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00:02I'm Jane McDonald.
00:03Let's go exploring!
00:05I'm on an extraordinary trans-global trip of a lifetime.
00:10Look at those!
00:11From pole to pole.
00:13A lot of people often stop me and say,
00:15what's the best place you've been to?
00:17You can actually feel it doing you good.
00:19I always say,
00:21every place has got its own magic.
00:24Starting as far south as I could possibly go,
00:27we have conquered Antarctica.
00:29I've encountered awe-inspiring wildlife
00:32in the South Georgia Islands.
00:34Whoa, look at this!
00:36Made new friends in the Falklands.
00:38That is such a different taste.
00:40Can I have a hug off all of you?
00:42Taken a leap of faith in Uruguay.
00:45Wait!
00:46That is the 1600s!
00:48Oh my God, I'm in Outlander!
00:50Scaled new heights in Brazil.
00:52Oh my God, you actually feel like you're flying.
00:55And lived La Dolce Vita in the Med.
00:58Oh, this is gorgeous!
01:00Look at this place!
01:02Wow!
01:04That's some journey!
01:06This is the final leg of my epic adventure.
01:10There's nothing past it on this globe.
01:13So, that's it.
01:15I'm at the top of the world.
01:17Just look at that.
01:26I've travelled a whopping 15,000 miles on my pole-to-pole journey.
01:31And there's one last destination to tick off my bucket list.
01:35I've flown to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard, deep in the Arctic Circle.
01:43This is the most northern town in the whole world.
01:48And as you look around, it's got like a cowboy feel.
01:52It feels completely different to a normal high street.
01:55Which is quite nice really, because when you see high streets now all over the world, they all look the
02:00same.
02:02And it's quite refreshing to see.
02:05But it has got this, like, rural feel about it.
02:09It's quite a busy little place.
02:13But so different from what we're used to.
02:18Previously a coal mining community, this last frontier now attracts scientists and tourists.
02:24And it's the gateway for Arctic adventurers like me.
02:28It's a strange place, this, because it's either sunny all the time, 24 hours.
02:34And then this time of year, it starts to change into the darkness.
02:42So there's all sorts of magic happening at this time of year.
02:47I've come to the end of the earth to find out just who lives in a place like this.
02:54I've travelled all the way from Italy to meet my discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse, in Svalbard,
03:01to circumnavigate this Norwegian territory between the mainland and the North Pole.
03:06My route includes Bjarnfjorden in the north, the nature reserve up to Relnesset,
03:12the Brasveldbrien Glacier and the Alcanet mountain.
03:20I found my ship and I'm going to get on there because it's going to take me even more north
03:25than I am right now.
03:26But I'm just going to have one last bit of civilisation.
03:33So it's one for the road with some Longyearbyan locals.
03:37Joining me in the bar are Robert, Siv and Marina at the world's northernmost brewery.
03:43I thought it was the start of a joke. There was this brewer, a vicar and a jeweller.
03:49But they were all people who had come to Svalbard and stayed there because they fell in love with the
03:58place.
03:58Oh, look at this!
04:01Established in 2015, this brewery is a triumph in Arctic circles and I'm dying to find out why.
04:09So, you're the brewer?
04:12Well, I'm a chief of the brew house, but I'm not the brewer.
04:16They're down there though, aren't they?
04:18So tell me about, because there's something about the alcohol here.
04:21Yeah, well, in 1928, it said that you have no allowed to make any alcohol on the island.
04:29No alcohol at all to be made here?
04:31No alcohol at all to be made here.
04:32Right.
04:32Apparently the miners, hello, they had a problem with alcohol.
04:38So alcohol was rationed and there was no alcohol could be made in this town.
04:44So I was talking to the department, if they could change the law so we can make beer up here
04:51in Svalbard.
04:52And it took five and a half years and then they said yes.
04:57Wow!
04:57So you've changed the law here?
04:59Well, yes, I do.
05:01Local hero.
05:02Local hero.
05:03So you must, you know, well loved and well done.
05:07I mean, that deserves a drink.
05:09Can we drink?
05:10Yeah, of course.
05:10Which one do we start with?
05:12We have a Pilsner on the right hand.
05:14The Pilsner?
05:15Cheers to Robert.
05:17Cheers.
05:17The man who changed the north.
05:22Is that quite strong?
05:24She says go for another drink.
05:264.7.
05:274.7?
05:28Yeah.
05:28The weakest.
05:29That's the weakest.
05:30Yeah.
05:31So it gets stronger, stronger, stronger?
05:32Stronger, stronger, stronger.
05:34Yes.
05:34Put that one down then.
05:36And tell me, what is the passion here?
05:39Why do you love it so much?
05:40It's some kind of falling in love with the people and the land and nature.
05:47You know, here you actually are given the possibility to explore something.
05:50It's still a wilderness.
05:51And then I believe that people also then start exploring something within themselves.
05:58Which is lovely.
05:58Also a little bit except for different people.
06:02There's many nationalities.
06:04Oh, it's very diverse here.
06:05And it's very international.
06:06I think it's 40, 50 different nationalities here.
