Extreme Expeditions

Sahar Didmus Passed Away Today.

2011-11-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

Sahar was a great friend of mine, and accompanied me on 5 of my 6 expeditions to Sumatra. In 2oo1, he was with me when we found the hairs and cast ,which were subsequently analysed as being from an `unkown primate`, and of course was there in 2009,when we obtained the hairs which generated a similar result.i last saw him just two months ago,when he and his brother John found what we think is a handprint of the Orang-Pendek, as well as new hair samples, which are currently undergoing testing.
Sahar has featured in several documentaries, firstly with me, in the National Geographic `Is It Real`,series, then also with MonsterQuest, and most recently as part of a documentary we filmed in September, with the B.B.C. He also featured in Beast Hunter and the Destination Truth episodes.
I first met Sahar in 2001, when he was part of Debbie Martyr's Tiger protection team.On that occasion ,I was enormously impressed by his tracking skills-he was I think, the best in the world for years(and I have plenty of experience with international trackers).He had a great affinity with nature, and was keen to protect the forests he so loved.Since then Sahar has always led the Sumatran contingent of my expeditions, and I found him to be a highly organised and jovial guy.
I was privileged to be with him in 2009 when he saw the Orang-Pendek, a moment which he described as `one of the greatest of his life`, and gave him a hug as he sobbed with the emotion of it.
I have watched his sons grow up, and am in shock todayat his sudden passing away.My thoughts are for his wife Lucy, and his lovely boys who I know will make him proud....

Analysis.

2011-10-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

The hair samples have now been sent to the following experts: Bryan Sykes (Oxford);Todd Disotell (New York) ; Lars Thomas and Tom Gilbert (Copenhagen). In addition Jeff Meldrum has a photo of the possible handprint, and Andy will be working on making copies of the casts soon.

I have just written a foreward for Richard Freeman's forthcoming book on Sumatra,and the Orang-Pendek. There are now just a couple of loose ends to tie up , like writing up my own notes, and then I can put Sumatra to rest.All I can do now is wait for the results to come in of the evidence we found, whatever they may be.
Time to think soon about something else to do ,I think....

An excellent expedition!

2011-09-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well , I have just got back from Sumatra, and am totally knackered, but here are the headlines:
Everything has to be scientifically verified, but we have found a possible handprint, two footcasts, hair, and have literally thousands of images on the camera traps, which will take weeks to work through.
Most importantly, the excellent team I worked with are all safe and well.I am delighted with the results!
I am off for a bath now.Hold the rice!

I am off to Sumatra!

2011-09-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

That's it ! All packed and ready to go.I just had time for a really fab night out in London before I left.
I will update the blog when I get back and let you all know what I and the rest of the team find.

Let's hope the time is now.....

Sumatra Lecture.

2011-08-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I a gave a talk at the CFZ's annual gathering in Devon. I enjoyed the weekend, and got some really positive responses and appreciation of my work from those who attended.On a personal level, I always find this really encouraging. Not everyone can go on expeditions, of course, and its great to know that other people do get satisfaction form what I am doing, and it really does give me insporation for the future.

Now, its only a few weeks to go until Sumatra, so its time to check, and double check all my kit.......

2011-07-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

First, two bits of personal news.On Friday ,I was a guest on the Fate Radio network-Parasight Radio, hosted by Justin Cancilleire.(U.S.) I had a good time doing the show, and as my interview lasted for an hour, there was some great opportunities to get into the subject.So, thanks to Justin!

I have also recently written an article for John Carlson's Paranomalist blog on whether the Orang-Pendek is the same creature as Flores man.John told me that the article had made Coast to Coast , in the U.S, and got nearly 8,ooo hits in the first week it had been published.Again ,this is really good to hear!

On the expedition front, we will now begin ordering our supplies soon, to minimise the delay in getting into the Jungle when we arrive.Time to dust out my kit and get walking with the backpack.Only a couple of months to go now....
Red.

Follow Us Live!

2011-07-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

We are now down to the final few details of the planning of the CFZ Sumatra expedition.
Transport is organised , and the guides and field teams have been finalised.
All that remains is the ordering of the rations, and getting on with the job!
A special thanks to Glen Vaudrey for his hard work on the camera trap appeal.We will of course do our best to get that elusive photo!
For those of you on Face book with me a have some great news.We are hoping to be able to bring you updates of our adventures as they happen-jungle permitting!If you go to my status page, and click on Extreme-Expeditions, you will find the details.Andy,who created the site, is still working on it,but it looks excellent, and there will be plenty more to come.
I mentioned in my last blog how much I was looking forward to being in London.I had a fabulous time, as I always do.
I hope to be there again very soon...

Getting there!

2011-06-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

I feel like we are making some really good progress with the expedition to Sumatra. We have ordered and paid for a lot of the equipment we will need , and Andy has done a good job working the finances out.
Importantly, Sahar will now begin to start traversing the area, and looking for recent activity of the creature, in the area where we will be operating.I am hoping of course, for some recent Orang-Pendek sightings or prints..

The Discovery Channel film has gone down really well, and proved very popular, so I am very pleased.Although Olly did say that he thought "his bum looked big" :).I have posted the film on my Facebook site, for anyone who wants to see it.

I will be travelling a lot in the next few weeks.I am in London next week, which I am really looking forward to.
Of course, I will keep you updated if I get any exciting news.........

Article on Cryptomundo

2011-05-21T13:41:00.001-07:00

Today, I posted an article on Cryptomundo about the importancce of field research in continuning the quest for scientific evidence for the existence of cryptids.If you have the time to do so, I would encourage you to read it.
In it, I gave two particular examples of why I consider that time is running out for some of them, and given that, why the work is so important, not just for them, but for the eco systems they inhabit.It is important that field research is carried out properly, particularly in relation to the gathering of samples, and I am always happy to help, should anyone have any questions on this for me.
I would add that I have no interest in replying to the recent emails I have recieved from a gentleman in Burkina Faso suggested that we both can share milloins, if only I would send my bank account details to him!
Expedition planning is going well, and both the kitlist and finances seem almost agreed.
I was particularly pleased this week that the show I did for Discovery went down so well, and my kids loved being on it too.I hope to post a link to it on my facebook account soon, if you would like to watch it...

Filming with the Discovery Channel.

2011-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have just been filming with the Discovery channel. For the first scene, they asked if it would be o.k. to film a tracking sequence with my kids, which I was cool with.When I told Oliver(12) about this he said"all the girls will be so impressed at school, Dad" and then quickly added," er not that I'm interested in ANY of them ! " "Yeah sure you're not,Son" I said ;)

Meanwhile, Gabriella (6) has declared that "she loves filming " and is "quite happy to work for chocolate!"!!
I am working on expedition finances for Sumatra now Sahar is better, together with Andy Sansderson. The kit list will follow shortly, but we are making good progress!!

Facebook

2011-04-16T03:57:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, I finally joined face book.I have enjoyed playing with it over the last couple of weeks.After all, it can't get me into anymore trouble than sending texts after a night down the pub:)
Now that spring is upon us ,I am going to start upping my running, and finally give up smoking.Yeah its those patches for me!
I am starting to work out some of the objectives for how we operate the expedition in Sumatra,and after I share and discuss it with the team, I will post more on it here .What I can say now though, is that I intend to operate the teams,for the first time ever, from up to three locations,and the array of equipment we are now able to bring looks very exciting indeed!

I am looking forward to the Easter Break.At Easter in the U.K., we seem to have developed a tradition that we must, by law, gorge ourselves on chocolate at Easter.Quite what that has to do with Christ's death and resurrection,I have no idea...I read once that its some sort of Pagan crossover to do with fertility though?
Anyway, however you are spending it, and wethere you are fertile or not,I wish all readers of this blog a really great Easter.....

EdgeScience.

2011-04-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

Tenerife was a blast! There will be more no doubt, on the blog to come.For starters though, lets just say my friend Stuart discovered a previously unknown talent for pole dancing,and was really yes really, good at it. Also Anthony, was put `on trial` ,and is now famous in Tenerife!!!!

Anyway, on to the Crypto info.I was concerned this week as the team's chief guide Sahar was hospitalised with a back injury.However, the good news is that he has recovered from that, and will be with us for the expedition later in the year. The team from Oz, has also booked their flights, and will be arriving the day before us in Sumatra.
Yesterday,I also had some really good news.I recently submitted an article for the scientific publication `EdgeScience` magazine. I am delighted to say it has made the front cover! Its out on the 15th April, if you would like to look at it.My article is entitled, `New primate species in Sumatra`.
It was great weather in Tenerife, and just as I arrived back to Manchester it started to brighten up here to.
London on Friday was really really hot! Time to start my Summer fitness training....

Sumatra Confirmed.

2011-03-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

The expedition to Sumatra will definately go ahead in September this year. I have just had to pay out for my flights, so I am seriously skint, and I am off to Tenerife for a friends birthday celebration Friday to Monday!
Had to be done though, to secure our places on the aircraft. I now have Dally working on the costings over in Sumatra. Meanwhile, over in the U.K. , Dave Archer and I, have been discussing what equipment we are going to be taking with us,particularly sourcing night vision kit to use at just before dawn.Meanwhile, Glen Vaudrey has also launched a campaign looking for sponsorship for trailcams.
John Carlson's paranomalist website now has that great new article I mentioned on the Orang-Pendek up, and as I mentioned previously, it is well worth a look.
I will post again when I get back from my short trip
There will be no `Monster Hunting` going on in Tenerife...........

Dancing to the Kinshasa beat...

2011-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

Last night , I went out for a drink with my old mate Andy Sanderson, who's not long out of the Royal Navy. We primarily met up to talk about the forthcoming Sumatra expedition,and particularly, to talk about what kit we would need. So ,Glen Vaudrey's trailcam appeal launched on the CFZ website, comes at just the right time.
Whilst reminiscing ,Andy reminded me about some of our old escapades together, including some lighter moments. For example, after literally having to fight our way out of Kinshasa during the civil war , we headed straight off to Rhodes ,where we won a `dance off ` to Run D.M.C , in a Greek nightclub! I can't imagine doing that now, but I am going to Tenerife on April 1st for three nights for Anthony's birthday, so you never know.
Later on in the evening, Keith and Anthony both turned up, and as I recall, Keith bought some shots with gold bits or something in them.What is that stuff? They both headed off to a club, and I have been unable to get hold of either of them today to ask!
I have been working on a new post for John Carlson's paranomalist blog.It should appear there shortly.Last year, Dutch cryptozoologist Tim De Frel contacted me and asked for some help in organising an expedition to search for the Orang-Pendek.His report will be no doubt posted on John's site, along with a few very striking observations of my own based on previous evidence I have gathered.I advise you to read it if you get the chance.

Sumatra 2011 and Bownessie continued!

