than the streets of Cairo or Alexandra.

But a different. Totally different.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally different. But, yeah, so. So that was. So, yeah. And then. And then we heard about this.This oasis, you know, because I was following from the front, obviously. I was just like. Yeah, I. You know. So where are you going? Oh, yeah, what's that like? Oh, yeah, it sounds great. I'll come along. Yeah. Great. All right.Off we go. And. Yeah. So Siwa, the oasis. Okay. Which. So you're gonna remember this is sort of like early 90s, and I think the population was about.I did a little bit of research before I came, so it was about 7,000. Yeah. It's now about. If I say. I was gonna say 50,000, but. Doesn't sound enough. But anyway, it's been this exponential sort of like in SeaWorth Growth.Yeah. And SeaWorld. Yeah. Because it's got loads of natural pools. Salt pools, because it's drawing salt up. And it's a bit like the Dead Sea.You can go and float in the pools, you know, really. And they've got one that is called Alexandra Pool because Alexandra is meant to have bathed there with Mark Anthony.

All the kids know it now from Assassin's Creed.

Oh, really? Oh, he's on there. Oh, no. Really? All right. Okay.

Which one? Do you remember which one it is?

If it's Egypt, it would have been Origins.

Origins. Yeah. Probably Origins.

Yeah.

Right.

Okay.

Sorry, that's. That's producer Aiden.

We're talking To.

We've now officially turned into Joe Rogan because we have. We can talk to our young assistant over there who can answer Cultural gaming answers.

Yeah, great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. Okay. Well, yeah, so that's.So obviously it's now well known, but when I was there, you know, and to get there, I was trying to work out how you. How we got there, but we. We took a bus cross the desert to get there, a public bus. It took like hours and hours.Now it was 12 hours or something, but again, mainly with chickens, livestock, you know, various goats and things, you know, which is just the way. Sorry. So we end up there and it is amazing. It is an amazing. I mean, it's literally like how you imagine our big round of. I was.I should have looked up how many sort of like what the circumference is or diameter or whatever, but I didn't. But, yeah, it's just like this massive. Full of palm trees.

We'll put a little note in the video.

All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I should have done more research, Community. So, yeah, and it's like. It's just like, wow, it's amazing.And the main transport there was donkey car. Yeah. I mean, I understand there's tuk tuks now there and stuff, but when we were there and all the women. You're not allowed to see the women.Right, Okay. I mean, it's not like they're hidden away, but when they're out, they're fully shored.Not like a burqa, but like a overhead scarf, like pulled, you know, really. It's just the whole very old society with old sort of rules and everything. And they've got a big fort there, which was actually. It got demolished in.I read this today, 1926. I knew it. Being demolished by rain because they build all their houses out of mud, like straw and mud and stuff.I don't think it's straw, most probably, because I don't know where you're going to get straw from the desert. But it's mostly palm fronds, I would have thought, because it's shed loads of palm trees. So.And yeah, and there was this really heavy, heavy rain in 1926, and it sort of destroyed most of the housing and this big fort which had been standing there for centuries. It's also got this big cemetery. I'll call it a cemetery, but burial ground.And yeah, you just walk around and again, they sort of like, you know, hand skeletons hanging out, which is very unused to. In. In like, you know, 21st century or 20th century, East End of London. Yeah, exactly, yeah. You know, you know, stuff like that.Although I've got a funny anecdote about that just from. So I'm a scout leader and we went on.We went on a scout camp, only to Chigwell, and one of the kids ran up and said, oh, look, look, look, I've got this funny furry stick. We're like, okay, that's actually a dead leg. Perhaps you might want to put that down. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Look at this hairy stick.

And we're gonna go get you a shot.

Yeah, it was quite funny. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Hands and like, you know, ruined all these pools you can go to and just float about and clear patches. Pool.It's massively round. It's quite amazing. And. Yeah, and that's when I found the joys of Shuka. Because that was the sort of dish of the breakfast dish.Toxic is like baked eggs in tomato and onion. You can have meat with it sometimes.

Kind of like an omelette, but a.

Well, the eggs just cracked into it and then they cooked in the sauce and then you sort of mix it up yourself. Now it's also quite big in Israel as well, all the way over the Middle East. But the first time I'd had it, I was like, wow, that's amazing.I ate sandwich of that. That was great. But along the way, yeah, so. So we're there. Did all the tourist things, were like, right, time to move on and really warned it.I think we're heading. We're trying to get to Abbasimbel. And I think the only way there was to go back via Cairo or you could take a military road to the next oasis. Right.But you could only go one. You could only take the military road. It wasn't for public. And the only way you could do it was with a local sort of like fixer.

Yeah.

Okay. So the fixer was Ahmed. Okay. Of course, the local. I thought it was trout fishermen. A trout. He had a trout. A trout tree.But I was reading up and it's actually telepath, right. And they introduced it into this part of, you know, Egypt for, you know, to regenerate it, actually.So a lot of fish farming was going on and has been over the. Over the years. Anyway, he was. So he was a local sort of like wheeler and dealer, blah, blah. And he had a ute.So you open back truck for those who, you know, aren't from Australia or the US or wherever you. So it's a bit like a Ford, what they called, like A.

It's. But it's like a pickup truck, but just.

