A.K.A: The Sherman8or
Role: To finish my dissertation!
Hometown: Perth, Scotland
University: Nottingham
Degree: Physiotherapy
Year of study: 3rd
Age: 31
Kayaking Background: I have been kayaking for 15 years and have turned a hobby into a lifestyle! This lifestyle has managed to take me to some awesome places like Iceland were I worked as a river guide, but ended working as a chef on a horse trek long story… but managed to do lots off boating as they gave me my own 4 wheeled drive truck! Spent 3 seasons in Colorado where i worked as a senior guide running Kayak/rafting trips from half day to multi day trips lasting for 8 days. I have also been either via working or personal trips to all the usually suspects places Italy, France, Norway and NZ, and having the pleasure of heading to Corsica this Easter.
Favorite destination so far: Has to be Colorado for its awesome creeking, but Scotland when wet is pretty hard to beat!
Extra Skills: Photography is what I am teaching myself at the moment. Able to sleep any where, and will be a qualified physiotherapist for those ache and pains!
Previous media coverage: I represented Scotland in the world BMX racing championships (aged 14, great photos), also
skiing on a Saturday morning show called Get Fresh, where I happened to have a fight with the guy on national T.V. cause he pushed me over (aged 12).
Other Interests: Skiing has filled most of my life and have been turning on the white stuff from an early age and ended up living in the alps for 8 winters, and can still be found there on uni holidays (including reading weeks shhhh!) traipsing round the alps looking for fresh powder in Wello my van. Have been known to do a bit of mountain biking, climbing, with paragliding being the new sport that I am going to learn when I finish Uni.
Music of choice: all kinds as my i pod has the most diverse selection from AC/DC to Zero 7.
Most exhilarating boating moment: Picture this: Colorado is in the middle of some of its worst fires in years, due to a massive drought. Every one in Denver is thirsty so the water board release the dam for a river called Bailey. Cool you think, well no you can’t get to the river as the surrounding area is on fire and declared a no go area… so a stealth mission is declared and we slip under the radar, climb through a few burnt fields, hide in some bushes and get on this river which was awesome and we did not get busted. But a team 2 days later did and had to pay lots of dollars in fines.
What has been your worst boating moment? Loosing my first ever kayak the day I bought it in France!
When and where was your last swim? Saturday 17th Feb 2007 on the Etive!
Most random / unusual thing you have ever done? Learnt to horse ride in Iceland by herding wild horses for 2 days. Talk about saddle sore, I didn’t have one cause this crazy Icelandic man who thought that he was the man from “Snowy River” said this was the only way to learn!
What are you most looking forward to about the expedition? Exploring a new place, meeting new people and Multiday kayak trips!
What part of the expedition do you feel will be the biggest challenge? Logistics of getting around, as these countries are so big, with not too many roads and a language that I won’t be able to understand.
What will you cook when it’s your turn to feed the team? Fish that I will catch on the river, or if not, dry packed food from the back of my boat!
What piece of kit will you be sure you take on expedition? MSR stove, as a cup of tea will solve any problem!
What made you chose Siberia and Mongolia? What I thought we were going to Serbia and Montenegro!
As a team, you have a lot to live up to after the success of the 2005 Kyrgyzstan trip. What do you think makes The Four Borders Expedition so special? The reason that this will be so special is that we are all much better looking than the last group!
How do you think the team will get on since most of them only met for the first time in November? We are all in this for the same reason and that is we love to kayak and the thrill of adventure, and looking at all the profiles how can we possibly not get on!