2011-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Well, its been a crappy week at work ,with briefings about potential redundancies .To take my mind off it, I took a walk by the riverbanks where I live ,ironically in a place nicknamed `happy valley`. It did live up to its name this morning,and I spotted a lovely little Kingfisher diving into the water, in search of a tasty little silvery snack.
On Friday, I met up with my old friend Stuart,and together with Anthony, we discussed among other things(Stuart -I still can't believe what you said about the Teletubbies), the prospect of going up to Lake Windermere, for a short recce, to check out the contiuing stories about the alleged `monster` that seems to have a sudden taste for celebrity status in Lake Windermere.If nothing else ,it wil be a good opportunity to test my hydrophone and other equipment for when we get down to more serious matters.More of that anon..
Planning for Sumatra continues apace, with Sahar ,my chief guide agreeing that my idea of spliting the team into two will maximise the chances of seeing the Orang-Pendek.Jon McGowan, and Dave Archer will also be joining the team members already coming.
Although I am very familiar with Sumatra and its jungles,I am only to aware how quickly the situation on the ground can change, and its important not to go into it blindfolded, so I will begin the detailed process of operational planning shortly

Sumatra 2011

2011-02-28T05:04:00.000-08:00

Its been a busy week. As well as the dayjob, I have been busy writing an article for EdgeScience magazine,to be published I believe in April. I also took some time out to tie up with a great new friend of mine. Now however, I am turning my mind to expeditions. I am happy to announce that I will be returning to Sumatra in September 2011.I will be joined by my chief guide Sahar, and Andy Sanderson will be coming with me for the first time since 2004, I think.
Other team members confirmed are :Chris Clark, Richard Freeman, and Rebecca and Mike from CFZ Australia.
Its still early in the planning stage,but I am already looking forward to it!
In the meantime, I would really like to squeeze another expedition in if at all possible, so if anyone has any ideas /help, please feel free to contact me.

Bownessie.

2011-02-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

Well, last week I was pondering where to take my new hydrophone, and right on cue, a supposed sighting of a Lake Monster appeared at Lake Windermere, which is a few hours drive from me!
I am a great fan of hydrophones.With this device, you are able to record sounds,and have them scientifically analysed.Indeed , I was part of a team that sucessfully did this while looking for Selma, Norway's Nessie.The sound recordings we brought back ,led the Marine Research institute to conclude that they were from an unkown species.The problem with Sonar, is that alhtough it may be able to tell that a large object is moving through the water, it cannot tell you what it is with any reliability.Eyewitness and film footage can also be prone to mis-identification, (eels, otters etc).However sincere the person who has seen the `monster` may be.Of course, there are always hoaxers ...
I remain very doubtful indeed at present, but what's to lose?I was very sceptical of the Seljord Serpent's existence, but I ended up seeing that with my own eyes, much to my surprise!
In the meantime ,standby for some important expedition news...

Hydrophone and the Killer Tortoise.

2011-02-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

Well, my new hydrophone has come in the post,and like all the new kit that I seem to buy, at first,I haven't a clue how to use it! Not yet ,anyway-but I will have a fun practising I guess.Dr.Chris Clarke joked that he had `stress tested` his in the bath,but I can't imagine what noises he has induced in their to get readings,and frankly I don't want to :)
No, will take mine out with a friend of mine who is a dive master, and see how reliable it is in more extreme surroundings.
Its been a few months now since I go back from India,and I am restless ,and wished I could be in the field once again.I was pleased that the interview I did with Tim Binnall got such a positive response from those who listened,and a big thank you to all those people who have mailed me subsequently, to ask me questions ,or to say that they enjoy reading or listening to what I do. I do read all the correspondence I get, and will always reply to any of your mails.
In the meantime, I do need to begin planning where I go next,but as ever, it has to be subject to what I can afford...
In the meantime though, , I will have to settle into more mundane tasks. For the second time in a week, my son's bloody tortoise has taken a chunk out of my foot!
A `master of disguise`, it lurks beneath the coffee table, and the moment I sit down seems to lunge(as speedily as a tortoise can), towards my big toe,which it infinitely prefers as a tasty snack to the chopped cucumber and red pepper I dutifully chopped up for it.
I have decided it is ungrateful.No animal should bite the toe that feeds it.

Tim Binnall.

2011-01-23T05:34:00.000-08:00

From Monday, the interview I did with Tim Binnall just beofre Christmas will be available for download from his website. Tim's a really good guy, and I very much enjoy being on his show. I hope you get an opportunity to download it and listen. If anyone has any questions about the Mande-Burung expedition , or anything else I have done, or intend to do,please feel free to mail me at :adamkdavies@yahoo.co.uk.Or, you can post a comment on the website.
I wonder if any of the `predictions` I made on Tim's show about the outcome of the expedition results, will come true? Time will tell.............
I had a really great week this week.Here's hoping next week will be awesome.

Good news from Garo.

2011-01-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

I have just received a mail from Dipu .I am pleased to say that all the team are well, and that the situation in Garo is slowly returning to normal.Great news ,and a big relief.
I had a dose of that bloody flu this week, and it has been crappy.I mean, flu is bad enough, but why do your eyelids have to ache on top of everything else?That is seriously wrong;its not as if you can stop blinking is it?
January is a dour month anyway.I wish I was out there, exploring, rather than sitting here skint ,in Manchester!Enough moaning.
Anyway, I have bought a hydrophone this week, which will be extremely useful obviously for listening to aquatic creatures.I have begun to plan when I will be using it.I also had two really good pieces of news.Unfortunately, I can't give any detail about either of them as yet, but I am looking forward to being able to talk about at least one of them fairly soon!

Thinking of my friends in the Garo Hills.

2011-01-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

Last night, I recieved some worrying news from Dipu Marak.Apparently, there has been what he described as `communal fighting ` ,between the Garo people, and the Rabha, from Assam. As a result, the Garo border is closed, people have been killed and shops and vehicles burnt out. As things stand today ,the team who accompanied us on the expedition are all o.k. My thoughts are with them..........

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

A happy New Year to you all!

I had a great time at a club called `Fresh` in Macclesfield,where my mate Keith (who came to Sumatra ,Norway, and Loch Ness with me), is a D.J. Keith was telling me that the week before ,one of the barmaids,a very pretty girl of about 20 ,came over to him with an unexpected proposition."Keith ,"she said, "As I know your not working in the club on New Year's Eve, have you made any plans ?" "No" said Keith, excitedly, "great ", said the girl,"only my mum isn't doing anything either, and I thought you might like to go on a blind date with her!!"
You've still got it mate.After all, Mum's know best !

I'm gonna go onto the rugged moorland around Kinderscout ,which is in the Peak District tomorrow.Looking forward to it. Maybe I should take Keith?

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I am frozen. I have just spent the last five hours climbing an ice and snow face in minus 7 temperatures.I am off for a very hot bath now, before heading off to the pub. I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish everyone who reads this a very Happy Christmas!
On the CFZ website today, you can see a photo of a potentially new sub-species of Red Panda.The animal was shot by a local surgeon at Balpakram National Park in Meghalaya. Just after Jon had spotted the horns ,which may result in a new species of deer, this gentleman said to me `do you want to come to my house and see the red panda I shot?" Of course we did! I think Dave was the first to notice that the bands around its tail are much lighter than most red pandas that we have seen.Lars will of course do the tests, so as ever we will have to wait and see.
Until then, I hope Santa brings us all what we wish for.........

Expedition news and film footage.

2010-12-19T03:21:00.000-08:00

Well, the analysis of the India expedition field research has begun,and here's hoping for some great results. There seems to be a very good chance for example, that John McGowan will have discovered a new species of deer.Unlike John, I am no expert on deer species ,but I could easily see that the antlers we took D.N.A from at Mr. Llewellyn Marak's house, were significantly larger than a Munjac.This would of course , be a find of huge significance ,and I really hope it bears fruit. Of course ,there are other samples of hair and bone which we gathered,including hair that just could be from the Mande-Burung,but I think the horns are our best bet.
That takes nothing away from the existence of the Mande-Burung .I firmly believe in its existence, and in my last post I speculated as to what it was.If you would like to see some of the footage I shot on the expedition,please take a look at John Carlson's Paranomalist blog.It gives you a litle taster of what it was like on expedition.
I am pleased to say that I am doing an interview with Tim Binnall on Tuesday night.I will let you know when its available for upload. I always have a good time doing Tim's show!
In my dayjob, it was Office Party week, and I have to say I really enjoyed mine.What a merry go round.....Last night I went out with my old friend Andy Sanderson, and had a talk about a few of our past adventures.Where shall I go next?

Mande-Burung.A relic Gigantopithicus?

2010-12-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

I have started looking through my notes now, and the detailed interviews we conducted with eyewinesses to the creature ,and I thought I would share a few facts with you from them.Firstly, it appears to be ominvirous, and seems to make the most of its environments food sources..I was told it has been sighted in pineapple plantations.One of the eyewitneses described how he had seen a mother and baby eating bamboo .Secondly it displays agression,for example, another witness told how he had been chased out of a bamboo plantation.Could this have been a mock charge, in a similar fashion to the Gorilla?
Before I entered the jungle, I was also told by one of the forest guides that it ate freshwater crabs and I subsequently found what appeared to be MB prints, turned over rocks, and crab shells in a small stream. All described the creature as being huge,at least 9 feet tall, it seems, and covered in black hair. The consistency of the descriptions from the witnesses, especially under the scrutiny I gave them, was very encouraging.
I have shown some of my photos to some of my friends now.I expected them to remark on the beauty of the environment, or the snapshots of tribal life ,such as the 100 drums Wangala festival,which I attended. But no. Almost without fail, most have taken the mick out of my jungle trousers.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I was not in Manchester then, and cammo pants and braces really are a good look out there.LOL
I think I know what I 'll be getting for Christmas............

Mande-Burung video footage.

2010-12-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

Well, I have been having all sorts of fun with my HD camera jamming on me over the last few days,but I am finally making progress ,and I hope to release some of the footage I shot whilst in India ,very shortly. On every sequence we all seem to look a bit knackered,but then we were , and I wasn't worrying about wether the camera got my best side and all!
It reminded me of when I made my first film for National Geographic in Mongolia.Bilgee , who is my friend and an excellent translator, also accompanied me, as we looked for evidence of the Almas, in the remote western mountains near the border with Kazakhstan. He is a very hard man, and is missing a few teeth through various scrapes he has go into over the years. One morning, before we started filming, I noticed him staring into the wing miror of the jeep, looking troubled "What's up mate,?" I asked " Oh, nothing really" sighed Bilgee"but I think I need make-up before I go on set".... Imagine my response.
Right off to Antony's to sort out that camera. I had no major injuries while I was in India, but I will be hobbling to his house as I have just dropped somebody's Christmas present of a bottle of Chablis on my foot!
FIFA eh... no more words needed!

Orang-Pendek:Final Results.

2010-11-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Well, Lars has finished his analysis on the hairs we brought back from Sumatra last year.In summary ,he concludes that whilst the structure of the hairs point to a creature resembling an Orang-Utang, the D.N.A. more closely relates to a human. He states that he is `foreced to conclude that their is an unkown species of primate` in Sumatra.
Now , whilst this doesn't ,and cannot at this stage, say exactly what the creature is, it does state that the creature,unique in nature, DOES exist. This is a major step, and of great significance.
As many reading this will know,I have previously found evidence of the OP before .For example, cats of prints I found in 2001 were analysed by primatologists as being from an unkown species.Simlarly, hair samples found on the same expedition ,led Dr.Hans Brunner to conclude that there was an unknown species in Sumatra ,in the same manner as Lars.
So, the evidence is gathering.The moe science the better.This is a great result!