Yeah, pickup truck. Yeah, exactly. Fabric. Yeah, that's right. And. And he. And were like, right, great. And so we collected a few people together.A few tourists, you know, or travelers, because they weren't really tourists. Right. Because it's such a pain in the ass to get to. And so it was really more adventurous. Although one.One couple, which is quite a sad story which comes at the end of it, were there on a honeymoon. And so, you know, they. But they were adventurous. German, I think they were. And actually, it was mainly Germans, Funny enough for us, you know.Oh, me, me. By this time, I'd teamed up with two other guys, and they were dentists. They know vets. They were vets. New Zealand vets. Right, okay.And they come back into the story in a bit, but in a good way and a bad way. But, you know. So anyway, so we all come together and said, yeah, okay, we do this. You have to pay privately. Private. You. Okay, fine. All right.Now, the day before, I'd had my sort of final shishuka, you know, I think I might have had meetings. I can't remember. But there was definitely something not quite right. So. And I was pretty rough most all night, you know, And I was like.In the morning, I was a bit. Oh, God, shall I. Perhaps I'll just go back the other way. And, you know, like, I was like, oh, no good, I'll go, okay. But I was feeling pretty rough.So, anyway, they pull up with the ute. We're like, okay. It's pretty hot. Got any covering or. No? Okay, press. Get a tarp. Okay. Put a tarp in water. Oh, you've got, like, you know, 40 liters of.Or something. How long does it take? Oh, it takes about, like, six hours or something. Okay, we got water. Yeah, should be enough. I really.I mean, to be honest, I wasn't really thinking about it. Obviously. It's like they're organizing it. They know what's going on. Great. And then we will jump in the back, the open back, you know, holding on.Ahmed, his mate. He's actually his mate.You and his mate's son, who is, you know, I think, yeah, slightly on the spectrum, as you'd call it now or, you know, living with a disability. Anyway, he was driving, so. Which was. I was a bit like, well, okay, perhaps he's good at that. Yeah, it might be good. Okay, fine.We'll need to sort of cast any aspersions, throw any stones or anything. So off we go. You know, so but you have to go through two or three army checkpoints to get onto the road. Right, okay.Because we're heading the other way because interestingly I thought we were heading to master True, but Master Truth is on the coast. But we were heading inland because we wanted to go to abyss symbol which is down on the Nile. Okay.So and this other oasis which I will name at some point when I remember but it's been a while so we might have to add that in at some point I actually knew where I was going. Well I did really because I was following from the front again. I'm like yeah, sounds good. Adventure great. I'm on have a symbol.Yeah, I want to go there. I want to go and see the king. So and I didn't want to go all the way back to Cairo because that was a massive pain in the ass.So anyway, yeah, so so we start off and you know, we understood that it was only, you know, you couldn't really. There's no public transport.We had to take private you and because of the military situation there's only 50k from the Libyan border and they've been, you know, sort of like frighten each other, you know, irregularly on and off for the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years, whatever it was. So, so, so our first army checkpoint. Yeah, fine. Second army checkpoint. Yeah, fine. Third time. So we're going through these and all seems pretty good.And then we hit the road proper and that's paved road which is you know, pretty newly paved and looking pretty good. And off we go a bit fast. My liking either especially because you know there was loads of bloody sand had drifted onto it and we'd go for a sand.Jesus Christ, whatever. And I was like guys, guys, you think we should do something? In the end we're like like hey, slow down, slow down.Unfortunately said sun has only got one speed. Right. So swap a driver. Right, okay, thanks. Perhaps I should have said something something anyway before we went but and get they get back in.There we go. Okay, well a bit easier. Yeah, that's better. This is good. Yeah. Woo. Look, camels. Look, it's a bit of water. Another little isis. Well, amazing.And then we are on the next. Oh, puncture okay. Oh, puncture good. Great. Stop it. Got spare? Yeah, got spare. Great. Okay. And then I was like puncture okay.And I thought I just had a walk around the ute and. Right, 20 year old ute. Yeah. Oh, 20 year old tires. I hadn't realized, I hadn't thought about it hadn't even crossed my mind.There I am, well, I'm walking around and there's just chunks, I mean, you know, chunks out of. I'm like, right, okay, fine. So in the end, what we had to do was it was a back tire. We had to swap all the tires around in effect, right.To make sure the best ones are on the drive wheels. Now I've got a feeling it was a front wheel drive or is a back wheel drive makes it back wheel drive or wherever. Wherever.

All the weight probably would have been a rear wheel drive.

Yeah, rear wheel. Yeah, rear wheel drive. So anyway, so we could. So we swapped the best ones on and we're like, okay, great, off we go.

That's okay. Who needs steering?

Yeah. But anyway, so off we go again. I'm like, oh, yeah, good. And I, I don't know the timelines, right, but it's. We've got to be.We've got to been going like three or four hours, right? I reckon, you know, but we'd been stopping at the army checkpoints as all the army boys took the piss out of us.And you know, generally like, you know, you know, they've been stationed out there for like three months not seeing another person, like, hey, my God, look at this. And women. Oh my God. Not wearing anything. Woohoo. Oh my God. You know, it was quite interesting. So there we are. So there we are.We're going along, right? Halfway most probably, perhaps a bit less. Right, okay. Another puncture. Oh, right. Okay. Another spare? Unfortunately not.Okay, well, that's a bit of a flying the ointment, isn't it? Spelling the words right. Fine. Okay, so, Ahmed, when are you expected back? Oh, well, we can only go one way. We have to come back.That's why it's so expensive. Oh, okay. So how long? Oh, about two weeks. Two weeks. Expect back two weeks. Okay, great. Okay, so when are they expecting you there then?Well, actually, we haven't actually told anybody we're coming. Right, okay, let me just get this right. Okay. So you're not expected back for two weeks and nobody knows you're coming, Is that right?Yeah, that's right. So how are they going to know we're stuck in the middle? They're not going to know.What, like collectively, everybody, you know, you can just imagine it, it kick it off because everybody's like, what? You know, you're organizing this idiot what's going down, and he's like, oh, you know, you know, God be with us. Oh my God. Jesus Christ.So, and then and then, right, we hit a point, it must be midday, I don't know what time it is, but then the wind starts picking up. Oh, the sandstorm. Great, there you go. Luckily at least we had a top. Right, so we get a top out. Yeah. And it's also hitting 45 degrees.So we've got the top, put the top out and of course we're all pissed off and I'm feeling really rough still. Right. And yeah, so you know, we just sit around like, well what we're gonna do, you know.So after like long discussions like the driver and his, Ahmed and his son's not really involved in it, but I'll drive. Driving Ahmed, they're like, well, they're gonna have to walk back and let them know at the army base. Army base. I mean it's a Checkpoint, right?It's 1, 2A frame tents and like six, you know, society starved like conscripts and. Yeah. With a, with a natural spring, you know. Okay, far enough, right? Okay. Just on the side, you know. Okay, fine. So ye. Yep, good.Okay, we're gonna walk back. Who's gonna walk back? Well, archmed's gonna walk back, isn't he? Because he goes in this situation.Archmed can't walk back on his own, obviously, because you need two people there. Somebody needs to go with him. Right, so we're estimating anywhere between 80 and 100 clicks. Right? Okay, 45 degrees. Okay, water we got then.Okay, so We've got this 40 liters here. Okay. What container have we got that we can take with us? Oh, we got this, got this two liter jerry can. Yeah.Right, so all we can carry is two liters of water. It's 100k, 80 possibly. That's going to take. Hang on, hey. Right, four kilometers an hour, that's like three days, eh? You know, and a good stretch.Yeah. Two liters of water, two people, three days, that's going to be tough.

