It started in West Norwood

Seeing the familiar sights of Barons Court, Boston Manor and Hatton Cross could mean only one thing – this is it, next stop Rio via Heathrow!

Like all good adventures, it had to start somewhere, not Southampton or Lisbon, for us the real start was last night. Our first night not staying with family and with no fixed abode. Simple the clothes on our backs (albeit several outfits stuffed into backpacks). When students study these writings in the decades and centuries to come, as they did with Captain Scott or David Livingston, they will doubtlessly all agree that this expedition started in West Norwood!

So, with only three shirts, two t-shirts a pair of shorts and a pair of trousers (and somehow 18kg of other stuff) to keep me going for the next 6 months, we say au revoir to everything we know and are comfortable with, and hello to the unknown!

Wish us luck!!!