I`m back from India.

2010-11-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

I just arrived home a few hours ago. As you no doubt appreciate ,I am a tired tonight , but I had an amazing time,and felt that I ,and the rest of the team ,met with some great success.I will post more detail about the expedition over the next few weeks , but here are some headlines. I am convinced the Mande-Burung exists. Dave Archer found what appears to be an MB footprint, at a site where an eyewitness confirmed he had seen the creature.He and John McGowan, went on to find a trail of them. I found an MB footprint in Nokrek national Park. What I found particularly interesting about this one, was that you could see a boulder in the stream which had been tossed aside , followed by some debris of a freshwater crab. The locals had told me on previous occasions that the MB was fond of eating these particular types of crab.Whilst I can't be certain it was an MB print, the size and shape were certainly consistent with eyewitness reports.The casting at site failed due to the very wet conditions. We collected a number of very consistent eyewitness reports, which described a large black bipdeal ape, which built ground nests and ate bamboo. Nothing on the camera traps so far, but we haven't finished going through them all yet. We have collected hair and bone samples which just MAY come from the MB, but of course we need to test them.
Quite by chance , and very significantly indeed, John McGowan may well have discovered a completley new species .I can't say anything more about this though, until he has conducted a thorough analysis.
The area has some amazing , vast, and largely untraversed, jungle.Beautiful.The perfect place for a relic gigantopithicus.....

We are off!

2010-10-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

On Saturday,I will leave my house in Manchester,to travel down to Dave Archer's house ,ready for the flight to Delhi the next day.I'm really looking forward to the expedition. I began planning this in March, and now finally, we are ready to go.I hope we have a great adventure,but more than anything,wouldn't it be wonderful to bring back some proof of the existence of the Mande-Burung!
Well, we couldn't have done any more preparation.These sort of expedtions, trying to unravel mysteries that have persisted for hundreds of years, are always a long shot. Will we be lucky?Here's to hope, and in the words of Winston Churchill ,we will `never, never give up!`
You will hear from me as soon as possible............now is the time.

India-The Countdown Begins......

2010-10-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend , as a preparation for the India Expedition, I climbed Snowdon.Llanberis, the village which nestles in the valley below, is simply gorgeous.The place has an undoubted Alpine feel about it.The ascent was shrouded in mist,but one I got to the top, I could see for miles;miles of rolling green Welsh hills and valleys,peppered with twinkling clear blue Lakes.At night, in the Hotel bar, I joined some of the other people who had reached the summit that day, and witnessed some amazing crab like walks, as they wearily negotiated the now preposterous stairs!
We haven't got long now people, and the plans are laid,the equipment is bought ,the deal is on.I can hear the Mande-Burung calling me in my dreams now;lets hope these dreams turn to reality in a few weeks time!

Mande -Burung.Team Members and Objectives.

2010-09-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Team will be on expedition for approx three weeks.We will depart on Halloween, 31st October, from London, and return on 19/20 November.
I will be leading the team.I will be joined by Dave Archer and John McGowan, who will be bringing their tracking expertise to the team ,whilst Dr.Chris Clark and Richard Freeman will be providing technical and Zoological expertise respectively.
Dipu Marak will head up the Indian Team,which will include both trackers and porters.
We will be deploying traditional tracking techniques, as well as using hi-tech equipment such as infra red, camera traps, thermal imaging and field microscopes, as well as a helicam, if appropriate.
The team will be engaging in both arduous physical treks,and night stake outs.
We have already arranged a series of appointments with alleged Mande-Burung eyewitnesses.
The expedition will be filmed for a forthcoming documentary.
I would love to see one, but at the end of the day, its all about the science.Getting pictures on the camera traps would be amazing.What the expedition really hopes to do though, is get tangible physical evidence of the creature,should it exist,which can then be analysed by independent scientific experts.(e.g. to extract D.N.A for the mapping of genomes).
I also hope to have a great adventure whilst we are there, and get to chill with the locals!

Mande -Burung.

2010-09-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks , I have spent much of my free time preparing for the expedition to India,which departs at the end of October.The leader of the Indian team, Dipu Marak, has worked hard on comprising a really excellent itinerary for the three weeks that we are there.
As we have vehicles this time, we will be able to cover a large area of the Garo Hills. We have arranged interviews with eyewitnesses, and will of course , be trekking deep into the jungle, in the hope of finding evidence of the elusive creature.As well as the the normal camera traps,and G.P.S. etc, which we normally take out,we will also be taking silicon moulds , rather than than the plaster of paris, which has the potential to degrade, as I learnt from my last time in Sumatra. We will also be taking field microscopes, for on the spot anlysis of any finds, as well as infa red game finders and night vision equipment. We may also employ the use of a helicam,if it is apprpriate to do so.
The expedition will also be filmed for a forthcoming documentary,so you will be able to see for yourselves what happened.
I'm off to the Doctors tomorrow, to find out just how much the price of Malaria tablets have gone up.Time to dust off that knackered old rucksack again!

Its getting nearer.

2010-08-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend,Dave Archer and his girlfriend Natasha hosted a meeting of the expedition team for India. They were, as they always are, very hospitable, and I would like to thank them on
behalf of all those who attended. The weather was great, and we were able to do some lovely walks to the villages of Turville, and West Wyckham respectively.Most importantly, we also began to get down to the real detail of the expedition planning.This of course, includes projected costs-in other words how much money we will all need to bring! Afterwards, we went through all the various roles everyone would have. Dave and Dr.Chris Clark, continue to research the equipment.Some of the kit we tested out, such as the latest game finders and infared technology , looked very promising indeed.
Of course, there was some time for celebrations over the last successful expedition.Marlow, was as ever, more than capable of handling that!

What is the Orang-Pendek?

2010-08-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

The scientific validation of the existence of the OP is obviously great news. On a personal point , I have been to Sumatra five times, and spent thousands of pounds of my own money on these expeditions.Each time I went ,I learnt more about the creatures movements, and refined my own techniques. I am delighted that I led such a great team, with such fabulous results.
For me ,the story now moves on to what the OP actually is. Right now I am inclined to go very much with the view that it is a variant of the Orang-Utang species which has evolved to walk bipedally, in other words ,to walk like us. The research is of course,ongoing, so we shall see.

Last week ,I took my daughter on her first roller coaster ride. We had just got on it, when some ` entertainer `jumped out and started hitting people on the head with a pretend plastic club ,grunting BOOM BOOM , as he did so. Ducking to avoid the idiot's club, my head conncted with the safety bar, resulting in a huge blackeye. The name of the ride ? King Kong!!! I have had some serious mickey taking as a result,I can tell you-no irony there, eh!

All I can say is that you may have won that round,Kong, but I won the war..................

The results are in! Orang-Pendek proved to exist!

2010-08-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Today , a press release was issued by both myself,and Jon Downes, the Director of the CFZ.The synopsis of it is, that after lengthy research, Dr.Lars Thomas of Copenhagen University, has confirmed that the hairs we brought back from the Sumatra expedition ARE able to be identified.Right now, it seems that the OP is probably a variant of the Orang-Utang, but one it seems, that has learnt to walk bipedally.
Its fantastic news!!

As you can imagine, things are a bit hectic today, but I will post more on the subject at weekend.In the meantime, I would like to thankLars, and the magnificent team I had the pleasure to lead on the 2009 expedition ,for all their hard work.

The moment arrives.........

2010-08-17T09:44:00.001-07:00

That's all I can say for now.Except that its gonna be good .Really really good ................

Planning for India.

2010-07-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

I have spent this last week compiling a potential kit list for the expedition in search of the Mande-Burung .Although we are not going until the end of October,its important to have a good idea of what kit we need now, not least because ,as we are self financed, we will need to start acquiring what we need ,slowly, over the coming months.We also need a good understanding of the terrain ,as we will need to carry what we need into the jungle, and weight will be an obvious constraint. Importantly, some of the technical kit, such as night vision technology , and cameras can also be temperamental in humid conditions. So, as well as doing our own research,I have been busy discussing this with my contacts in India.
I have also been considering other potential expeditions. As well as searches for Sasquatch and the Malaysian Bigfoot, the recent Lake Monster activity in Russia has caught my eye.There has been some speculation that the creature encountered by fishermen in Siberia may be reptilian ,but this has been dismissed by most commentators ,as the Lake is on too northerly a latitude to support a large reptilian creature;it is simply too cold in winter.`Ah, but what if it hibernates?`Is a theory that has been postulated by some. This interests me,as it compares very well with the conditions in Lake Seljord, where Selma, the `Norwegian Nessie` resides. In Winter, the Lake is totally frozen over,so the creatures must,I think, indulge in some form of hibernation. I wonder if there is any physiological comparison between the two? I will start to do some serious research on Siberia, in the coming months,to see if it is feasible and affordable to go out there.
In the middle of all this planning and musing today, my daughter,Ella ,(aged 6) came over to see what I was up to. She looked really unhappy, and had a little tear rolling down her cheek.. `Whats the matter ,sweetie? I said, obviously concerned.`Is there anything Daddy can do to help you?` `Not really, ` said Ella ,with a sigh `After all, you are ONLY a man`........

New Orang-Pendek sightings.

2010-07-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

I have just recieved a report of new sightings of the Orang-Pendek from my friends Sahar and Dally in Sumatra. I have edited it slightly , mainly to avoid personal references, but other than that, here it is verbatim......
`Orang Pendek found by man on the small house near his Landang at 10 p.m. He saw Orang pendek was eating sugar, he saw orang pendek clearly about 1 metre from him. When he saw Orang Pendek he felt afraid and shock, he thought what is it?Monkey?Ape?Bear?Or what?Then he saw it is walking with two foots and stand up like human.
Then he stood up and took some sticks to hit the Orang Pendek, but he did not throw it because he was afraid.He made a loud sound to dispel Orang Pendek ,going out from his Pondok After he did this, it left.
After morning has come, at 6 a.m. he was still worried and he went to check, and he was shocked because he saw Orang-Pendek footprints.`
Makes me wish I was out there right now!

Things to Cheer you up..

2010-07-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have got over the football now,I really have. I have nature. After it had finished, I took I walk in some meadows near my home to clear my head. Cutting around an ancient hawthorn hedge,I accidentally flushed a small rabbit from the long grass.At that point, a little Owl came crashing down from the top of the hedge, in obvious pursuit,before landing hard on the ground, just three feet from my foot. It took one look at me , then shot straight back up into its lair in the foliage. Awesome .
I have laughter. Aide from my normal Friday nights down the pub, a new comedy has hit the U.K. on Thursday night-Lee Nelson's `Well Good Show`.Its next on on Thursday, BBC3 at 11p.m. If you live in the U.K. watch it.
I have adventure. Right now I have more expeditions brewing than I could possibly go on.I am skint after paying for the flights for India to search for the Mande-Burung,but I can always save again.
So , you see I don't need football. In fact I never want to talk about football ever again!