Yeah.

Okay. I'm like, I'm right at the back of the ute now. I'm lying in the back of the ute with the two, two, two, two vets.And for the life of me, right, I'm really, I've terrible names, I can't remember the name. So I'm called Jason and Simon.

Right.

Just for the story. Yeah. Okay. Right. Well I think one of them might have been called Simon. He was quite a big chat really.You know, bubbly big, sort of like, you know, and, and who do I say they weren't? Jason. Right, okay. He was a lot smaller A bit more serious.Anyway, I was laying in the back of the ute and it was decided we're gonna have to walk back. And Jason's like, we're gonna go mad here. We're gonna have mad waiting. We should go. I'm like, I'm not sure. No, I don't feel too old.Two liters of water sounds a bit dodgy. No, I don't think so. He's like, no, no, no, no. And it was like that all day. Right. Sounds, you know, Jason. Okay. All right. I'm one of the picture. Yeah.And I'm like. And then by the end of it, he's convinced me. Yeah, we're all going to go mad. Mainly because he's driving me mad and I'm playing the thing.

He's going mad.

Yeah, yeah.

Because.

Yeah. And I'm like, all right. Oh, my God. All right. Okay. All right. We go. We go. I mean. Yeah. And. Yeah. So we volunteered. We volunteered. Great.So anyway, got started getting dark. Sandstorm abated a little bit. Yeah. And tea was made, you know, at least, but we're already resting water.Then we're rationing it to, like, a small cup every hour. Now, remember, most of us were new tourists. You know, we've been drinking 10 liters a day, you know, as it were.Now we're down to, like, a thimbleful. You know, it's weird because it's the first time I'd ever not been able to go and turn on a tap right, or find a war.It's just the weirdest experience. That was one of the weird things about it. I was like, well, wow. So, yeah. So, you know, anyway, we.We get a couple of extra cups of tea, which is great. And then me, Jason Ahmed, start walking away. Oh, actually, one of the saving graces, one of the. One of the German girls.Not the one who was there on the moon. She. She. She gave me. Because I. I was just wearing a pair of long, long pants. Like, I had a long shirt on me with me as well, but I didn't have a hat.And she said she gave me a scarf and sort of, like, fashioned her. And that. That was great. Save me. Just remember that being a really sort of great thing. I hadn't really thought about it. And, yeah, off we go.And, you know, so there we start walking along the road, two liters of water through us. Be fine. You know, I wasn't really trying to think about it. And. And then we walked. I don't know. Can't have been more than an hour. Yeah.Now we're following the thing. It's got a road to follow. Right. Which is sort of good. Yeah. Because you're not going to get lost. Because none of us had a compass, of course.I don't mean, why would you have one of them when you're going through the desert? It'd be far too sensible. And yeah. So there we are walking along and then. And it's still blown this door.And then all of a sudden, Jason goes, oh, I don't think I'm gonna make it. What? What do you mean you're not gonna make it? He said, yeah, I haven't got a good feeling. Don't think I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna head back.What do you mean you're gonna head back? Because. Yeah, yeah, Artists. I've decided, you know, it's too risky. Too risky, Right. So you talk me into doing it. You're.And I said to him, and he wants to go back. He said, well, I gotta do on my own. Flip it back. I was a bit like, you can swear it's fine. Yeah, can I?Oh, yeah, I was doing a lot of swearing, actually, as I remember. And I was like, geez, oh my God.

Yeah.

So, yeah. And then the cheeky basket, he was, oh, can I have some water before I go? And it like an army gave him somewhere.I said, jesus Christ, what are you doing? So, yeah, can Jason heads off? Yeah. So, you know, and then Arkman gives me the big stick.

How. How far were you in at this point that he turned around?

About an hour.

Okay.

Walking an hour. Like an hour out of like, 72, 100 hours. However, I don't know how long it took us because, you know, later on you'll understand why. Yeah.And so I'm like, christ, I'm still feeling a bit sick. Oh, my God. Okay, fine. Yeah. And then Arch gives me the big stick. I'm like, what's the stick for? He's like, oh, yeah, that monsters.I'm like, what do you mean, monsters? Like, what? What's that mean? Yeah, what. What is that? I'm like, don't worry, we're together. I'm like, yeah, great, I've got the stick. Jesus.Okay, fantastic. But he does give me the water. I'm like, okay, good, I've got the water. Great.

Okay.

So gave me some cover. Yeah. And a stick. It does come into play later, funnily enough. And here I am. And the water, it's got this hessian sack around it. Right, okay.And yeah, I Know, we carry on walking. I don't know how long we walk for. It must be like six hours, say.But as I was walking, the water was coming out of the top a little bit and going into the hessian sack. So I was surreptitiously having a bit of a draft off the old hessian sack because I was like, yeah, okay, I've got the water. Right.Didn't really help much, but he did have a go at me for it a bit later. Oh, water. Yeah. And then from 45 degrees it becomes about 5 degrees, right.So, yeah, all of a sudden it's fucking freezing cold and we're battered, you know. You know, you can only like 7, 8 hours just walking along, like me with a stick with the water on it grumbling slightly and we're like, oh my God.Yeah, we got, you know, he's got to find someone to sleep.And on the side of the road, I've sort of seen it when we were driving along, there was a, like the back end of a petrol container, like, you know, a lorry. Like, like the bit that the petrols.

The tank bit.

