Interviewing a Python

It's been a wee while, but I have been busy.......

http://www.penguin-news.com/

If you go to that site, you'll find my interview with Michael Palin last week. A wonderful man: very humorous, and interesting, and I have been a life-long fan. As I'm often told - I'm a lucky, lucky man!

Blackish  Oystercatcher

He was in Stanley and the Falklands for a few days to research his new book on the Erebus, a ship that sailed around Antarctica, and to the North-west Passage in the early 19th century.

Friendly Falklands Thrush

The ship and its crews had amazing stories to tell. The first voyage found volcanoes on Antarctica, and Captain James Clark Ross named them after his ships, the Erebus  and  Terror.  They also were the first men to see the Ross Ice Shelf, and reach the South Magnetic Pole. The captain of the  Terror was a man called Crozier. Both men are remembered in the street names of Stanley - they were instrumental in founding the place!

The last penguin to leave for Brazil!

 But it was the second and final voyage, under Sir John Franklin, to find the North Magnetic Pole, which placed the Erebus firmly in the history books. The whole expedition was lost for decades - no sign of it anywhere - until some bones were found in remote north Canada....

And only a few years ago, the ships themselves were discovered. So, the hunt continues for clues to the mystery of what happened....

Cockleshell Heroes

Rather unbelievably, on the same day I was talking to Michael Palin, I also enjoyed listening to former Royal Marine Commando, Mick Dawson tell of his 7,000 mile row across the Pacific with Chris Martin. See "189days.com" for full details. Can you imagine ROWING from London to Buenos Aires?????

Last week, he was "merely" kayaking 120 miles around the Falklands with Steve Grenham, to raise awareness of his project (Cockleshell Endeavour) to help PTSD sufferers. The two paddlers (both novices) entered Stanley Harbour followed by a pod of dolphins to keep them company. Amazing.

Please help support these men, without whose sacrifices, the Falklands War and other conflicts would have ended differently.

http://www.cockleshellendeavour.com/

http://www.189days.com/


Sorry for the break. I'm going for another one soon, but there is plenty to get your teeth into while I'm away,

Enjoy
Peter

PS - did you spot the April Fool in the Penguin News?