The Exploration of Everything: Recent Episodes
The world is a truly fascinating place. The stories of the people, places and events that shape it are all incredibly unique and interesting. In this podcast we talk to some of these intriguing people as they come in and share their captivating stories. Please sit back, listen, learn and enjoy as we go on the Exploration of Everything.
Over the past 40 plus years Micheal Groom has dedicated his life to Mountaineering. In this time he has ventured to some of the most remote areas on the planet and been involved in countless extraordinary adventures. He was the first Australian to climb the 6 highest peaks in the world without using supplemental oxygen. Remarkably, he climbed 5 of these 6 peaks after losing the front third of each of his feet to frostbite. In 1996 there was an infamous disaster on Mt Everest, claiming the lives of 8 mountaineers. This climbing tragedy has been immortalised in novels such as ‘Into thin Air’ by Jon Krakauer and movies including ‘Everest’ starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Mike was on this ill-fated expedition and was the only guide to make it off the mountain alive. He has also been awarded an Order of Australia by the Prime Minister for his outstanding achievements in and contribution to mountaineering. These are only a handful of the astonishing moments that have contributed to a truly remarkable life. It just so happens that Mike is an absolute gentleman and an inspirational human being as well. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Mike’s stories as much as I did. Enjoy!
Peter Gash has been described in many ways over the years but I think he is most aptly described as the embodiment of a true gentleman. Humble, kind and extremely hardworking, he lives life to the fullest and has achieved so many amazing things. As the manager and caretaker of Lady Eliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef (one of the world’s most beautiful places), Peter and his wife Julie have been instrumental in the island’s environmental restoration. With the help of many other inspiring people over the years, they’ve managed to bring the island and reef back from the brink of desolation. On top of this Peter is a pilot that runs his own aviation company, he helped establish professional motocross in Australia, is an entrepreneur in the true sense of the word, and has lived a fuller life than most people could in 10life times. This is the first time Peter has told his life story in such detail so it’s not only a remarkable tale but it’s fascinating to watch a man rediscover so many aspects of his long, rich life. Please enjoy this remarkable life story!
What does working with a heroin addict, getting caught with smelly cheese, walking into a Thai street orgy, winemaking and trying to pat a wild Black Rhino all have in common? They’re all a part of this week’s episode of the podcast.
Joining me to help celebrate episode number one are two very dear friends and two truely amazing human beings - Sieh Mmm mmm chawa and Colin Thrupp. These two guys are both accomplished documentary makers and between them they’ve travelled to just about every corner of the planet. They’ve lived remarkable lives and capture so many incredible stories along the way. It’s a privilege to have these two gentlemen as my first guests. Please Enjoy!
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Additional Note
To clarify, the main reason the broadcaster felt uncomfortable airing some of the scenes we filmed in Cambodia is because most of what we captured was done without the consent of those being interviewed. Any producer with experience in ‘under cover filming’ will tell you that getting the footage and audio to air is a legal nightmare. So, while it was bitterly disappointing not to have the scenes used, I completely understand why it could not be included in the film - especially without further investigation to substantiate what we were told during the undercover filming operation. ..................................................................