Yeah, the tank bit. Exactly, the tank, yeah. And there it was and it was sort of split open on the side of the road. And it's obviously been there years. And so.Yeah, so he sort of crawled in there because it's still like, okay, great. And then, you know, it was bloody freezing. And so, you know, what do you do when it's cold bodily.So there I am hugging in the back of a bloody petrol destroyed petrol tanker in the middle of the desert. Great. Like, you know, it was so. I think my main memory of it, it was so bony. It was such a skinny. But it was like, it's almost not worth it.Do you know what I mean? But anyway, I did it.

We did it. At that point. It's the best cuddle you've ever.

Yeah, exactly. Right. It's like, yeah, great, okay, it's fine. We're in it together. It kept on saying that. Great, so.So that was the sort of like the first night, right. And then, yeah, of course, in two hours later, it seemed like it's obviously baking inside the metal container with the sun panel.Okay, gotta get out. Yeah, we just carry on. And I mean, that is really all you can do. Just keep walking. Yeah. And it just, you know, so we walked the whole next day.And I think at the end of that day, you know, I'd stopped taking drafts of water because he took the water off tensibly most probably otherwise. We would have had any water. But I think, I think. I mean, I don't know how long. I can't remember how long the water lasted us because it's a bit hazy.But I mean, yeah, mostly by the end of that day, we were pretty. We're pretty out of water, you know. But what we had seen on the way was there was an oasis right off the road. Okay.And so, you know, we were like, okay, we're gonna go and get to that oasis and everything's going to be fine in my mind. So. So I think we did the whole. The next day. And then again, there was no cover. I mean, you know the Western desert, right? It's not like.I mean, I'm sure parts of it are sand dunes, but it's really. It's just like a. Looks a bit like the. Looks a bit like the. The surface of Mars, right? Just rubble, you know, rocks and blah. Just it. Nothing there.No trees, no nothing, you know. You know, there were some camels, I mean, which I was thinking, well, yeah, how do you catch a camel? You know?But I was just like, no, it's not gonna happen. And. And so, yeah, so we carry on walking. We must have run out of water on that first day, I think, proper day.And then I was like, okay, this is gonna be. This is getting a little bit serious. I mean, I didn't know how long you could go without water, but I was guessing it's not massively long.

A couple days.

Yeah. So. And then, yeah, nighttime, freezing cold, side of the road, cuddling. And at this point I was like, yeah, this could get. This could go bad.Then I was like. I just thought. I was like, yeah, that's going to be so embarrassing because, you know, to see the headlines in the sun.Yeah, traveler found dead cuddling Arab in desert. You know, and that would be like. And all my mates would be like, andy, no, no, no, no, no. I still cuddled him.But obviously I just determined at that point. I didn't think I was gonna die. I wanted to die. That's right. Yeah. Okay, let's not do that just because I can't bear headlines when I get home.Oh, no, I wouldn't be home. But I just couldn't, you know, just the legacy of. It was terrible. So, yeah, that was cold. And then.So then, you know, got up next day some when the sun comes up, I don't see. I mean, how close is it to equate? I'm not really sure. I mean, it's pretty close.

So you probably Had a pretty even.

Even day. Yeah, even day. And night. We did walk into the night, and so then we started walking the next day.And the thing we started doing as well, because the road, it's sort of like. It's fairly straight, but there are some, you know, sort of. What are they called? Loops? Bends. Yeah.You know, and we were like, well, we don't want to walk all the way around there and not there. So we started cutting off. Cutting off.And so, because, yeah, it's funny, as soon as you get off the road, I don't know why, it just seemed to get hotter and hotter and it was like the cold.

It's more effort to walk as well, because now you're off the hard surface. At least it's easier to walk on the tarmac.I've lived in Arizona, so I've lived in the desert and been out in the desert, so I can absolutely know what you're talking about. And, yeah, when you.When you get off of those hard surfaces and even if it's rocks or whatever, you're climbing on them, which is again, you're just exerting more energy, which makes it even worse.

Yeah, so, yeah, and so, yeah, now, now, now it's really starting to impact us, the. The lack of water and, you know, so going in and getting a horn. And then I remember at one time I had to have it. I had to take it. I had to go to the.Take a piss and I was so.I was so, you know, disgusted that I had to do that because all this fluid, you know, and I was thinking, well, perhaps I could capture it and drink it. And then when I saw what was coming out, I was like, it's no drinking that. Tell you, that was really quite, you know.But, yeah, I was so resentful of my body at that point, just because I was like, no, no, keep it in, because I'm going to need. That's right. And then when it came out, I thought, oh, perhaps I don't need that actually, though.

Had you read Dune by this point?

No. Oh, yeah, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now I understand the.

I might have read it. I'm not sure, actually. I might have seen the first. The movie with. Oh, my God. Huh?

The first one, back in the 80s.

Yeah, back in the 80s. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

With stinging. It.

Sting. That's the one. Yeah, yeah, Sting. That was great.I really thought it was a great movie anyway, so, yeah, and then, yeah, just trudging along, going, Ahmed. And it was most probably about that time I started to have some darker thoughts, right. Because I was really starting to. Oh.Because one of the things, like, we'd sit down because we were pretty knackered, right? Okay. Sit down on the side of the road on a rock.Because that's all there was, you know, back against a rock, on a rock, by a rock, rocks, rocks, rocks. And, yeah, just sat down. And then we'd come to, like, you know, like, oh, you know, we're just falling asleep and started to sort of like, yeah.And then we're like, okay, can't sleep. Okay, we can't sleep. Because if you sleep, that's bad, right? Okay. Because we're just in the sun. We're going to sleep. So we're like, you know.

Yeah. Because then you fall asleep and you just get baked in the sunlight. And that's what.