Malaysian Bigfoot/Dr. Who and the Yeti.

2010-06-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I have just about recovered from today's football match. England are through the qualifying rounds, with a spirited display, so national pride remains undiminished. Whatever happens in the next round, we have not disgraced ourselves. The U.S.A. are also through, so congratulations to them too. We now play our old footballing foes Germany on Sunday.........

With the plans for the India expedition progressing well, I have now begun to look at other cryptids to search for. One cryptid that has interested me for a while, is the Malaysian Bigfoot. Eyewitness reports seem to refer to a large bipedal primate.If it does exist, it seems to point to the existence of a relic Gigantopithicus, but it is far to early in my research to offer any substantive thoughts yet.I have made contact with the excellent Malaysian researcher, Vincent Chow, who is currently correlating the most recent reports on the creature. I will post more about this topic soon.
I read on Cryptomundo today that Dr.Who's Xmas special may well be on the Yeti.Excellent choice!I love the old Patrick Troughton episodes, and I have been hoping they will do something on the Yeti for some time. Personally, I think Matt Smith has done a great job as the new Doctor-a very good mix of intelligent eccentricity, and humour.Stephen Moffat is a superb writer-the Angels episodes were inspired.Looking forward to it. In the meantime, I will be getting ready for the match on Sunday............ .

Honours even.

2010-06-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

I love it and hate it in equal measure.....watching the World Cup is agony,but Engalnd played well.

Honours even .Here's to meeting the U.S.A. again in the final!

India expedition confirmed./World Cup angst.

2010-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

The dates for the India expedition have been agreed with my contact in India. I can confirm that we will be flying out at the end of October for approximately three weeks ,in search of evidence of the Mande-Burung. The Garo hills, which will be the main focus of the search, are traditionally one of the wettest places on Earth. Coming from Manchester though, no doubt I will find them more akin to a desert!I find it difficult to believe that anywhere on earth is wetter than Manchester in November.Certainly not my local train station anyway, which ,at 7.15 in the morning, on my way to work, seems to be shrouded in a permanent grey mist at that time of the year. In fact a `Manchester tan` is that orange colour some girls get when they mis-apply fake tan. Streaky legs anyone?
Of course, I am joking. Its a lovely part of the world really, and we do have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world here.....
Oh no, the World Cup is starting. Last time it was on, I was in Mongolia , looking for the Almas in the west of Mongolia. It drove me mad not knowing how England was doing,as I moved through the mountains,as I am a huge fan. When I was at University, I used to go to all the games at the old Wembley stadium.In Mongolia,I enjoyed friendly banter with plenty of nomads about who was going to win, and even watched a match in a huge beer tent in Ulanbataar on the way out to the mountains. Everyone else on earth seems to ant Brazil to win! My Grandad was an International footballer, playing for Wales, but of course they are not in the World Cup-next time maybe.
The first match we are playing is against the U.S.A. Of course we are bound to win.............

Its not over till the fat Yeti sings..........

2010-06-01T02:36:00.000-07:00

The Lab in Denmark may yet be able to pull something out of the hairs we found in Sumatra in September.Like those we sent to Todd, they have found that the D.N.A. within them is badly decomposed. However, they are working on some new techniques which may yet yield some results.I am not building my hopes up, all we can do is wait and see.....
The planning of the Indian expedition is going well. I am just waiting for confirmation from the local team on the ground there, and then I should be able to confirm the dates we are going, at the latest , by the weekend. Then it will be a question of planning all the kit and equipment.
Yesterday, I was a true Brit by the sea. I sat next to Ella, ice cream in hand, and watched the waves gently lapping the beach at Llandudno. Afterwards, we went for Fish and Chips.
`This is the best day of my life,Daddy` said Ella.

Summer Training.

2010-05-23T02:54:00.000-07:00

Its hot in the U.K. right now, and it seems to be getting hotter. Whilst I am not a fashion guru by any means, I do have to say a serious no ,to sandals and socks. Gentlemen, if you wear that combo, you will NEVER get laid again......
The animals also seem to be making the most of the temperatures.The tortoise has now become `The Lord Of The Carpet`, as the conditions are more akin to Reptiles, whilst in contrast my two Burmese cats look like they have been stuffed, immobile in the sun.

Outdoors, the hedgehog I have been giving a few treats too, has become bolder,shufling between my feet, as I sat outdoors late on Thursday night.
This all bodes well for the weekend.In true bohemian fashion, I am off to spend a few days sleeping in caves, tracking and obviously chilling.I always have a great time.
I went to an 80S party last night, dressed in all my old Ska gear. How come I know all the tunes? I have no idea, I am far to young for all of that!
In the words of Haircut 100 :
`Where do we go from here? Is it down to the lake I fear....

Funding.

2010-05-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion amongst those who follow cryptozoology, about whether it is appropriate to receive funding or not. So, I thought I would clarify my own position on the matter.
In terms of donations, I have never got so much as a dime off anyone. With the exception of the films I have made, I ,and the people with me , have financed them in their entirety themselves.Indeed, I never asked for money.In this very materialistic world we live in, I am always surprised by how measurement of achievement is often related to how much money someone has accrued, rather than what they have achieved, or done for others.Indeed, even on the films-I financed my own trip for National Geographic when I went to Mongolia.In terms of the films I made for MonsterQuest, they paid for my trip out, but I never asked or received any money from them.Indeed, Will Yates, the producer on Apeman of Sumatra, did offer me a small fee, but I never collected it. Over the years, I have spent thousands of pounds of my own cash , on the hunt for cryptids.Why? Simply, because I passionately believe some of them exist, and by proving that to science, I hope to enhance the possibility of them STILL existing after I am gone. Cash just never came into it.That was for over ten years.
This however, is not always the best strategy, and I acknowledge this. For example, when I last left the Congo, I literally had the equivalent of a fiver in my back pocket.In a dangerous place, where money talks, I was at serious risk, and to have had extra funding would have been a great relief. On an amusing note ,just before I went on Camera in China, I had to have my old charity shop pants stitched up ( with pink cotton as a joke, by the Producer,Jared).
That said, I do not disapprove of organisations or individuals who raise money for research.Indeed, within my own experience, some of the things I have achieved would not have been possible without funding. I first pitched the China`s Wildman film to Doug at MQ. I could not have afforded to go without the teams funding and expertise.I am very glad he took me up on it!
People often say to me `why don`t you use this type of camera , or this piece of equipment?I am always open to ideas, but normally the answer is , `because I can`t afford it, right now`
The website you are reading is run by Ash from the Parafactor.He does it, as a favour to me,because he is my friend.
I would love to do this full time. Ideally,making films along the way.There is nothing I enjoy,or care about more, apart from my kids.At the moment though, I work full time. I will get Paypal on this site soon, and every single penny raised , will go towards expeditions. I think I have to recognise, that for whatever reason ,not everybody wants to go running through jungles , or climbing mountains, but they DO care, and that can be a way for people to consider that they are part of the story. So, whilst it is completely right to give anxious scrutiny to those you do donate to (its your money after all),please do continue to give, if you can.A lot of good IS being done. I ,for my part, will continue to try my best.

Making Progress.

2010-05-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like we have a difference of opinion on last weeks `important` question. Most Brits and their continental cousins, seems to be voting for the `Balls of a bulldog` , whereas my American friends seem to prefer the Horses mane comb over. I am heartened that in the midst of General Election, people were able to turn their minds to such mindless amusing trivia!

Preparations for India are trundling along nicely, and we are starting to get to grips with the type of equipment we will need.As well as the almost de rigeur camera traps, we are also sourcing some of the most up to date night vision technology.Inevitably, the key determinant will be what we can afford.
Sightings of the Orang-Pendek, encouragingly are continuing , I can report, with the greatest concentrations focusing in some of the very important areas I have researched before.I know its out there,its more a question of whether I can prove it exists....
This afternoon, I have been tracking (not hunting)deer and pheasant with Ella and Olly.The children practised mimicking their calls, and spotting their sign and movement through the countryside. They were impressive.Afterwards ,Ella (who you will remember is five),went up to a Ranger. `Do you know `, she said `I will be both the worlds greatest tracker and mountaineer, when I grow up` she said. Ella never ever lacks confidence!
There is also another very exciting prospect in the pipeline. I will reveal more of that ,when I can, here. Things are looking good though , my friends........

Seljord Serpent.

2010-05-01T02:09:00.000-07:00

I have just been on the phone speaking to veteran monster hunter Jan Sundberg. Jan, with his Gust team, have for many years conducted searches for lake monsters ,most notably in Loch Ness and Norway. A serious illness has laid Jan low for a while now, but I am glad to report that he seems to be regaining his former strength. He remains as colourful as ever, and I have no doubt we will be hearing more from him soon....
Whilst I respect the views of those who do, most people will know that I do not indulge in the paranormal when it comes to my research. I believe the only way forward for the existence of the cryptids that I believe in ,is independent scientific evidence. This is also the only way to truly preserve some species existence, such as the Orang-Pendek.Proof = preservation, is its best chance,simply put. I had not spoken to Jan for years, until he sent me an email via this website. Yet in the month before he did, I had thought about Seljord every day, and even dreamt about it.Very strange.Coincidence or something else? I draw no conclusions; we will see.
The Serpent still remains the only cryptid I have ever seen; a truly remarkable creature.

As you will no doubt have noticed ,I made it to Amsterdam, where I went to celebrate my friend Damian`s birthday. It was there,late on Saturday night, that Damian, no doubt intoxicated from all that `culture`,decided to pose one of life`s greatest questions:
`Adam, `he said`If you had no choice,which would you rather have, the genitalia of a bulldog , or a full horses mane, but you would be bald, and have to wear it as a comb over?`
Well, which one would YOU choose?

New expeditions.

2010-04-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

At last we have had some decent sunshine.Spring has exploded, and with it a wonderful carcophony of plants and animals. At the Warburg nature reserve, I saw my first common lizards of the season.Whilst `Up north`, I have seen grest crested newts , and the return of the wonderful sandmartin as I walked along the river Bollin this afternoon.
Another thing that is exploding, is that wretched Volcano in Iceland!
I am supposed to be spending next weekend in Amsterdam, for a friends birthday, but the way things are going, I could be spending a long weekend here instead. If you don`t hear from me by this time next week, I am there , otherwise I will be posting.
I can confirm now that I will definately be going to India to look for the Mande -Burung. However, as the monsoon season fast approaches, I probably will not be able to get there until October or November. That leaves me with needing to plan something to do during summer.
Last week , I was a guest on the excellent `Parafactor` radio show , along with Nick, Cliff and Linda. I had a great time.I think its fair to say that although some differing views were expressed, there was mutual respect demonstrated by all the participants for each others work, and we all got on very well. At the end of the show, Cliff extended to me (and to us all) the offer to go on a Sasquatch hunt with him. I intend to take him up on that, just as soon as I can afford it.
There is also one other exciting development in the pipeline.I will reveal more about it ,on this blog, when I can......

