People ask me all the time “How do you decide your next Quest?”
It’s actually really easy: I have to have a certain feeling in my body. My mind has very little to do with it. I can always figure things out. Might take me some time, Africa took 6 years from the first moment of desire!
I need to feel so incredibly excited that it brings me to tears.
Running an adventure is incredibly hard. I HAVE to feel SO EXCITED that it overcomes my fears and all the f*#king complications and setbacks.
I just have to feel it in my bones. I have to fully believe I can thrill my guests.
The first challenge is finding my trusted #1 on the ground in whatever country we are going to. In the UK and USA, I am fine on my own. It’s way more fun with a co-pilot, but I can do it.
In New Zealand I was blessed to find my Kiwi guide, Mike Stearne, who was an even bigger LoTR fan than I was. It took a massive nerd to be able to keep up with my amazing group of fellow Tolkein lovers. I mean the daily TRIVIA! Whoa!
In Africa, I had met Amy Attenborough on my first trip and I admired her knowledge and grit plus she had a very gentle demeanor which could balance my energy well.
The right co-guide can enhance the guests experience and give me the backup I love.
I have added some photos I hope show even a touch of the fun we had.
In the New Zealand Fellowship photos there are some of Mike being made up by one of the hair and special effects makeup artists from Weta, Te Warena. Mike then drove us around leaning out of the van and both terrorizing and amusing the locals.
We went to Hobbiton with my friend Jed Brophy who was in all 6 of the LoTRs and Hobbit movies.
The African Quest had so many photos, it’s really hard to pick a couple. The one of us on the stage at Kirstenbosch Gardens has Amy and I in the back with dark blue guide shirts.
And another of a bunch of us at Cape Point.
I’ll let you know when I have the next Quest lined up!
More soon!…..
