Thread: Memoires of a retired Journo

I spent nearly ten years as a regular contributor to one of the top Land Rover magazines.
Meandering through some old files on my computer I came across a few that might be worth repeating. Here's one from the summer of 2000....

It sounds too good to be true!

It was a wild and stormy night, just 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle. As my wife and I sat huddled in the protection of our tent, the rain began to fall as only it can in the northern regions. A traveller seeking protection begged admission to our temporary home. Three hours and a bottle of Scotland’s finest later he departed, weaving an uneven path back to his own abode. Those three hours weren’t wasted and the bottle was well earned, for in that time we were treated to tales of adventure rarely told. The key story, the start of those adventures, reads to Land Rover lovers like a fairy tale, so I’ll start it that way:-

Once upon a time a young Scot ventured out for a weekend’s off road sport with his local Land Rover club. Another member of the club was the keeper of a nearby hotel, who had brought along a box of sandwiches for the noonday break. Sitting on the hillside in the midday sun, the contents of the box lowered to reveal a leaflet laying at the bottom. That piece of paper was to change the destiny of our hero.

Passed from hand to hand with a few comments but little interest, it eventually came to the young Scot. He casually read through it, folded it and stuffed it in his pocket, immediately forgetting all about it as the afternoon’s activities got underway.

A couple of weeks later, entering his office, he pulled something from his pocket and a crumpled piece of paper fell to the floor. “What’s that?” asked his secretary. “Oh, it’s nothing, just an entry form for an off road do”, he replied. “Looks interesting, why don’t you enter?”, she enquired. “Can’t be bothered”, he responded, giving it no further thought.

Fortunately, his secretary did give it further thought, as far as filling out the form in his name and mailing it. Some weeks later he was invited to enter the selection trials for the Camel Trophy.

The rest of the story is the stuff of legend. From that first Camel Trophy event, a decade and a half ago, Iain Chapman has spent fourteen years travelling the remote parts of the world. Every year involving three separate adventures. He’s travelled to countries exploring the terrain and negotiating the politics of holding the event there. A year later Iain returns to find routes and plan events for the competitors and finally he helps conduct the event itself. His tales of wild places and, sometimes, even wilder politics would keep the least adventurous of us spellbound. Iain Chapman has spent a life of which most of us can only dream. Maybe, one day, we’ll hear it all. If he can settle down long enough to record it.

I would end this tale in true fairy story tradition with ‘.....and they all lived happily ever after.’ but, whilst he’s not at liberty to explain, Iain tells me that, following the break in Land Rover’s connection with the Camel Trophy, he’s been in conference with people at Solihull. In the meantime, anytime Iain wants to creep into our tent he’ll find a welcoming bottle waiting.

Originally Posted by Fifth Columnist

Had to Google 'fourth estate'

I'll look for some more stories.

... and you're a journo - back to 4/5 for you

apologies for diverting from the story about Iain Chapman - it was a good read