It gets worse. Yeah, it's worse. So we were like, jesus Christ. Can't sleep. Right? And then.And I just tried to know, this stick has got big and I've got it over and I'm like. And I just walking behind him with a stick, and then I'm like, start to think. I'm like, so, blood. All right. What is that made of? I'm trudging along.I'm like, this must be. That's quite. We're 90% water, aren't we? You see where I go with this? I've got a stick. I mean, I joke about it, but these were serious.I was having the. You know, and I was like, so I could club him and then drink his blood. I wonder how long that would keep me going along. I'm having these thoughts.I'm like, my God. You know, because. Yeah, it's about survival, you know, And I was really thinking, okay. And I said it stored in my memory.And then I think, so this is the second day, I think. And. Yeah, so right near the end of the second day, I suppose, you know, the heat, afternoon. Because the problem, we thought.Because we're cutting off the loops. Yeah. We thought we might have missed the oasis because it was off to the left of the road. And we were like, oh, shit, have we missed it?And I'm really starting to sort of like, yeah, it's starting to get a little bit weird.I don't know, it's a bit like a trip, you know, it starts becoming a bit trippy, you know, so, you know, obviously, I only know this in my friends who've done that, but. Yeah, so. And it all starts to get a bit weird and. And then finally we Come, we come around and there, there is this oasis. My. Wow. What's that movie?Somebody mentioned it the other day. Flight, the Phoenix. You know, when they build the plane, I'm like that. I'm like. And then I've been saying something to me as we trudging.I'm going, it's right into the dunes. I. I mean, you know, this is. All of a sudden there's fucking dunes, right? Which are really hot as opposed to stony.I'm like, Jesus Christ, what's going on? It's really hard. So there we are. And I can hear me going. I'm like, yeah, whatever. Okay, great, great. We stumble in.It takes about a fucking hour to walk to this, this, this oasis through the dune, Running a full age full of silt. Right? So it wasn't really like, ah, splash. Yeah. I don't land there. And. Oh, pure salt water. Just. No, just like. Brian.

Yeah.

And then spots up me been saying. And then I'm like. And I like, oh. So I'm just, I'm just gonna lay in it. And then I was like, apology osmosis. What's that? Weaker to a stronger.Does that mean it's coming out of me or it's coming into me? I'm like, oh, Jesus. I don't know any. No, I don't care. It's fine. It's cooler, it's better.And then I'm like, oh, wow, that really, really hurts my feet. I'm like, what. What the is going on? I thought something was eating me.And I would look down, I was like, I was wearing these trainers, Adidas trainers, leather trainers, right. And I was like, God damn it. And I took the train off. And as I took the trainer off, all the blood came out. And then there was. And I was like.And I pulled my sock off, right? And because the trainers hadn't expanded because of the leather, I presume. Right. But my feet definitely had, right. I'd worn my toes down.So I could see the bone in the little one and the one next to it. And the one next to that was just in bits. And it was just like I was off. And then I obviously took the other foot. Same. Jesus Christ.

And now you've taken them off.

And now you've taken them off. And then. And I'll tell you what, then I was going to kill him. Yeah. But I didn't have a stick, unfortunately.So anyway, I tell you what, I sort of like. And he'd sat on a bank over the way and kind of water.

Just watching.

Yeah. Just watching me go. And yeah, so I sort of like paddled over to the edge and came out. Also, I was a smoker at the time.So he spoke, you know, just 10 facts, tell you what it was. And yeah, I'd run out of facts. So not only was I dying of thirst, I worn all my feet down to the bone. I didn't have a cigarette either. Jesus Christ.I was coming down and it's just like I stayed. Anyway, so we sit under a tree and I was like, oh, man, we're gonna die. You killed us, we're gonna die here. He went, oh, don't worry, don't worry.At least we die together. Then I was like, hell, he does think we're gonna die. We're gonna die. And I was like, oh my God, Jesus.So, yeah, and I then, oh, no, I'm laying there and then all of a sudden, right, okay. I start getting eaten by flies. Nowhere else in the desert, okay? I mean, what the else are they living on? Sorry?What else are they living on when I'm not there all of a sudden? And they're not like little mosquitoes, they got like boring holes, you know, so it's like, all right, okay. But there was some.There was some good bits to it. I. I'd cooled down a bit. There was shade. Yeah. And there was like roots that we could pull out if we had the strength, which we obviously didn't.Tried the upper leaves. No, it's no good. Oh, and then this big. I just remember this really big cricket type thing landed right by me and I was like, great, okay.And, yeah, I just like, big tentacle things took the head off because I thought I couldn't eat that bit. And actually it wasn't too bad as it goes, but it was the only one.Arkman was a bit pissed off that I didn't give him some, but it's his fucking fault I was there, so he didn't deserve it anyway, so. Yeah, so it's a big cricket. That was good. That was way before. I'm a celebrity. Get me out of here. You know, thank you. I was there before that and.Yeah, and then we laid in the shade getting eaten alive, contemplating death. Or I was anyway, until the early evening. And then we're like, well, get back.

It going, you know, what's that like? I mean, you know, you're. We're telling a. An entertaining story at the minute, but at the, at the moment, that probably wasn't entertaining, was it?I mean, that's a. That's got to Kind of be a dark place and, you know, you're young, you probably didn't have a family or anything at that point.So where does your mind go when you're in that sort of. In that dark place.

Big stick.

Big stick.

Yeah, Big stick. No, no. Where did it go? I think I was more. I would tell you what I was really. I was pissed off because I'd only been traveling three weeks, right?Out of what I thought was going to be a year. Yeah, I mean, the whole trip I lost. The whole trip I did in the end was about four and a half years, five years. Great way to ride out a recession.The best, anyway. But, yeah, so I. I was just pissed off that I got myself in that situation. That I was there when, you know, a bit of forethought, foresight.And I would have been. I wouldn't have been, you know, or if I'd only just laid in bed because I was feeling sick and just gonna go, I'll go tomorrow.Well, you know, do you know, it's just the fate of it all. And I was just a bit like, yeah, I was pissed off. Yeah.And the headlines were still screaming at me, you know, man, oh, God, I can't, you know, because all my mates were taking the piss when I went off. Anyway. Oh, you'll be back soon. I was like, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, so it was, you know, again, I was young. I was What, I was 21. Say 20. 21.And so, yeah, you're not, you know, it wasn't really. Oh, no. The wife and kids, whatever. It's just my life, in my life, the end of my life, and I haven't really started it yet, you know, so.Yeah, and the realization that, yeah, I could die, you know, that's the, you know, thought about actually dying. Because we're hardwired to live, you know, we'd like.We want to live so powerful within us, sort of like driving force of reason, debtor for our existence. The whole thing is to keep going and then to realize that, wow, you cannot better do. That's pretty weird. So, yeah.So anyway, so we start walking back to the road, right? Because nothing else to do. And I was pissed off, you know, I wanted to get away from the flies, to be fair, or pill any roots.Anyway, as I'm walking back, I'm like, oh, look, there's a berry again. I can hear it. I'm like, yeah, it's good because you.