Last night my friend Penny said she was going out with four nurses for the night, and would Anthony and I like to come? `Sure !!! We both said. Turns out they all worked on the rectal unit.
I now know more about the human anus than I could ever possibly have wished to know.
Guys , I still cannot believe where our G spot is supposed to be !That is very , very unfair.......

DNA update /The Parafactor.

2010-04-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

I had an email exchange yesterday ,with Todd Disotell, the scientist who has been conducting the analysis on the hair samples gathered on my most recent expedition to Sumatra.Despite three attempts, Todd and his team have ben unable to extract any DNA from the samples. Todd has theorised that the heat and humidity may well caused a degradation. Whatever the reason, its deeply frustrating. As many of you will know, I have spent thousands of pounds of my own money striving to prove the existence of the Orang-Pendek. Why? Simply because having been there on many occasions, I know the OP exists, and I also know , that time is running out for it. I believe the only chance it has to confirm its existence to science. There is still some hope .The lab in Copenhagen is also conducting tests ,and there is still a small chance we could yet pull something out of the bag. Don`t hold your breath ,though. I will have to go back. Not yet though.

Now for two positives! plans for the expedition to India are going very well. On Friday, I will be meeting up with some of the possible team to begin making plans. More updates will follow on this.
On Thursday April 8th, I will be joining a cryptid roundtable along with Linda Godfrey, Clif Barrackman and Nick Redfern. Its a great idea from my good friends from The Parafactor.The show will be on at EST 10.pm. For me, that is 3a.m. in the morning!So, mail them with any questions to keep me on my toes!
Time for some good fortune now, ladies and gentlemen.

New expeditions planned!

2010-03-27T10:12:00.001-07:00

This week, as I am sure many of you have heard, brought the exciting news that a new species of hominid has been discovered in Siberia. Whilst it did not come as a surprise to me, I am delighted that scientific verifcation brings us ever closer to the time when scientists will announce that they have found a living species of hominid in some remote part of the globe. To that end , I am redoubling my efforts to seek them and prove their existence to science, myself. Recently, I can reveal that I have been considering expeditions in search of the Almas in Siberia, the Mande Burung in India, and Sasquatch. I have also been doing some research on the feasibility of mounting expeditions in search of Chinese Lake Monsters. As ever, it is always the case of time versus money as I am self financed, and have to work for a living as well! The good news is that I am ready to push ahead with the Indian expedition no matter what. I have an excellent contact on the ground ,and research is in full flow now.I will be going there at some point this year. I would like to do another one as well, but we will see.
I am going down to discuss this at Dave Archers house in two weeks time. Expect more posts on the matter!If anything, the now confirmed cancellation of MonsterQuest has made me redouble my efforts. Though I note from Cryptomundo that more cryptozoological series are being planned.Lets hope they get the mixture of quality and entertainment right.I think MonsterQuest did this, and I enjoyed the show. I hope the new pending series do the same, and actually hire some people with a passion for the subject not just some cheesy git presenters. Yeah ,I know I am jealous cause I want to do it full time!!!!
I had a great time in Brussels, though it was work rather than pleasure that led me there. Belgium, is of course , the home of Tintin. One of his most famous adventures, is Tintin in Tibet, which involves an encounter with a Yeti, so there was at least one relevant cryptozooalogical connection whilst I was there!
As well as being the home for numerous European Institutions, one of the other things Belgium is famous for is its beer. Interestingly, some of the best seems to be brewed by Trappist monks.Beware though, at 9% , it can be very strong indeed,so moderation is called for. It is excellent however. Good enough to keep me locked up in a monastery? No, not ever!

The end of MonsterQuest & Ellas further adventures.

2010-03-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

A few days ago , I was very sorry to hear that MonsterQuest may be coming to an end. I consider it to be a very good series on cryptozoology. Importantly, it has sought to analyse evidence in an open minded and balanced way. I had a blast making the episodes on the Orang-Pendek, the Yeren and the Yeti! While it has had a great run, there are still so many more cryptids it could cover. If you like the series , and want it to stay, please make your feelings known to the History Channel.

Please be careful about what you are eating. Jungle keeps being ripped down for Palm Oil plantations. For what? So your chocolate bar can stay on the shelf a bit longer.Once its gone , its gone forever. Sure, land can flourish again, but there is simply no way of recreating pristine virgin rainforest, and the ecosystems within it. It simply isn`t good enough to not care.Personally speaking, I do not want to be judged by future historians as being part of the generation that allowed such beautiful, wonderful creations to be destroyed.
I am off to Brussels tomorrow.Before I go though, I have been looking after my five year old daughter Ella again today. As her adventures seem to be one of the most popular features on this website, I thought I should tell you about how she managed to disgrace us both again.
My job was to take Ella to a party. The house where it was held was in a very genteel and posh part of a suburb called Bramhall, near where I live. Especially for the occasion, Ella had worn a cute little party dress, in peach, with a little peach bow in her hair.
The driveway to the house where the party was held , was a long gravel affair. Bordered by fountains on either side, it looked like Manchesters answer to Versailles.I knocked on the door, and it was opened by an immaculately dressed woman. `Oh , Gabriella darling, she said `sooo good you could come darling`.... .`Bye Ella`,I said to my child`s rapidly diminishing back. `Whatever, Daddy ` Said Ella.
Two hours later, I returned to pick her up. `Oh, do come in ,darling ` said the woman, the childrens entertainer is just finishing a last game of charades with the children` No problem ` I said. I was the only guy there, but that didn`t seem to matter, as I got a few nods and smiles from the mothers I recognised.
In the middle of the room ,a child was hopping. `What is it, children?` said the entertainer. `A kangaroo!` shouted a little girl with red hair at the front. `Yes, well done Felicity,said the entertainer, you can have a prize!`
`Now , we have time for just one more go; who wants to volunteer?` ` Me, meeee!` Said Ella.

Ella strode into the middle of the room. She then went down on the floor, putting her hands above her head, and began wiggling across the carpet. `What is the animal, children?` said the entertainer. `A snake` said one. `No ` , said Ella. `A an earthworm` said another `No` said Ella.
A few more frustrated guesses ensued. `We don`t know what it is, Gabriella, can you tell us?`Said the entertainer, sweetly.
`Its one of those big long white worms that comes out of your BUM! ` Said Ella.
At that point I heard someone groaning very loud inside my head. Everyone seemed to be stunned . I wanted to find a corner to curl up in, but there was none.I was bathed in the harsh light of the mothers judgment.
The groaning didn`t seem to stop, as I walked down that long, long gravel driveway.
`That was funny` Daddy,`said Ella , as she happily skipped along.
What a great time to leave the country for a few days!!

Scoring in your Seventies.......

2010-03-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I want to nail down where I plan to go on my next expedition by the end of April. In truth, I am a little bored, and I need something to look forward too!
This week, I decided to do a long hike across the Moors and on to some local Peaks. As well as the obvious fitness benefits, the objective was also to try out the efectiveness of some of the new kit I had bought, on picking up and tracking large animals, such as deer. Clearly, if the gear works well on them, it should be able to pick out the movement of cryptids too, particularly hominids. My father had also asked to come with me. Although he is pushing 70, he is still very fit. He is also still a really good swimcoach. He trained me to be Manchester champion as a child, and is currently training someone to swim a marathon for charity.The plan was that he would leave me just before the snowline.I would make the final ascent then, and would pick him back up on my descent.
We arrived in the carpark at the start of our mini adventure , and I began to prep and check the kit. Just across from us, two women , in their mid thirties, had just returned to their car, and were preparing to leave.
`Hmm, ` said my Dad.`Check out the two ladies over there`, one of them is really rather nice`, he said. `Yes, right Dad`, I said, not really looking up .`Back in a couple of minutes`, he said, before heading off in their general direction. I was preoccupied , and thought nothing of it. I was still waiting for him ten minutes later, when he eventually strolled back over to me, with a piece of paper in his hand.
`Finally ready now` ? I said. `Lets go`! He declared, and we began walking along the country road that would lead us to the start of our hike.As we were about to turn off, a white car slowed down beside us.It contained the two women. `Bye bye Ken, hope to see you SOOON shouted one, blowing him a kiss`. He waved back ,and they drove off. I was openmouthed, standing in the road. `Did you just score a date?? ` I said, momentarily unable to comprehend what I was witnessing.
My father turned to me, and replied in a deadly serious voice `the difference between you and me son, is that I have both charisma, and an excellent physique`. Then like some `Sage of the score`, he moved off, and began a somewhat smug climb to the top.
Its come to something ,I thought ,when I am getting pulling advice from my old Dad !!!

Getting itchy feet

2010-03-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I have taken the opportunity to go away to do a couple of long distance runs ( 2 hrs each) to boost my fitness. The weather has been all glorious sunshine. Yesterday, I ran by a gently meandering river.I did not see another soul for miles. With the Prodigy on full blast (`Breathe `is awesome running song),and the ground carpeted by snowdrops, it was an exhilarating experience.
That said, though , I am now getting itchy feet. This has nothing to do with the runing, I hasten to add!
Last night , I met up with Anthony at the pub, and this formed one of the topics of discussion.
`I feel like I need to get going off somewhere soon, I miss the Jungles and Mountains. I am seriously bored by the daily grind` I said. `I understand, mate .` I know you need to organise a new expedition, but you have to be realistic. You told me yourself that you never go into debt for these things, so you will just have to save and wait, like you planned, unless you get that `lucky break` you have been dreaming of....`
`Anyway, ` he said ,`enough of that ` I want to ask you a question`. `Go on, ` I said. `Why is it that no woman has ever lived with me for more than a year?` `What?` I said laughing `No I am serious`. He said . They all seem to go before then`. As he listed his exes, I realised he was right.
I thought hard. `Well, when I lived at your place, you used to make those `sock nests`.They might be a factor.` He laughed..`But I like taking off my socks when I`m watching T.V! He exclaimed.`Maybe , but little piles of socks around the sofa , combined with black and white documentaries on `Tanks of the Second World War`, are not going to do it for most ladies`,I said.
`It should though really`, sighed Anthony. `I guess I will never truly understand women`.
`The nests are staying though.For they are what maketh the man!

Cracknell

2010-02-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

On Friday ,I went out for a few beers with two good friends Keith and Anthony.Keith is a veteran of some of my previous expeditions, whilst Anthony regularly enjoys trekking with me in the Peak District, and has attended survival training courses with me in the Brecon Beacons. Whilst I do not expect either of them to be accompanying me on any of my next expeditions, it is always useful to have considered opinions on potential routes to traverse , and equipment to bring.In this case ,we were discussing an area of the Indian-Bangladeshi Border that I am considering travelling to this year, on the lookout for the Mande -Burung, or Indian Yeti.

