INTERVIEW WITH REZA PAKRAVAN: MODERN-DAY ADVENTURER

Reza Pakravan is an explorer, filmmaker, author, and motivational speaker, whose adventures have taken him to the furthest corners of the globe – and back round again. He was the first person to have travelled the entire length of Africa via the Sahel region, and the only person to have cycled the length between Nordkapp and Cape Town in just 102 days. Reza also set the Guinness World Record for cycling the Sahara, and most recently travelled 4,285 miles through the Amazon.

Reza is absolutely one of my favourite explorers, having pushed every single one of his limits and still carrying on his adventures.  In his journey from Nordkapp to Cape Town, he cycled through countries such as Dagestan and Egypt (despite endless warnings not to – I both adore and relate to that!), contracting food poisoning, malaria, and heat stroke, and yet still completing his journey – AND being able to raise over £70,000 for children in Madagascar. Oh, and he was also briefly kidnapped.

Primarily, I would first like to know if this is where your teenage self thought you’d end up?

Yes, for sure. One day my dad gave me a series of book called The Adventures of Tintin. As a kid, I explored the world with Tintin, to the moon and back, to the heart of the Congo, deep into  Arabia and China. Those books really sparked my imagination to the world of exploration. At that age, all I wanted was to travel the world and be like Tintin. But obviously being an explorer is not normally something you are advised to do when you meet your career advisor at school, and I really didn’t know how to make a living out of it. Then somehow life got in the way and my passion took a back seat. I went from being a professional basketball player to extreme skier and mountain biker, and I even made it in the corporate world. But you can’t skip what you’re made for. Those seeds that were planted in you when you were a kid cannot be underestimated.

What is your most memorable experience on the road?

This is such a difficult question. Perhaps arriving at the town of Djenne in Mali during the annual plastering of the mosque is something that I will never, ever forget. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. Djenne is the mud capital of the world and in the centre of it is the grand mosque of Djenne – one of the sacred wonders of the world. People from all over Mali come to Djenne to give their mosque a new skin and prepare it for the rainy season ahead. The townsfolk took us into their homes, treated us like their families and shared this incredible experience with us. We partied for three days in Djenne in the muddy festival – an explosion of Malian music, dance, colours, movement and, of course, mud. It was like the Glastonbury festival in Mali.

What is the hardest aspect of cycling such great distances?

You need to keep yourself motivated because it can sometimes gets really daunting. Being a long-distance cyclist means you have to be a student of pain. You need to know how to manage pain and accumulated fatigue. You go through so many different emotions and you have some incredible times: like feeling the euphoria of finishing the day and seeing the gorgeous sunset from your bike having cycled 150 miles; and there are times that you feel terrible and constantly question why are you doing this. It’s like life, isn’t it?

How did you manage to secure the sponsors and exposure for your Kapp to Cape journey?

It took me a long while to build enough of a profile to enable me to get my first sponsorship. Before Kapp to Cape, I cycled the Annapurna Circuit and set the Guinness World Record for cycling the Sahara Desert. Both were done during my holidays using my savings. They certainly gave me credibility to ask for sponsorship. I always suggest not to approach sponsors unless you have something you can give in return. Sponsors don’t necessarily want to turn people down, they are just inundated by the number of people approaching them. They give money in return for exposure, which is fair. Save up, start small, build credibility and an audience, and then approach them.

The expedition was supported by the Scientific Exploration Society and Reza would like to thank sponsors Sun Chlorella, Craghoppers, Lestoff, Wildling, Tentsile, BodyMe and Eagle Creek.

Have you got any advice for someone looking to become a full-time explorer?

There is no set career path in becoming an explorer, however there is a common characteristic that explorers share and that is entrepreneurship. Explorers make connections. An explorer is a networker who brings together others who will join an expedition – teams, sponsors and audiences – for the work of the expedition. He or she is a persuader, fundraiser, networker, recruiter, leader and curator. Alternatively, you can develop an expertise in something so you can join a team, for example, you could be a photographer, filmmaker, diver, mountaineer, etc. Whichever path you decide to choose, dedication and hard work should be part of your existence because it’s not an easy path, though it is a very rewarding one.

Which experience would you say you have learnt the most from?

Failing. I was leading a team in the Amazon, making a TV series called Transamazonica. I had so much responsibility on my shoulders: I was a producer and co-presenter. We were filming in very difficult conditions for an extended period of time. The local team was extremely difficult to deal with and made our lives very complicated. Our cameraman, who was a very difficult person, was constantly arguing with them and sometimes the arguments got very heated. I constantly had to mediate. At some point things got a bit too much and I lost it. I feel I let everyone down and as a leader I should have handled the situation much better and not let it get to that stage.

What would your answer be to people that say that everywhere has already been explored?

They are right. At least on the surface of the Earth, people have been everywhere. But that is not the definition of a 21^st century explorer. According to the Cambridge dictionary, explorers are people who travel to places that no one has ever been to see what is there. This is so out of date and not relevant to today. Explorers are storytellers, but not just chest-beating, flag-planting adventurers. Explorers create stories which change others’ understanding of the world. That’s what it means to be a 21^st century explorer. It’s about documentation. Whether it is a feat of endurance or looking at certain areas of the world from a different angle, it’s about what you do with that piece of information and how you contribute to other people’s knowledge.

How likely is it that a woman could do what you do, cycling such great distances through questionable lands?

Very likely. Start small and build up from there. It’s all about gaining experience.

Who would you say your favourite travel writer is?

Tim Butcher and Paul Theroux. Hard to chose between them.

Lastly, would you be able to tell me a little about your next big adventure?

I have just finished a TV series called The World’s Most Dangerous Borders. This was the first season, which was based in Africa. I was offered to do the second season, which is happening in Asia. It’s about documenting the lives of people who live in conflicted border areas.

Reza Pakravan is one of my biggest influences – I have learnt so much about what it takes to become a modern-day adventurer from him, and I hope he has helped inspire you guys also.

Have you guys got any questions for him, or now feel ready to take on your own adventure? Let me know in the comments below!

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