Haven't learned from the first time.

Yeah, yeah, it's good. Yeah, yeah. Because I'm like, stupid, obviously. I don't know what it is. I would just, like, arcmed. He's a. He's a. He. He's nothing to me now.Yeah, whatever. Whatever. You got me into this. We're dying you. Right, okay. Anyway, yeah, so, yeah, berries. Yeah.So then, you know, we hit the road and then, like, in half an hour, I'm like, This berries are obviously. What? Oh, yeah. Boys. Nurse. Thank you. So, yeah, now I've stolen. Nothing's coming out. There's nothing there. Right.

And you've had some salt water to drink on top of it.

Yeah, yeah.

On top of everything else, put my.

Socks back in my shoes. And now I can really feel it.

Yeah.

And.

And you've got, like, Before, I couldn't.

Feel them, and now every step is like. Yeah. I mean, it doesn't. Funny. I don't think it really hurt that much, but I could just see it in my mind's eye. Do you know what I mean?As to what was going on, every time I put my foot down, more skin, more bones. So, yeah. Anyway, so there we are walking on the road. It's sort of dusky type time. Sitting down, coming to. Jesus Christ. Okay. Gotta keep going.Really cold cuddling Ahmed, you know, really by that time, actually, I was like, actually, this is quite nice. Really. Yes. We died together. Okay. I'd sort of like fatalism, I dislike. Yeah, that's gonna happen. No, I didn't. Not at that point.And so, yeah, we made it. And we just. I was just. Yeah, we trudging, Trudging, trudging. And then, you know, so we're looking for this little camp. Yeah.This little military camp off the side of the road. Yeah. And this is when, you know, starts getting really. You know, the mind starts to.To go and starts to play tricks, actually, because before we found the oasis, I kept on seeing the oasis, Right. And like, mirages.

Yeah.

Like, talk about. They are actually, you know, a true. You know, it's just your mind is making it up.

Which is what I was expecting you to say.

Yeah.

Is that you'd seen this, you know, and you're like, oh, there's this. And then you were going to run to the oasis.

But I did sort of see it, but I didn't say anything at the time. I was like, is that. Is that. No, no, no. And then it disappeared. And I was like. But as.As we went through the third day, I suppose it was, you know, so we've been like.

So this is like three and a half days. Yeah. Because you have to at the beginning.

Yeah, that's right.

A couple days solid.

That's right. And we've got, you know, and so.And then, you know, and we still don't know if we bypass the things we're cutting off the corners and decided to use the guys. Another 30k to the next one. Yeah, and then, and then, you know, so we're looking for this. But I started coming around the corners in the.In the road, and I'd see, you know, I would see the tent, right? And we know there's no sort of like, you know, they were just there, right. You know, to me. And I'd be like, tense, tense.Not gonna be like, no, no, no, no, no. Tense, like, what? And then I solved all this and I'm like, you know, so real, you know, and yeah, that was.That was quite weird because I kept on seeing him, you know, it wasn't like I could just like, you know, so every time I came around, I'd look around there with these tents. Come on. I was just like.And then, and then we sat down and I think, you know, this must have been right at the end of the third day or like mid afternoon. And you know, like, I just sat and we sat and then, you know, we back up against sort of like a Sandy type rock. So. And then I. Yeah, yeah, back.I'm like, I can't go. I can't do it. Just can't do it anymore. I'm like, sorry, I'm just gonna have to stay here. And he was like, I've got to keep going. I was like, I can't.Just can't do it. I'm sorry. Just like, didn't have it. I just couldn't, you know, the mind was going.And I was just like, you know, in a really bad sort of place anyway. Okay. And he got up and he started walking off and I was like. And I thought, well, this is just it then, I suppose, I don't know.And so I thought I better leave. And so I wrote a message. I remember writing a message in the sand next to me to my mum, enough saying, sorry, Mum, if you see this. Sorry.I was like, yeah, love you. Really sorry. You know, I. I'd like to say I tried as hard as I could.I said, well, I don't think it was that poetic or that wasn't that, you know, but I just wrote a message and I was like, yeah, because when they find me, at least got something and then I'm hitting the things going like into there, you Know like the haze of the heat haze. Yeah. Going on it. So I can't die sitting down. It's just not gonna happen. I can't. It's just. No, just. No, no, I couldn't.You know, it's like that, you know, if I'm gonna die, at least I'd die walking. And so, yes, I dragged myself up and then I trudged along. I can't remember if I had the stick or not.But anyway, you know, the thought of killing him had gone out of my head because I was spinning out and dripping for that. Yeah, I should have done it earlier. Really. I would have been fine. Two liters of blood. No worries. Thanks. Yeah, I was with Ahmed.He's back there, actually. Yeah, you can go and pick him up. But, yeah, so I just, like. I just tried, you know, And I was like, yeah.And I caught up with him, and they were tight around the corner. Tense, tense. No, dead. No, no. Repeat, rinse, repeat. Then came around the corner. I'm like, tense, tense, tense, tense. There's the fucking tense. My God.Yes. Yes. And then now I can hear him again. I thought I found it on the road. Still not listening to what I say.I was limping, actually, because people were killing me. Next thing I know, they all come piling out the tents, fully tooled up, don't they?You know, because they're not really expecting, you know, I'm wearing khaki and I didn't remember. They were running towards you, and I was like, oh, hell, I'm not die of thirst.

I'm.

You going show to shoot me. That's a real thought. That's amazing. Next thing I know, I've obviously collapsed. Right, okay. Because the next thing I'm.I've picked up and I'm like, two two Addiction concert along the road. Yeah, there we are. Saved. Saved. Yeah. So make it back to the tent. They got this natural spring. I sucking. They throw me in it, you know. Jesus Christ.And then. Yeah, because. But we're so dehydrated, so, like, absolutely wrung out. You know, they give me little thimblefuls of water.

