Mark and the team have had a recharge and wash day at their beach camp on the shoreline about 40 kms north of Duqm where they visit tomorrow.

But this evening they are joined around the beach campfire by Mission Spiritus expedition leader, Alan Chambers. Bertram Thomas wrote that stories start where the road ends and around the fire Mark and Alan share stories about their two expedtions.

After a career in the Royal Marines and a colleague suffering a significant neck and spinal injury, Alan has devoted his life to fundraising for spinal injury research through fairly extreme fundraising expeditions. It was over a coffee in Antarctica watching an eclipse that the idea for Mission Spiritus was born.

Alan describes himself as one of “earth’s gardeners”. Travelling to some of the most remote places on earth and collecting snow, sand, water, ice and rock samples, Mission Spiritus are supporting research into the global spread of micro and nano plastic pollution.

Mark and Alan’s path have crossed as Mission Spiritus are about to head into the Sharqiya sands to collect sand samples.

Find out more about Alan and Missions Spiritus here

Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition

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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio