Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker Ben Saunders, Polar Explorer and Motivational Speaker

Moleskine

Moleskine near the North PoleMoleskine notebooks seem to be all the rage at the moment, and understandably so – they're lovely things, and if you don't own one, you should. A friend gave me my first Moleskine to use as a journal on my 2003 North Pole expedition – you can see it in action on the left, along with a few other tools of the trade – PDA, Iridium satphone, GPS, Kobold watch and a trimmed JNC chart.

I used an A5 Moleskine as a logbook/diary on last year's expedition – it had laminated navigation/timezone calculations, important telephone numbers and the codes for my ARGOS satellite beacon glued inside the front cover, while the wallet pocket inside the back cover held photos, letters and a few other sentimental bits and bobs. I started writing my diary in the front, and filled the back pages with lists of things I was going to do when I got home – books to read, films to watch, food to eat, improvements to make to kit, thank you letters to write and a whopping great 'life goals' list that stretched for several pages.

As you can probably tell by the rambling, the sponsor situation for the next expedition is still up in the air, so I'm keeping schtum for now. More on that soon, but for now, Robert Peary sums it up best:

'I cannot tell you how I long for the good old times when souls were a marketable commodity and always in demand by the Devil. I would trade mine very quickly for the money to get to work at once on my preparations.'

— 25 January 2005 | Filed under Miscellany | Comments are currently closed.

4 Comments

  1. DrainBamaged wrote:

    Ben,

    I have a younger brother who will be 21 on the 3rd of Feb. He constantly writes and draws in journals. I ordered two of the large Moleskin Journals for his birthday. Considering the history of the company and the people that have used them,… people that he's been a fan of,… Van Gough, Hemmingway, Picasso,… I know he's going to love this gift.

    Thanks for putting the word out on them. See, they should sponsor you now. You made a sale for them. Hahahahahaha!

    Paul (DB)

    January 25 2005 · 3:11 am

  2. goodsnake wrote:

    I have several of them. I filled a small one with just notes, phone numbers, and addresses because they are so easy to carry. This year I found one that was a daily calendar that is again the perfect size. My moleskins have been to Europe and quite a few places in the USA. They are wonderful notebooks, and I agree they should sponsor you now!

    January 25 2005 · 3:22 pm

  3. DrainBamaged wrote:

    Ben,

    You know what? I've discovered that getting funding from the Veterans Administration and the Department of Rehabilitative Services must really be akin to what you go through to raise money for your expeditions. On a smaller scale maybe,… but man are they penny pinching little %#@&!%&#!!! You'd think, from the hassle I get, that I'm planning an expedition too. AND I HATE TRIPLICATE PAPERWORK!!! LOL

    You know why everything is in triplicate, right? A copy for the government, a copy for me, and a copy we burn so the Russians don't get it. hahahaha Old joke we used to say during the glorius Cold War.

    DB

    January 25 2005 · 6:40 pm

  4. DrainBamaged wrote:

    Hey, wake up over there. hehehehe You should be up by now and rummaging through the world wide web. I'm waiting for my DAILY DOSE of BEN!! CRIKEY!!! "Time's a wasting," as me gran-mum used to say. Did I say that right? "Gran-Mum."

    Ok, now that I've annoyed you into wakefulness,… when are you planning on becoming a wee bit forthcoming on the parameters of the next expedition? Inquiring minds want to know.

    DB

    ps.You guys ready for the next story?

    January 26 2005 · 8:41 am