Episode 221 of The Adventure Podcast features international journalist and author, Adam Skolnick. Adam has written for countless news outlets, Lonely Planet guidebooks, magazines, and columns, and has travelled to over 40 countries. In this episode, Matt and Adam discuss his journey into writing. His first gigs, travelling for stories, and how to make a living doing so. Adam reflects about the early adventures he went on; cycling around the world in his twenties and how the reality looked very different from the romantic version he imagined. Often including long-stretches of boredom, loneliness and self-doubt. It's a wide-ranging conversation as they discuss everything from the pressure of shaping messy reality into something coherent on page, to ego and validation, the discomfort of being honest about motivations that don’t fit the heroic narrative, and the temptation to chase ever-bigger projects for 'better' stories. Adam also talks about the inspiration behind his new book, American Tiger, which he covered live as a journalist at the time, and how he found transitioning from fact to fiction.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-05:00: Motivations, ego, and the difference between starting an adventure and finishing one.

05:00-12:00: Adam reflects on riding around the globe, and the uncomfortable truth about why he really left.

12:00-25:00: A raw account of failure at sea, coping in crisis, and how unfinished journeys shape us differently.

25:00-35:00: Why success can be less interesting than failure, and how chasing “epic” creates a moving goalpost.

35:00-45:00: Different ways people experience fear, and why acknowledging it can be more powerful than suppressing it.

45:00-55:00: How children, responsibility, and time away from crisis culture reframed Adam’s sense of purpose.

55:00-01:05:00: Adam introduces a new philosophy: joy over grit, presence over performance.

01:05:00-01:20:00: Why “hero moments” lose value over time, and what actually lasts from a life of adventure.

01:20:00-End: Closing reflections on peace, humility, and finding meaning without needing the next big thing.

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Episode 220 of The Adventure Podcast features endurance athlete and author, Peter Wright. Peter has undertaken some of the world's most challenging endurance events - completing the Marathon des Sables, the Jungle Ultra, the Western States 100, the Cape Wrath Ultra and rowing the Atlantic. But what's fascinating about Peter is that on the face of it, he's a pretty normal bloke with a full-time career, who made a series of seemingly ordinary decisions. In this episode, Matt speaks with Peter about how a comfortable, “mildly active” life gradually evolved into a decade of endurance challenges. He shares honest stories of failure, imposter syndrome, DNFs, and the mindset shifts that helped him keep going when quitting felt easier. They discuss balancing adventure with family life and a full-time career, the reality of preparing for a two-year project, and the emotional highs and lows of life at sea. At its core, this episode explores motivation, ageing, and fear of regret. And why adventure isn’t necessarily about talent, but about turning up and committing to the long game.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-03:00: Peter describes his early relationship with sport, comfort, and routine - and the quiet feeling that something needed to change.

03:00-06:30: Moving to Jersey, being inspired by an active island culture, and setting the goal of running the London Marathon.

06:30-10:00: Discovering ultra running through magazines, meeting influential runners, and saying yes to scarier challenges.

10:00-14:00: A disastrous London Marathon; twisted ankle, lost gels and an emergency toilet stop.

14:00-18:30: Preparing for the Sahara, imposter syndrome, conservative early pacing, and finishing stronger than expected.

18:30-23:00: Why DNFs aren’t the end, unfinished business, and returning to races to “wipe them from the record.”

23:00-27:30: Juggling endurance challenges with life.

27:30-31:30: Why ultrarunning is more inclusive than expected.

31:30-34:30: Sunrises, hallucinations, emotional swings, and the mental landscapes of endurance events.

34:30-36:30: A gruelling virtual challenge during Covid leads to an unexpected invitation: rowing the Atlantic.

36:30-42:00: Family conversations, finances, sponsorship, learning to row, and two years of preparation.

42:00-45:30: Departure day emotions, family goodbyes, and the relief of finally being at sea.

45:30-52:30: Peter explains life at sea.

52:30-55:30: Reaching Antigua.

55:30-59:30: Writing a book, recent multi-day Iron-distance challenges, and redefining what’s possible later in life.

59:30-End: Peter reflects on motivation, fear of regret, and why showing up with a good attitude matters more than anything else.

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Dispatches are our shorter form episodes, usually around a single question, subject or story. In this episode, Waldo Etherington talks to us about all things trees. Waldo has been on the podcast before, and is also a regular diarist in our sister series, Field Diaries. He's a rope access specialist whose spent months high in rainforest canopies and on expeditions all over the world. His passion for the lungs of the earth is unparalleled and completely infectious. He explains how exactly he sees trees, from their body language to 'visual tree assessments', and drops mind-boggling facts throughout. Hopefully you'll listen to this episode and walk away with a new sense of wonder and appreciation for these magnificent living beings.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.