After we had discussed options and routes, and mooted some of the other potential ideas for expeditions ,our minds turned to other more frivolous matters, and we hit a Club. After several beers, and I cannot recall how,we started talking about which was the worst chocolate in the selection box. `For me, `I said, it has to be Coffee cream. The mixture of a sweet yet ultimately bitter taste, is always a dissapointment`. `Nah, said Keith, you guys have got it all wrong, Nougar has to be the worst. `No no no , said Anthony,displaying a passion only someone who has had a little to much to drink can have for these matters. `Cracknell is definately the worst!!`
`What is Cracknell?`I said `You Know -you bite into what looks like this lovely long chocolate, and just under the surface is this nasty toffee filled with sharp bits of rotten peanut.Together, they form an evil combination, that sticks to the back of your teeth. Thus, you hate the stuff, and yet it LINGERS for ages` Don`t just take my word for it, hey you guys`, you must hate Cracknell too`,he said and began to regale a couple at the bar about it.
`Leave confectionary boy to it,` I said, and Keith and I went and ordered a couple more drinks.
By now it was 2 a.m. A work colleague of Keith`s recognised him and came over. He was about 20. `Wow I have seen you guys around quite a bit recently, and you party hard, he said.`thanks`,said Keith. `Yeah, ` he went on, I hope I can party like that when I get to your age`,He added ,before scooting off to join his mates. `Cheeky bastard!`, said Keith , slugging back his Jack.
At that point, a girl came over to me.Tall , with long blonde hair and blue eyes, she could only be described as a genuine beauty. `Would you like to dance?` She said through a smile. `Sure`, I said smiling back , `lets go.`
We hit the dance floor .The girl moved like liquid , writhing and gyrating across the dancefloor.
Suddenly, as the record stopped, so did she .`Thanks , that was great, but I have to go now, she said ,fluttering her eyes, and she turned towards the door.
Then, I felt another arm around my shoulder. However this time, it was one of consolation.It was Anthony.
`Cracknell` , he said shaking his head.
`Yeah, man Cracknell` I replied, as we both watched her go...

Paypal should be up and running soon.I will let you know when.

Hanging By A Thread..........

2010-02-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to Mr.Thomas E Finley, who very kindly sent me some excellent Sasquatch art this week. I would definately like to turn my attention to some serious personal field research on Sasquatch. Whilst I was filming `China`s Wildman` for Monsterquest, I spent a lot of time talking to Dr.Jeff Meldrum about the subject.I made a vow then to go on the hunt for Sasquatch one day. I have no firm plans yet, but I am optimistic that the opportunity will present itself.
Dave Archer is always on the look out for kit, and on Saturday, he phoned me to say that he had secured some excellent new camo gear for us. Being self funded , kit is a serious and expensive business . For example, the jacket I bought for the Himalayas last year, which I really needed, cost me about 400 bucks.
I suppose my resolution has been hardened by the news this week that scientists reckon that half the worlds primate species now face extinction. On the same day, my guides in Indonesia, reported a fresh sighting of the Orang-Pendek in Sumatra. One of the values I tried to impart in my book ,was that time is running out for some of these cryptids. For some , such as the Mongolian Almas, I cam to the conclusion that they were already past the point of saving, and woud surely slide to extinction.Some, however, may just be hanging on. In my experience ,`leaving them alone` just isnt an option. Verifiable scientific proof , combined then with organised human conservation, are their only hope,no matter how hopless it seems. Looking at these latest results on primates, I will admit that that the situation seems desperate.However, I , will have to continue trying, because I believe so passionately in their existence.
I was pondering this melancholic news , when my five year old daughter Ella , brought me back to Earth, as she so often does. I have been looking after her today, and we went to buy some `supplies` of our own at the local Supermarket. As ever, there was an odious queue . Like all Brits, I bore it stoically, and joined it, engaging in some gentle banter with others in the line about the wait. Two minutes before we got to the end of the line Ella said in a loud voice, ` Daddy I want a poo!"
`Just wait two minutes darling,` I said. `The toilets are only just at the end of the Supermarket , and we are nearly at the front now`, I muttered this a little nervously, for I know that Ella will argue to get her own way.This time however, Ella said nothing,but looked at me with reproachful eyes. Shortly afterwards, we arrived at the front .As I went to pay ,Ella picked her moment `I really wanted a poo, she said to the woman on the till, `but Daddy wouldn`t take me so I had to SUCK it back in!` I smiled weakly at the woman on the till. She stared sternly back. I packed my things quickly and left, left to the chuckles of the queue behind me, feeling like the worlds worst parent.
`That will teach YOU Daddy , ` said Ella, as she broke into some sweets.
I lead expeditions all over the world. I am often responssible for the lives of others. Yet I find myself convincingly out foxed by my daughter.............

Toilet Tigers.

2010-02-14T07:12:00.000-08:00

This week I had the first opportunity to download and listen to the excellent interview Tim Binnal did with me .I really enjoyed it, and Tim and I get on very well together.
I am back in my old job now so, with less travelling I will be able to knuckle down to more training.I am clearly very committed !I went to the gym this morning. Nothing unusual in that ,I hear you cry. No,except last night I was on the lash with my old friend Andy Sanderson, a veteran of many of my expeditions a few years back. Andy is in the Royal Navy, so because he has been away on his ship, this is the first time we have had to meet up together in over six months. A pub in Didsbury (Manchester U.K.) we know serves some excellent scrumpy, and we ended up there.
Over a few jars, I explained to him what had happened on my recent expedition to Sumatra, and how both Dave and Sahar had had a sighting of the Orang-Pendek. I also reminded him of his own `close encounter` with another of the Sumatran Jungles rare animals, the Tiger.
We had been in the Jungle for three weeks, primarily eating the local bitter tasting fish. Which are curried. For breakfast , lunch and dinner. Not surprisingly, we both had bad guts. In the middle of the night, Andy shakes me `Ad ,Ad, I need to go for a crap` he says. There was no surpressing the urge, given our diets! `Okay ,I said, `I will shine a light in the direction of the bog` Our toilet, a hole in the ground, was located about 150 yards from camp, through some rattan bushes . Andy gets to the other side, drops his trousers and `begins` .At that point, he hears an almighty `ROAAAR` behind him . Crapping himself in more ways than one, he rushes back to me .He was obviously very alarmed by the time he got back. `I thought I was a goner there ,Ad ` He said.
`Yeah` I said , `but it would have been worse for me.I would have had to tell your Mum how you died!!
After we finished laughing about this ,Andy said `I bet you are going to put this story on your damn website tomorrow` . Yes I did Andy .But take heart, at last I didnt put what we did for the REST of the night up!!

P.S. You cheeky devils at the Natwest Bank. I know you adore me, its simply no good disguising my valentines card as a bank statement...........

Red Deer.

2010-02-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

I am narrowing it down people. Last weekend I went for a long hike in the Peak District to chew over where I want to go next, and took some time out to watch a herd of red deer feeding.
One of the key factors is obviously cash, so I am grateful for the comment given about setting up a PayPal account. I will look into doing this over the next few weeks.
Today , more than ever I am itching to go again. I have a definate vibe that good news is on the way soon......

Where to next?

2010-01-28T06:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I am back to my old job as of Monday. To sweeten my return , I have decided to begin planning my next adventures this weekend. I have some very exciting prospects ahead, we will have to see what comes to fruition. Rest assured though, I will be going on another adventure just as soon as I can. As ever, its always a case of money and time. What could I achieve if I did this for a living?
At the moment that is only a dream. In the meantime , back to planning how to get round the jungle for a month with twenty pounds in your pocket!

Non -native creatures./Testing update.

2010-01-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

I spent the weekend in London, having a great time, as is always the case when I visit my friends `down south`.
On Saturday morning, a little groggy from the Friday night, standing in the backgarden, I was surprised to see two green parakeets squawking in some trees in the garden next door!
I had heard that parrots had escaped and bred in the the U.K, but I had never before seen them in the `wild`. I was speaking to Michelle , who is a local resident about this later, and she said that they were very common in her area of London(Osterley) and in Twickenham as well. I think it had me bemused all the more at the time, as I had seen a very similar one almost exactly a year to the day, fly over the rooftop of my Hotel in Kathmandu when I first arrived there. I have never seen any in Manchester!
After escaping captivity,(reputedly in the 1970`s), roughly 100,000 of these birds are estimated to be living in the U.K., mainly in the South East of England.
In the same tree, another non -indigenous species, the grey squirrel, was scurrying about its business.
As many of you are aware, there was much speculation about whether the sightings of Alien Big Cats in the U.K. were initially as a result of people releasing their pets after the introduction of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in 1976. Species such as the Lynx for example, which were indigenous to these shores( until we hunted them out of existence),would have no problem adapting to our countryside.
I wish all ABC researchers the best of luck with their quests.I am with you.

As an update, I was in touch with Todd again at the back end of last week. He expects the DNA testing on the hairs brought back from Sumatra, to be completed in the next two weeks.

Sexy Snowmen.

2010-01-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, going to work has proved to be an arduous business. A mile or so down the road from me , the lowest temperature in England was recorded at minus 18! I am now wearing the gear I bought for the Himalayas to walk to the local park!
Public transport has obviously been badly affected, with many trains cancelled. Indeed ,last week I witnessed the bizarre site of men wearing the now de rigeur commuter uniform of suits and wellies ,fighting to squeeze themselves on my very overcrowded train the other day. The Guard had to go outside, and wave the angry mitten chewing , wolly hat brigade, away.
Meanwhile , the bored ,or just those who can`t get to work, have begun to craft increasing numbers of unusual snowmen. I saw one in a bikini the other day , which I found strangely attractive.
I hope the snow melts soon........

The Christmas Lull.

2009-12-30T03:25:00.000-08:00

The time between Christmas and New Year in the U.K. is a kind of wierd twilight time, where nothing much seems to happen. I have been at work, but judging by my empty train carriage, very few other people are. In fact ,most people in the U.K. seem to spend this time watching rubbish t.v. or films they have seen before , whilst arguing with overstaying relatives ,or bored kids.
There is also one other important tradition that must be mentioned. That is, the deriding and taking back of rubbish gifts. Maybe its my imagination , but do half the dogs in Manchester smell of cheap aftershave at the moment? What real purpose has Talc to mankind? Do the buyers of talc look at their relatives and think `she /he is a bit tubby , they might get chapped bits, better buy them some talc to sort it out?`
If in doubt ,go for a gift voucher I say. Here is an example why:
Yesterday, one of my friends phoned me to say that his wife was not talking to him because she had `0verreacted` to her Christmas gift.
"What did you buy her ?" I asked.
"A towel, you know, that one you and Damian suggested I get her when we were in the pub last week". H e said.

"Not the one that says `Arse ` on one side and `Face` on the other?" I said.
" Yeah. That one. I though she would find it funny .But she didn`t. Where are we going on New Years Eve , Adam?"

Christmas in the Congo.