Yeah, you have to be really careful.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I'm like, no, no. Anyway. And yeah, and then. And then, you know, I'm like, yeah, just fucking passed out.And I'm laid on a table, I think, in the. In the mess tent or whatever river. I'm just like, little dimples of water absolutely out of it.And in the meantime, art meds, you know, obviously, they've got a Radio. He's radioed, kind of like, you know, can hell, this is what's happened. Blah, blah, blah, you know.And yeah, all the, all the military wheels going to. Into motion. All the. And yeah, I'm just sort of like left laying there. It's quite amazing though, how quickly you rehydrate right after that.I mean, it must have been like two hours. And I was like, yeah, I mean, I wasn't feeling great, obviously, but I mean, you know, I wasn't feeling like I was gonna die. Feet were hurting a bit.Next thing I know, big, like loads of military vehicles turn up, blah, blah. Doctor comes in, okay, yeah, right, Check me out, looks at my toes, goes, yeah, it goes. Right, okay, fine, we're gonna get the others. There you go.Gives me two tins of guava juice. Hey, I'll tell you what, I love guava juice now. It was the best, best thing. It's the best. It was the best.I was like, oh my God, that's the most amazing. And so, yeah, and then, you know, and then off they headed, you know, to find the others.Right, okay, now, because we were only meant to be like, what, day and a half, two days? We were like nearly three and a half days. Right, so it works out well, that. Quite funny, right, because they've got, they're in a jeep.Yeah, like a proper new, you know, uni style jeep wasn't, you know, it's like, you know, like really, we're in a battered old ute, they're in the latest kit and they got a puncture. Yeah, really on the way. I'm like that. All right, okay, great. So did we feel a bit better?

Point proven?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyway, so they reach them and yeah, they, you know, they've obviously 40 liters of water for three days.Like I think there was eight of them or 10 of them.

Yeah.

This then lasted because obviously tourists, you know, they're just drinking more. So they cracked. They'd cracked open the radiator and you know, but started drinking the radiator water. But obviously it was lace.It had a bit of oil in it. A couple of the girls were sick, unfortunately. The girl who was on a honeymoon, she was sickest.Her fella thought was like, they haven't made it, they've died on the way. And he headed after us, right, with no water.

On his own.

On his own. So, yeah, they picked him up off the side of the road.But hell, man, this guy, he was driven because he was only a few hours behind us most probably he must have just walked and walked and walked and walked. I doubt he was cutting off the bends. And he was. Just walked. He must have just absolutely given it. Given it at all. So, yeah, but he was fairly.When they found him, he was fairly battered on the side of the road. And so, yeah, he went. He went off to. They took him to the sort of hospital, military hospital, which is, you know, on the bus.

How far were you in the end from actually the next stop? Like, was it actually closer to go forward than backwards at that point?

No, no.

So you did. So going back was.

Oh, yeah, we were like, 200.

Because it would have been funny if.

You were like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, we were like, like, I think it's 320 clicks.

Right, right. Okay. Yeah.

To the destination. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So. And so, yeah, we were like, okay, yeah, we're going back.I mean, what we worried about, if you'd missed this, least 110 on the side. Yeah. Because we cut off a loop. The next one was another 20 clicks. Right. And so it would have been. And I don't think we would have made that.You know what I mean? So, yeah. So anyway, so they got back to the. They got back to the van, back to the ute, and, yeah, everybody's like, you know, it's amazing.You know, everybody's pretty sick, pretty, like, worried. Jason was all right, though. Of course he was. Well, what can you do? You know, I'm like, yeah, he made the call. I could. You know, I. You know, I wasn't.I wasn't that happy money with him. I mean, I did, funny enough, I did carry on traveling with him. But the saving grace was they were vets. I'd worn my toes down.You know, when we're in hospital, they're talking about amputating them. And I was like, you know, I'm sure I need those anyway. And. And Jason and Simon, they were like, I don't think they need to do that. He said, we can.I think you could. I mean, I don't. You know, if that was an animal, I might. But not a human, I'd say, like they said. But, like, you know, we get all the stuff.We look after him for you. You know, I'm like, yeah, will, too. And like, yeah. Yes, thank you, Jason. That's very kind of you kill, and.

So it's your fault.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's your fault. And so, no, I think if all three of us gone, we would have. Though I don't think we wouldn't have all made It.I don't think so, because we would have run out of water. So he mostly did it. He mostly did us a favor. He buying, you know, if you look at the positive of it, because.Yeah, I just don't think we would have made it or he might not made it or whatever, because he was quite slight as well, and I was a big chap, you know, almost had quite a lot of reserve going on, whereas he must even have the same. So made the right call for him. But anyway, so we carried on traveling. I forget. We must have gone back to Cairo then. I can't really remember.It's a bit hazy, but we actually went to Cairo and went the proper way down. Down to Aberson Bora, as opposed to through the desert and. Yeah, an airplane. Yeah, yeah. No, no, I think we traveled all the way. They were. They were.They were treating my. My wounds with, like, wound powder. And, you know, I think I did get an infection.And they would put in, like, injecting it with antibiotics straight into it. And, you know, so I've got them to thank for my toes in a way. So. And then Ahmed. Yeah, you know, we had a meeting with the town mayor.I don't know, but he was funny because I went in and, you know, I was. I was quite. I was. I was.I, you know, I come from Chatham, which is a town down in Kent, and it's got quite a heavy accent, quite similar to East End, perhaps, and the vernacular is quite rough. And I was still, you know, I hadn't matured and I was still.And I remember meeting the Meeting the mayor and obviously all hell had broken loose, right, because, yeah, he'd up. The military are involved. You know, it was a big thing. He was gonna, you know, he was really.

And like, technically, you probably weren't really supposed to be on that road. And they were just kind of letting Ahmed through. So it was turned into a bit.

