ONELIFE #36 – English

ON A PERSONAL NOTE
A lifetime of exploration:
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
knows better than most
what it takes to truly
go Above & Beyond
IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the world’s greatest living explorer, reflects
on his countless experiences with Land Rovers, from his early days
in the army, to his intrepid expeditions across the globe
PHOTOGRAPHY: SAM BARKER/CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES, PRIVATE
I still remember the first time I sat behind
the wheel of a Land Rover. It was 1963 and I
was based in Germany with the British army.
One night, during a night-time exercise,
we had to make a rapid exit. I insisted on
driving. However, the ride was bumpier than
I had imagined, and at one point we just
missed a tree trunk, meaning that this lovely
long wheelbase Land Rover ended up in a
ditch. Fortunately, both car and occupants
were OK, but it did cost me more than a
month’s salary.
Ever since then, Land Rovers have
accompanied me on countless adventures
around the globe, from the Bering Strait to
the White Nile and the deserts of Oman.
Together, we’ve broken world records,
endured intense heat, bitter cold and
traversed some of the world’s most aweinspiring,
remote landscapes.
The one that probably stands out the
most was our quest to find the lost city of
Ubar, the Atlantis of the Sands – a search
that lasted almost 25 years. We first started
in 1968 and, by the mid-80s, we had made
five separate expeditions into the remote
deserts of Oman. I wanted to give up, but
my late wife Ginny was adamant: that wasn’t
an option. Eventually, in 1992, we cracked
it at the eighth attempt. After persevering
for so long, it was an incredible feeling of
accomplishment.
People often ask what drives me to
circumnavigate the globe, cross both poles
or complete seven marathons in seven days
on seven continents. The opportunity to
raise money for charity is a huge motivator.
There have been numerous occasions when
I’ve really been suffering myself, and this has
helped drive me on. I’ve also often found
myself turning to the people I respect most:
I imagine my father and grandfather are
watching and I don’t want to let them down
by giving in.
Never let anything inhibit your sense of
adventure, but being adventurous doesn’t
mean being reckless. Entering the unknown
can be a daunting prospect, but you have to
be sensible. Over the years, we’ve aborted
40% of our record attempts, before taking
stock and trying again. It took me five years
and three attempts to make it up Everest. It’s
a learning process and sometimes success
after failure can be even more satisfying.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that
finding the right people to accompany
you is incredibly important – not only to
ensure the success of an expedition, but
also because sharing these experiences can
make them more memorable.
And selecting the right equipment can
be just as crucial. For me, Land Rover stands
for the ultimate in reliability – during my five
decades of exploration, it’s proven one of
the most dependable ways of getting from
almost any imaginable A to B, with a bit of
help from a pickaxe. This special issue of
Onelife is a celebration of 70 years of that
special Land Rover spirit, an unbreakable
desire to go above and beyond and explore
the world’s many wonders.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
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