2009-12-21T02:05:00.000-08:00

As well as stuffing our faces, Christmas is traditionally a time we think of others.I want to take this opportunity to tell you about Dr.Joe Harvey.
I first met Dr.Harvey in Impfondo ( Congo) whilst I was travelling to the Likoula swampland to look for the Mokele-Membe, the Congo dinosaur. He and the other American missionaries there were kind enough to put me and my team up while we waited for onwards transport. It was an incredibly dangerous place, right on the edge of a war zone. At night, the bright yellow glow of artillery flares lit up the sky.During the day, I saw combatants exchanging fire across the Umbangi river, only a few hundred yards from where we were staying.
Yet this did not deter Dr.Harvey.Whether you share his beliefs or not, I have no doubt in my mind that he was doing real good for the community.There were originally two foreign Doctors;but one had died of cerebral malaria. Undaunted, Dr.Harvey carried on.
Returning from the swamps a month or so later, I helped out at the hospital. At one stage a woman came in with a dreadful abcess in her stomach.I and another man comforted her, while Joe performed surgery. The other man helping out had been badly disfigured by Leprosy-giving the appearance that his face had collapsed on one side.As I looked outside at the ever expanding queue weaving its way around the little hospital, I realised that this man was all these people had.
That night I went to a bar on the other side of town.It has to be the roughest joint this side of Moss Icely !(Star Wars). As the evening wore on `soldiers`, turned up with their weapons, and after a few drinks ,began shooting them in the air!The following night ,I spent with Dr Harvey, his family and the other family there. We sang Xmas carols around a little silver tree they had brought from home.
As we sang `Silent Night` I could hear the Kalashnikov fire getting nearer, and nearer. Everytime I hear that Carol now, I always think of that moment,captured in my mind forever, of decent caring people stuggling against violence, horror and disease. Stood around a little tree singing songs while guns blazed around them ,risking their lives for others. Doing good.....
Have a fantastic Christmas everyone!

Too Many People Spoil The Broth.

2009-12-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

On wednesday night, I watched a programme presented by Sir David Attenborough(B.B.C.), which focused on the worlds booming poulation, ,and the huge enviromental impact it causes. I have to say that I agree with the premise of the film-there are simply too many people in the world, and there is going to be billions more before any predicted downturn. What to do about it?I do understand it is a sensitive subject, which encompasses emotional, theological and natural desires. However, it seems that a global effort to voluntarily control childbirth needs to happen.
I have been fortunate enough to have travelled the the world looking for unusual creatures and adventure.Some of these animals are very rare, some I have concludedare either extinct, or past the point of any viable sustainability( Mongolian Almas).
Turning to the Orang-Pendek, Debbie Martyr, Jeremey Holden and Sahar on my last expedition in September, have all described the intensity of emotion they felt on seeing it, seeing an ape that walked like a man, which caused such very tough people to burst into tears.
Yet there are serious pressures here.Let me give you an example. A farmer I know has 3 children.Each one will want land.His family and other Sumatrans are living longer than ever before. Where wil they get there land from, and where will their children get there`s from?
Only one place, otherwise they starve-and who is going to let their children starve?All they need to do you see, is cut down just a little bit more jungle, then just a little bit more jungle. Oh ,of course you have to shoot all the birds as well, because they will steal your seeds, and if any larger animals come to forage- well dinner is served..........
This is just an example of what is happening in one tiny corner of our world. It is a real example, I saw this happen just as I described it, over the last 1o years.
Whether you are with me on the existence of Yetis or not, I can gurantee that we will all be weeping for lost species within our lifetimes........

Danger in the Himalayas.

2009-12-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I recieved my copy of Monsterquests ` The Abominable Snowman` show, which I featured in. I really enjoyed it, it was tightly paced and well edited. Looking at myself being interviewed on the mountain, it reminded me of how dangerous it really was . On one particularly perilous traverse, the old adage `one slip and you are dead`, really did hold true- there was nothing but ice ,between you and certain death, thousands of feet below.
During the film ,the guides and I investigate some trails to discover whether they are Yeti prints or not.Whilst we made our roped ascent,I learnt that 3 people had died on the mountain relativley recently, near to the spot where we stood.Two from altitude sickness, and one from an avalanche. Indeed , at the spot where we were filming, there was an avalanche the very next day!!
Luckily, on our exhausted return to base camp, Mr.Yagihara, the lead mountaineering expert, passed round a fish sauasage, (fresh) from Japan, for us all to tuck into..................

King of the Kubu.

2009-12-02T01:41:00.000-08:00

The Kubu, or to use their correct name, the Suku Anak Dalam, are tribal hunter gatherers who live in Northeren Sumatra.
Before I left for the island, I had worked with my friends and contacts to arrange a meeting with the King of their Tribes.I was eager to learn more about their traditions and customs,especially in relation to the Orang-Pendek. Dally and Sahar had spent a lot of time negotiating a meeting, and as a result, we were lucky enough to be granted an audience with the King, during our stay in the town of Bangko.
Many of the tribe still wear traditional loincloths whilst in the jungle, but for this meeting the King strode confidently towards me in Western Dress- a casual shirt ,trousers and pink flip flops......
On greeting me , he gave me a kiss, and not sure of the protocol, I kissed him back. It didn`t seem to cause any offence , because he smiled back at me!
The King was a remarkable man, and I found the stories he recounted of his customs and traditions ,fascinating.
Turning to the Orang-Pendek, he described how he and his son-in law had disturbed one while they were out hunting in the jungle. It had chased them and in their terror, the two of them had hidden from it under some rattan.The creature had scoured the area for a while, before reluctantly giving up its quarry.
At the end of the imterview,I asked the King to wish me luck on the quest ."No, I will not do that" He said, looking worried ,"I really don`t want you to find it, look what happened to me!"
I really enjoyed my conversation with the King. His stories about his culture and about the Orang -pendek, were hugely engaging.
On the way to Volcano bound Kerinci, I reflected on our meeting.Whatever the outcome of the next few weeks I thought, how many people can say they have been kissed by a King?

Nasty Things To Eat.

2009-11-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

Whilst watching "I`m a Celebrity get me out of here!" last night,( great show), I thought of a few of the more unpleasant things I have had to eat. In Mongolia ,for example, I was treated to what Andy termed `lucky dip soup`. Basically, this was an offal stew and you never knew what you were going to get, eyeballs bollocks, the lot.
In Sumatra, Sahar(my chief guide), once treated me to a bowl of spicy chicken heads.
Whilst over in the Congo, I have eaten all manner of strange things, caterpillars ,bat wing etc.
Perhaps the worst was the monkey. One particular monkey.
My team were in the middle of the Likoula swamps and we were starving.Whilst I would not let the Bantu tribesman on my team hunt any rare species , I understood that I had to allow them to hunt common species for survival, as they had always done.
Roland, my best hunter and I, were inching forward,when he suddenly spotted a black and white Colobus monkey in the tree above us. It had seen us too, but regrettably for both me and it, was busily masturbating!
I gave the order to shoot it. However, the unfortunate beast had clearly past the point of no return ,for its imminent death merely prompted it to go faster, in a dogged attempt to `finish`!
It died with a smile on its face. I did without the garnish.I don`t care what these celebrity chefs say, sometimes seasoning can be unneccessary....

DNA update.

2009-11-17T01:22:00.000-08:00

As I have been asked , I thought I would post a quick update on how the scientific analysis of the specimens collected in Sumatra is going. The bad news is that Todd has now made three attempts at trying to extract DNA from the Rattan that we found at the location where the Orang-Pendek was sighted, which he seemed to be eating when we disturbed him. So far he has had no luck. However ,we still have the hairs to test. These were found at a different location to the sighting, but were close by one of the creatures tracks that I found. While I can`t say for definate they are Orang-Pendek hairs, I do think they are worth serious analysis. The hairs won`t be tested thoroughly for a few weeks yet, as Todd is waiting for a new reagent from a supplier.
Last night, I was reminded that not all of life`s dramas happen in the jungle. I went to look after my daughter Ella, who is five. I was just finishing making myself a curry when she began screaming .I rushed into the room where she had been sat whatching the T.V. "What`s the matter?` I said " My tummy ,my tummy I can`t bend " She cried-tears streaming down her face. "Where does it hurt?` I said , increasingly alarmed by now `All , all, over ,she sobbed`.
By now I was really worried and started putting on her shoes. The screaming went on for a further ten minutes, and nothing I could do would placate her.`We are going to have to go to hopital,sweetie ,` I said. `We need a Doctor to check you out`
At that point, she let out the most thunderous ,ear tearing,wind rushing, FART you have ever heard...........!!
`I feel better now ,Daddy ` said Ella and smiled. Turns out she had had too much ice cream at her Granny`s house and got colic.(wind!).
Exhausted from the drama, I put her to bed and went back to my Curry. The burmese cat , Kwai, had decided that he preffered my curry to his catmeat, and finished the lot off.
I think I am due some good news...........
I could do with some good news...................

Down South.

2009-11-09T06:19:00.000-08:00

The weekend certainly lived up to expectations!
It was a beautiful day on Saturday, and Dave and I took the opportunity to walk across some of the most beautiful parts of the Chilterns. As well as the lovely little villages and rambling countryside , there is also some amazing wildlife.Most striking to me, are the abundance of Red Kites. A bird of Prey,Kites are predominantley chestnut brown , with white patches under their wings. They became very rare in the U.K. ,indeed you were lucky if you got a sighting of them unless you were in mid -Wales. However, a reintroduction programme has been very successful in the Chilterns, and a regular feature of the sky above Lane End, where Dave lives, is the sight of these majestic birds swirling and hovering, before swooping down effortlessley to catch their unlucky next meal.
In the evening, we went out in Marlow ,as promised. We were joined by Dave`s girlfriend Tasha and her friends Lousie and Michelle, as well of course, as Keith. After the pub ,we went back to Dave`s, put some music on ,and continued the party. Dave brought out a wierd concoction of drinks, including some Brandy from the Balkans named `Dick`. It was a heavy night.
The next morning I came down to see Michelle leaving the Toilet. She looked green.

`Are you alright ,Michelle ,`I asked. `No` said Michelle.`I have just been sick`. I must have had too much Dick..........

Fireworks Night.

2009-11-06T01:31:00.000-08:00

For those of you that don`t know, its a tradition in the U.K. that on November 5th we set off fireworks .It all goes back to when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament , during the reign of James the first.
Anyway, November is not normally the best of months weatherwise.Last night however ,the sky was lit up and rockets exploded merrily above my house. One bizarre thing though- a few streets down this guy was using a chainsaw.He had some sort of firework party going on ,and as he and his buddies set off the fireworks, he timed the whirring of the chainsaw to coincide with the bangs! What was that all about ? Were Leatherface and his cronies having some sort of reunion?..............
This weekend I am off to see Dave Archer and his girlfriend down in Marlow .Marlow is a lovely little town ,perched on the edge of the Costwalds. Keiith Townley is also coming with me. As we are all veterans of Sumatra , we will no doubt be talking about recent events. Plus, last time we were there we had a really wild time, so bring on Saturday night!

Its my Birthday!

2009-10-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

It was my Birthday on Friday, so I decided to go round some of the pubs in Wilmslow, a town near where I live. It was unseasnobly warm, and we spent most of the night outside, chatting.

Later on, I found a great place for live entertainment/music .I had an excellent night.Thanks to all those who joined me.

On Sunday I got back to my tracking (not hunting). This time in the Peak District National Park.
The Deer were easy to find, and the sight of them running amidst the golds greens and Autumn browns was exhilirating...
On Sunday, a film I featured in for the History Channel MonsterQuest Series- the Abominable Snowman was aired as a two part special. The reaction from friends and colleagues who saw the film was very positive- I am really glad they liked it . I haven`t seen it yet- as I live in the U.K. I have to wait until my DVD comes through the post.