Yeah, mostly bunged him loads of cash, do you know what I mean? So the whole thing. I mean, we had a picture taken with the general. I've got the pictures. I can send you. Actually. All of us on the side of the road.You know, the whole thing was like, thank you, General. It's the most amazing. And yeah, so I met the. I met the man. I was like, yeah, nearly fucking killed us. I was quite, you know, know, vocal. And.And the mayor was like, in a very Oxford accent. He's like, oh, I'm really sorry. I don't think you should talk like that. I was like, oh, right. Wasn't quite what I was expecting anyway.And he was like, so what you want to do about it? I was like, I don't know, nothing really. You know, just like, make sure he plans it better next time. And that was it. Hindsight.I mostly could have, like, you know,.

Wanted to vent a little bit. Oh, good.

Yeah, I could have just rung them for loads, though.

Yeah.

I would have said, oh, well, you know, I think, you know, you'd have to pay for my next sort of like six months of travel and before I don't sue your ass and blah, blah, blah. But, you know, it wasn't. I just. Actually, I just wanted to get the hell out and get on with it, you know what I mean? So, yeah, it was quite.I just remember meeting him because he was wearing a full traditional turban, the whole thing as well. He looked amazing, you know, and then, yeah, I wasn't expecting to have this really clipped, you know, English accent.He's obviously gone to, like, private school in the uk. You know, he got it. I was like, okay, you know, me, this little, like. And, yeah, and then, yeah, off we headed.

And then, yeah, that just continued on your trip?

Yeah, yeah. I had some more adventures on the way around, which.But none quite as near as death until I went to the next traveling place, which was South America, and that was.

We don't always have to talk. I mean, you know, we don't. The show isn't always about dying and. And being near death. I am conscious that we're over an hour already.

No, really. God, I can talk a lot, can't I? Because I think one of the things you wanted to was relate it back to how it's helped him.

Well, yeah, that was my next question. Well, my next question not specifically about business, but, you know, I think all of us as people, just as we get older, we have stuff happen.Do you know what I mean? And it's how we. I think if we're still here, then we have to process that and sort of figure out how we fit that into who we are now.And so what I like to try and understand is I love the stories. Like, I have another friend who died three times and, you know, he's had these heart attacks and stuff.And it was quite interesting to hear from him how, you know, that then changes the way he thinks and how he lives his life every day. So my.That's my question for you is, you know, once you've got out of that situation and you've gone on, that will have fundamentally Changed how you view some of the things about probably living in your life. And I'm just curious as to how that factors into who you are now. And having had those experiences, how do you think it's affected you?

I've had to think about this and I'm like, I don't know. I mean, obviously, you know, if I ever get in a vehicle going anywhere, I always check the tires. Yeah.Because I'm not getting caught out like that again, you know. And I'd like to say, oh, yes, and I always carry loads of water with me just in case, you know, it's practical stuff.It didn't really happen, I suppose. Think about it was. I was so young at the time and I was still being. Formulating my personality.And this whole trip I did 5 years changed me as a person all the way through. Do you know what I mean? I spent two and a half years in India as part of it. And that was just like, you know, that's just.You can't go there and do that and not be changed at the end of it. Right, okay. So it all sort of added in to. To the self that I became. So it sort of deformed who I am.And I think, you know, I think the one thing, if there's anything, it's tenacity. Right. Okay.Because I could have just sat there and who knows, you know, because Ahmed, you know, he might have tripped over and nobody there to help me might, you know, what could happen, just. And I could have just died at that spot. Yeah. If I hadn't have got up and walked on. Yeah.And I suppose that's sort of a bit of it is just got to keep going. I mean, there's great Woody Allen quote. I know Woody Allen's a bit like controversial, great director, but. Yeah. In his personal life.But I think, and I'm going to paraphrase it because I'm sure this guy. But he's like 99% of success is turning up. And it's a bit like that. That's what it's, you know, you just got to keep turning up every day doing.Because you never know serendipities, you know, serendipity and serendipity events and you know, and so I think if it's, if it's done anything, these sort of near death experiences that I've had, it's just about. Yeah. You know, keep going. Because if you, if you don't, you know what's going to happen, it's definitely going to happen. But if you Keep going.You never know. And you know, and that's the thing. So you just got to keep, keep, keep moving.

Do you think it helped you on?Because I haven't had that experience, but I can imagine that it would, that it also sort of gives you the idea that it's like, well, it's not that bad.It could be worse when you get in situations after that and you kind of go even in your travels and you kind of get in another awkward spot and you're kind of like, well, this is really awkward, but it's not nearly as awkward as that. Yeah, I don't feel like killing someone and having their blood to drink. Right.

Like, I didn't think that was such a bad bit of it actually. Dying thirst was more my problem. Right. You know, actually that's it. Oh yeah. Perhaps I've found that I am a cold stone killer.You know, I could be a hitman.

Yes, well, you're not because you didn't do it. It's. And it's, you know, it's why we've sort of, you know, encouraged my son to maybe try and go traveling a little bit.Because I think it's those adventures when you're young and you just go out, you get yourself into spots that, you know, maybe you wouldn't otherwise.

Yeah.

But that's how you learn and if it doesn't kill you, then you're okay. You've learned something.

Yeah, definitely learned something. Yeah. I mean I'd always say to everybody, go traveling. Like my nephew went traveling.I mean, mainly because I think I banged on to him on my trips about things. He didn't have a great experience in South America, but he came back and then he went out to Southeast Asia and had a great time.So you gotta, you know, sort of ride with it a bit. But yeah, I'd always say, you know, I'm a totally different. After came back from that, I was a totally different person.The person had left, you know, for the better as well.And I think, you know, so yeah, I think they should make it, you know, you should have to do a year traveling, you know, in the developing world, you know, just to go and see, you know, how privileged you are.

For all sorts of reasons.

Yeah, yeah. That being one of them. And just forget for adventures for the. Oh, woohoo. You know, really. But you know, I suppose I didn't go to uni though.So that was sort of, you know, I think if you go to uni, get some of that because you're out and you be wild and blah, blah, blah. But yeah, I mean, that was sort of my experience of that.

Amazing. Great story. Thanks for that. And I know you have more, so maybe I reserve the right in the future to have you back in.

Maybe tell us more story if it edits. Well, yeah, sure, why not?

It'll be fine. All right. Thanks very much.

Great. Thanks a lot.