Pole to Pole

Happy New Year, everyone! Michael Palin's Pole to Pole was the last book I finished before we ticked over into 2026. It's taken me sooo long to read -- it's been my book-beside-the-bed for months and I stalled about two thirds of the way through. Pole to Pole is Palin's diary of the making of the BBC travel series of the same name, following Around the World in 80 Days, only this time travelling the globe from north to south, rather than circumnavigating (also this trip took about 150 days, rather than 80). It was followed by Full Circle, where he travelled around the Pacific Rim, a trip that took the best part of a year.

I'm actually not very good at reading in bed, but the diary format made it easy to knock off one entry every night, once I'd resolved to actually finish reading the bloody thing. The team's travel through Europe is relatively straightforward, but moving through Africa is much more complicated, skirting war zones and trying to avoid monsoon weather, aiming to meet up with a ship sailing for Antarctica. You have to admire the production team, who have to grapple with all kinds of unexpected obstacles, transport breakdowns, illnesses, and the ultimate last minute hiccup when the Antarctic-bound ship can't take them on board after all, requiring a scramble to organise a charter flight instead.

As always, Palin is witty, affable and observant company. This trip took place in 1991, just before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which would have led to them travelling through about five extra countries. Borders in Africa have also changed significantly in thirty five years, making Pole to Pole an even more interesting historical record.