He has walked along the entire Himalayan range, through the jungles of Central America and trekked the Silk Road. Yet, for British explorer and author Levison Wood, travelling was not his first profession.
Wood was first part of the British Army.
Speaking to Gulf News at the sidelines of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature earlier this month, Wood said: “My father and grandfather were in the army, it was more of a family tradition. But I had always travelled before I joined the army and after leaving the army I have continued to travel.”
He has written four books on his expeditions, and Wood feels that the military life went a long way in training him for his future travels.
“The army taught me a lot of practical skills as well as pushing yourself to physical and mental limits. It also gives you the confidence to undertake tasks that you probably would not do otherwise,” he said.
His contacts in the military have also helped him organise expeditions to places that are either not accessible or fall in the danger zone, because of political or economic turmoil.
Over time, he has been able to deal with both the man-made and environmental challenges of each trip.
Terrain
Wood has trekked across mountains, jungles, deserts and cities and each environment throws up unique challenges.
“There are a lot of things in the jungle that can kill you or certainly ruin your day. Lots of plants, poisonous toxins, snakes, spiders and scorpions. It is also very easy to get lost in the jungle and very difficult to navigate. If the jungle is thick, you can probably just cover a couple of kilometres in a day.
“The desert, conversely, is a very simple environment but can be equally challenging. Trying to find water in the desert is one of the toughest things, you want to make sure you are well-prepared before you enter the environment,” he said.
His tip for travellers? Be very well-prepared, rely on your own experiences and make sure you have got the best people with you.
The human stories
Of all the places he has been to, Sudan has thrown up the most unexpected experiences. Having read about the civil war and unrest in the region, Wood was cautious during his trip. However, the people there quickly helped him overcome his trepidation.
“It was probably one of the most friendly, hospitable and welcoming places. The people were amazing, I was welcomed into people’s homes, they literally run out of their houses offering you water and tea. I just found it very refreshing.”
However, South Sudan has also been one of the most dangerous places that he has travelled to and one of the rare places where he was threatened with his life.
However, as a historian, what had a greater impact on him was witnessing the destruction of monuments.
“I travelled through Iraq and Syria at the time of the downfall of Daesh and saw first-hand the destruction caused by that war. That was difficult to see. But equally, lots of stories of hope are coming out of those places. Hopefully, there will be peace there soon.”
