Pip Stewart - Cycling 13,000 miles from Malaysia back home to London and most recently paddling the entire length of The Essequibo, South America's third largest river, from source to sea

In 2013, Pip cycled home from Malaysia to London, a journey of 10,000 miles through 26 countries! Once back in London she started to work for Red Bull as their Adventure Editor. 

In 2016 Pip headed off on a 3,000 mile cycle, boat and plane journey exploring Brazil and Peru to raise awareness of the environmental issues in the region, Pip documented the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest with adventurer Reza Pakravan and shared more about it’s devastating effects on the indigenous communities.  Pip started at the mouth of the Amazon River in the Atlantic, and finishing in Lima at the Pacific.

Pip loves going on challenges and pushing her body to the limits. In February 2018 Pip teaming up with fellow adventurers Laura Bingham and Ness Knight to take on a world first – paddling the entire length of The Essequibo, South America's third largest river, which flows for 1,014 km through remote jungle, and untouched virgin rainforest until it meets the Atlantic Ocean.

During the podcast we learn more about her life, the steps she has taken to get where she has. How the opportunities she has taken have come about and what she has learnt by going on these challenges in remote parts of the world.

Show notes

• Living in London
• Being adventurous as a young child
• Why home is not a place and it’s the people you are with
• Being based in Germany and having family holidays around Europe
• Not knowing what she wanted to do growing up
• Following the structured path
• Heading off to go travelling
• Doing a Journalism Masters over in Hong Kong
• Removing expectations from your life
• What is was like living and studying in Hong Kong
• Moving to Malaysia and deciding to cycle home to London
• Planning and preparation for the big cycle ride!
• Having 13 months to get home in time for Christmas
• The biggest challenge while cycling
• Why the challenge was more of a mental one
• The magical moments on the trip
• Preconceptions about certain countries
• Why travel and talking is so important
• Connecting with the locals
• The realities of being on the road
• Coming back to the UK and not having a plan
• Travelling with her partner Charlie
• Dealing with difficult situations while on the road
• Transitioning back into real life
• Applying to be Red Bull’s Adventure Editor
• Getting itchy feet and wanting to go travelling again
• How she gets her ideas for her next challenges and adventures
• Why she focuses on what she is interested in
• 2016 challenge - traversing the Amazon via the Trans Amazonian Highway
• The damage that gold mining does
• What she leant most from the experience and why it comes down to the power of a community
• Filming the challenge!
• Eating ants!!
• Heading out to the Amazon with Laura Bingham and Ness Knight
• Saying yes to the opportunities when they become available
• Planning and training for this adventure over 8 months
• Family and friends reactions to her next adventure
• Dealing with fears, how she overcome them and managed them before and during the trip
• Often you can’t change the problem - but you can change your response to a problem.
• Dealing with snakes
• Working as part of a team with Ness & Laura - dealing with team dynamics
• What she leant most about herself on this challenge and why it was about the ego!
• #ExploreHappy and using social media in a positive way
• Keep looking forward
• Dealing with the adventure blues after coming back from the trip and talking about mental health
• Heading off to Norway with the Marines
• Final words of advice and top tips

 

Social Media

Website  - www.phillippastewart.com 

Twitter - @Stewart_Pip 

Instagram - @pipstewart