New Film.

2009-10-16T00:44:00.000-07:00

Well I feel a whole lot better now . I am able to resume my normal Friday night down the pub with my mates!

I spoke to Will Yates early last week , a senior producer on the `Monsterquest` series. He confirmed to me that the `Abominable Snowman` film will be shown on Sunday October 25th at 9 p.m. in the U.S. I really hope this will be a great episode -some of the footage we shot was awesome! It was also pretty dangerous in places. For example, ther was one particular traverse that really should have come with the `one slip and you are dead ` warning!
Climbing at altitude ,we also had to dodge avalanches. During a moving interview with expert Japanese climber Mr.Kyagi, and Chief Sherpa M.B. it transpired that some 3 people had died of either altitude sickness or in avalanches very close to where we were standing!
That said ,the area is very beautiful, and beyond the line of human settlement wildlife abounds.As I flew across the Himalayas by helicopter, following our dramatic rescue, I was sorry to go........................

I am out of hospital!

2009-10-12T02:46:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to all those who sent me messages of support .It has been a grim week with dysentry, but I am better now and ready to move on. I am already beginning to consider possibilities for my next adventure.......

I will answer just a few points on Sumatra that are still outstanding:

Yes we did use trailcams, and they are the best way of capturing a photo of the OP. To set some up and have them monitored over a conisderable period of time would of course be the optimum situation. However, out of both necessity and respect this would entail liaising with the Indonesian govt and require serious funding. I hope it happens, and I know it is being worked on.( Not by me-it would require at least a year there I think to give it a good chance -I`m movin on!).

I know there are many legendary descriptions of the OP , and sometimes mythology surrounds these creatures. All of the eyewitnesses I have spoken to describe a bipedal, dark coloured ape. It is a very real ,unique and fascinating creature, but it is still an ape.

In terms of my relationship with the guides.Well , I have know them for years, I have watched their children grow up, and I correspond with them regularly. I have also spent 5 years cross examining people for a living.Day in and day out I asessed whether people were lying to me or not. Dave Archer also saw the OP at the same time.
Only a fool will say he cannot be fooled, but were I to suggest a fabrication, I think those individuals involved would be justifiably insulted....
One more day on the antibiotics now, and then I can finally have a beer !!!

A few questions.

2009-10-02T00:51:00.000-07:00

I am in a bit of a rush today. Quite literally , as I seem to have a bit of a dodgy gut.......
Ah well, it will pass!And Pass!

Last night , I went on the Parafactor Radio show to talk about the expedition .As always with those guys the show was a blast ,and I had a lot of fun. It did lead me to think though, I should answer a few of the points raised by people in Cryptomundo and elsewhere. So here are a few that really struck me:

1/ Firstly, I am not a member of the CFZ. That said, I have always supported their aims, and the other three members of the expedition team are members. I led the expedition, and invited those people on the team bacause I though they had unique skills to offer, not because of any organisation they belonged to. Dave is a great Tracker, Chris a level headed explorer with considerable technical expertise, and Richard because of his considerable Zooalogical expertise. We payed for the expedition as private individuals, we were not funded by any organisation including the CFZ, and any equipment we brought was our own. I am not under contract with any film company, and the press releases issued by the CFZ have nothing to do with me. I do not see them before they go out.

2/ In terms of planning, I have been to Sumatra some 5 times. The area I picked to go this time was very carefully chosen by me, as I have found foodprints ,and or hair samples before. The analysis is done by independant scientists , not cryptozoologists. For example, the hairs were previously studied by Dr.Hans Brunner, famous for his scrutiny in the Lindy Chamberlain murder trial. The prints have been analysed by Dr.Jeff Meldrum(U.S.A) and by David Chivers from the university of Cambridge. They independantley came to the decision that they were from an unkown primate. Professor Todd Disotell will be carrying out the analysis this time.

3/ Equipment is always an emotive subject. There is always something better you could bring, but as I have said ,we brought the best we had with the money we had. That included night vison equipment, infa red cameras ,and camera traps. Do not forget , you have to haul all this gear through the jungle, and weight is a serious issue. If I get better equipment I will use it-witness the films I have made for the History Channel. My only regret in terms of equipment is that the plaster of Paris the guides had purchased for casting , had degraded and we could not use it. That said , I have got a print there before, which has been shown on Cryptomundo, and we found several trails, these were photographed to scale. These things happen in the field .

4/ Matt Billie asked a very good question as to whether it could have been a Lars Gibbon. I am used to seeing Gibbons in the jungle , adn Sahar is a really experienced guide .I am certain he would not mistake an Orang-Pendek for a Gibbon, and his astonished reaction compounds that view. The physical descriptions by both eyewitnesses do not match Gibbon.

5/ Normally my expeditions do not last more than a month or less, because I have to work full time. In my dream scenario I make films, and do this full time. Unfortunately I am not yet living the dream, so back to the day job.

I will be sending off the samples on Saturday. I will update this blog again later next week.

Earthquake in Sumatra.

2009-10-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

Last night, after a returned home I saw some shocking news.The city we had left only a few days ago, in Sumatra, Pedang had been devastated by an earthquake. Having visitied the area some 5 times, Iwas able to recognise familiar streets strewn with rubble. All I can say is my thoughts are with those who are struggling out there in this crisis. If you want to do something to help, then donate to a voluntary organisation like the Red Cross or Medicene Sans Frontier, they both do excellent work.
In 2007 I was in the midst of an earthquake whilst I was in the jungle in Sumatra.The easiest way to describe what happened is that the ground felt like it had turned to liquid , you were unable to stand up, and that the animals were terrified. I also heard on the news this morning that siesmologists predict a further bigger quake along that fault line in the next 2 to 5 years.

The area where the Orang-Pendek is,is also wedged between volcanoes- when I was there Sahar showed me stills of Kerinci spewing lava only 5 months before. A very rare creature in a very volatile environment.
The good news is that the team in Indonesia have made contact with me this morning ,so it appears they are safe. My thoughts are with the families of those who have suffered loss......

Testing The Evidence.

2009-09-30T01:57:00.000-07:00

I had a look at Cryptomundo last night, and the evidence we found, or certainly the nature of it, seem to be causing a lively debate! Soon I will write up a more detialed account of the expedition and publish it on the blog. What I will do today is stick to the facts on what we actually got , and what I intend to do next in terms of analyising that evidence.

1/ We have got both Rattan that the animal was probably chewing, and hair .

The Rattan + 1 hair was found at the location where Dave Archer and Sahar Didmus saw the Orang-Pendek. This was in a place I specifically choseto go, after finding tracks there on previous occcasions , including the cast of the footprint I found in 2001.

2/ We also have numerous hairs found on a tree . This ran parallell to another Orang-Pendek track I found on the other side of the Lake.

3/ We found two seperate Orang-Pendek trails which I photographed. These were identified by the Forest Rangers as originating from the OP. In terms of size and other specifics etc, they match the print I found in 2001.

4/We have two eyewitnesses, and I also have a sworn affadavit from forest ranger Sahar Didmus as to what he saw. We do not have a photo.

What next? The hair and Rattan will now be subject to scientific analysis by Professor Todd Disotell, from New York University. Whilst I cannot be sure they are from the OP, I can be confident they were gathered in the best possible manner they could be in the field, using sterilised tweezers, with no cross human contamination. They are now stored in ethanol. I will of course, make that information public.

I am Back !

2009-09-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am back in the U.K. A few scars, but nothing that won`t heal. I have so much to tell you!
However, possibly the greatest highlight is that two team members, Dave Archer, and Sahar Didmus saw the Orang-Pendek. I took the team to an area where I have found prints before. As we were approaching that location, I heard the movement of a large animal, and ordered the team to stop. As Dave and Sahar peeled off to move slightly ahead, both of them caught sight of the OP. Dave reported that it had attempted to hide, pinning its face against a tree. Subsequently, it then moved with a bipedal motion , on two legs, through the jungle. Dave reported that the creature most closely resembled a chimpanzee .Of course though, there are no chimpanzees in Indonesia, and none that walk on two legs!!
We found several trails, including some with great footprints.Probably most importanly of all , we also found chewed rattan and hair samples in tow locations where we found the trails. This could well be of enormous significance, as if they are from the animal, we will be able to identify its DNA.....

I will of course post furhter updates on the Blog .

To come: How I ended up being kissed by a King, and the perils of dealing with Tigers at night...!

Yeti Just sighted!

2009-09-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

Just sighted!

I have just been sent a report that an Orang-Pendek has been sighted right in the area where we are going to be looking-it was spotted by villagers eating some fruit on the edge of farmland!

Its getting exciting! Right , I really do have to go now...................

I am off to Sumatra!

2009-09-11T04:17:00.000-07:00

Well, after months of planning ,I am finally on my way in a few hours.

I have got alll my kit camrea traps , G.P.S. etc - including as much Beef Jerkey as my kit will carry........

I am looking forward to the jungle , but not the food- I have spent several months eating fish head curry three times a day in previous expeditions! Where is the rest of the damn fish?

Still I will no doubt be offered some spicy chicken heads to wash it down with . Great people , beautiful country, but I reckon I could make a million by building a fat camp here...........

I will update you ,if I can when I can .

I want to see it. I want to see it so badly, I dream about it.

2009-09-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

I will now have been to Indonesia five times looking for evidence of the Orang –Pendek, the Sumatran Yeti. Importantly, I have found real scientific evidence of its existence . For example , the hair I found in 2001 was identified as being from an unknown primate, by the gentleman who analysed the hair in the famous Dingo baby case; while a primatologist at Cambridge reached the same conclusion over the prints.(see my book Extreme expeditions : Travel Adventures Stalking The World’s Mystery Animals –for more details). Any evidence I do /will find will always be open to independent scientific scrutiny. Otherwise it counts for nothing.

I have spent thousands of pounds of my own money looking for the Orang- Pendek . I have interviewed reams of witnesses, and travelled hundreds of miles through jungle. I have been been sucked by too many leeches to count, and on one memorable occasion realised I had bacillary dysentery, whilst I was on top of a mountain….

Why?

The Lake where we are going on the second part of the expedition, Tujuh is an exceptionally beautiful place. A volcano crater which is shrouded by Primal Jungle. As you approach the camp by canoe, Gibbons warn others of your approach. Beyond that , bears. golden cats and Tigers really do roam only a few yards into that forest. In the diversity of its life, there is nowhere like it on earth.

I know the Orang-Pendek exists. I have travelled with several others in search of it, and I can say that the team we have- Dally and Sahar (Indonesia) and myself Chris Richard and Dave are a strong dedicated team. For the first half of the expedition, we will be staying with the Kubu, and I hope to learn about their oral traditions and legends , as well as utilising their services in the quest………

The Palm Oil plantations are upon us . The work we are doing is for good, so wish us luck!

Let me see it………..

Adam Davies.

Just testing

2009-07-18T07:34:00.001-07:00

This is only a test.