"I was no longer troubled when he pulled out a machete in a crowded bar, tried to pick up schoolgirls, or threatened to scalp us, then rip off our heads and scoop out our brains."

"The pursuit of illusion is not about studying for prizes, or for study's sake. There's no right or wrong, no pass or fail."

"Previous experience had taught me that any expedition marches on its stomach."

"Previous journeys in search of treasure have taught me that a zigzag strategy is the best way to get ahead."

"Settling into a new country is like getting used to a new pair of shoes. At first they pinch a little, but you like the way they look, so you carry on. The longer you have them, the more comfortable they become. Until one day without realizing it you reach a glorious plateau. Wearing those shoes is like wearing no shoes at all. The more scuffed they get, the more you love them and the more you can't imagine life without them."

"Visit Cape Town and history is never far from your grasp. It lingers in the air, a scent on the breezy, an explanation of circumstance that shaped the Rainbow People. Stroll around the old downtown and it's impossible not to be affected by the trials and tribulations of the struggle. But, in many ways, it is the sense of triumph in the face of such adversity that makes the experience all the more poignant."

"A journey of observation must leave as much as possible to chance. Random movement is the best plan for maximum observation."

"These days no one challenges us,' he said. 'And because there is no challenge, there is no reason to work hard. And with no reason to work hard, we have all become lazy."

"Move to a new country and you quickly see that visiting a place as a tourist, and actually moving there for good, are two very different things."

"For me, a journey to Damascus is an amazing hunt from beginning to end, a slice through layers of history in search of treasure."

"There's nothing like a pack of mules to give one a sense of entourage."

"There's nothing quite like a good quest for getting your blood pumping."

"It was an awkward moment. We were burning down our host's house, a situation which any guest seeks to avoid."

"My journey to the land of the Shuar tribe had taught me the importance of practical gifts."

"I struggled to think pure thoughts, as Hector sucked out my psyche with his eyes."

"I had learned years ago never to give original documents to anyone if I could help it."

"In India an explanation is often more confusing than what prompted it."

"As the head of an expedition, you can't pussyfoot around being polite to everyone. You have to show your teeth once in a while; a little growling goes a long way."

"My father looked on in disbelief, overwhelmed that his son had been taught to eat glass and relish it."

"The ability to tell a good route from a terrible one is a valuable skill when leading an expedition. Unfortunately for us all, it was a skill I did not possess."