06:10That's amazing.
06:11And this is a place where people really live together.
06:15Like we are living a super nice life together.
06:19If you could write it down and tell everybody else what the secret is.
06:24Well, I think actually it's the fact that we live this far away from the places we came from.
06:30Maybe.
06:31From our families, our closest friend.
06:32And it creates this understanding and you realize how interdependent you are.
06:39Nature tells you, you are really, really vulnerable.
06:42You are the weak one.
06:44But at the same time, you can actually survive.
06:48Wow.
06:49I think we should drink to northerners.
06:52Cheers to all of you.
06:54And thank you.
06:55Cheers to you.
06:56Bon voyage.
06:58Bon voyage.
06:59I love it.
07:02With a belly full of Svalbard beer, I'm off.
07:06The street signs are a little bit different to what we have at home.
07:10So to make sure I don't get lost, I'm meeting Kaiser, who works as a guide on this Arctic tundra.
07:17Hi, how are you doing?
07:18I'm Jane.
07:19I'm Kaiser.
07:19Nice to meet you.
07:20Nice to meet you.
07:22Do you understand what this says?
07:24Yeah, it means that past this side, everyone should carry something to scare the polar bear off.
07:32If it approaches.
07:34Will this hat work?
07:36No, most likely not.
07:37No.
07:38So it has to be something like a flare gun or rifle that makes a loud bang.
07:43And in case the bear attacks, you can protect your life and kill the bear if it's needed.
07:50So, just let me get this right.
07:52You carry a gun?
07:54Yes.
07:54Everyone who moves here, they get a firearm permit.
07:58Have you ever had to use it?
07:59We're never against the polar bear.
08:02And the polar bear is a totally protected species.
08:04So we have to avoid putting us in a situation where we have to kill a bear.
08:09Uh-huh.
08:12When you first see a sign that says, warning, polar bears, you start to think, hang on a minute.
08:21Do I really want to go up there?
08:22Am I going to get eaten by a polar bear?
08:25With the constant threat of an encounter with one of the 3,000 bears in Svalbard, I want to find
08:31out what drew Kaiser to this remote outpost in the first place.
08:36I was working as a dog sledding guide in Sweden and Norway.
08:41Ah.
08:42And got the summer job.
08:43And somehow I ended up staying longer and longer.
08:46I think she is.
08:49So can you see yourself staying here?
08:52I will stay as long as I feel it's fun for me.
08:55Fun.
08:55You see, this is it.
08:56Joy.
08:57You've got to chase your joy.
08:58Yes.
08:59Without much driving, I can be in the mountains with a few minutes.
09:03Mm-hmm.
09:03Snow kiting, paragliding, kitesurfing, skiing.
09:07Yeah.
09:08And it's also nice to see the contrast between the really busy summer and then when we can calm down
09:14and be cosy and light some candles and read books.
09:17Well, oof.
09:18Sounds paradise, actually.
09:20Or knitting sweaters.
09:21It's a lot of knitting in the town.
09:23Knitting sweaters, I like that.
09:24Yeah.
09:26I don't think I could live on Svalbard, but I do believe I could have a much quieter life with
09:33not as much stuff.
09:35And I'm going through things like my mother's possessions and Ed's possessions, thinking, wow, all this stuff.
09:44And what for?
09:46So it's taught me, speaking to Kaiser, that the simple things in life are much more fulfilling.
09:56You've got it right, you know, Kaiser.
09:58You really have got it right.
10:00I think you're brilliant.
10:04Coming up, on my first Arctic mission, I witness a geological phenomenon.
10:10That's the ice.
10:12Oh, my God.
10:15And I catch a rare sighting of the ultimate Arctic predator.
10:19Oh, my God.
10:22There's the polar bear.
10:24Oh, my God.
10:35There's the polar bear.
10:37So I'm going to be on the top of the ocean at the top of the world for the last
10:40leg of my journey.
10:42On board my polar class yacht, I'm surrounded by home comforts, but they're in stark contrast to the remote icy
10:49wilderness of the Arctic.
11:03wow
11:05you know throughout this whole trip
11:07every time I've seen a view
11:09I've thought nothing can top
11:11what I've just seen
11:12and then you wake up
11:14and you see that
11:19the mist
11:20gently coming off the sea
11:22the snow all over
11:24the hills over there
11:25the rugged outline
11:28of everything
11:29the colour
11:31all these blues and greys
11:34and browns
11:35it's just a palette like I've never seen
11:38before
11:39just look at that
11:41music
11:43music
11:44music
11:46music
11:47it's not hard to see why Svalbard's largest island made my bucket list
11:52dramatic glacial landscapes and only 800 miles from the North Pole
11:57music
12:00and the best way to get used to these remote arctic conditions is to get out there
12:05okay got you thank you
12:08and give kayaking another go
12:10we meet again
12:12hey Jane how you doing
12:13I'm good how are you
12:14I'm doing well
12:15the first time I went kayaking with Simon
12:18was in Antarctica
12:20this is not for the faint hearted
12:22that's all I'm saying
12:23oh my gosh
12:26and I remember thinking never again am I doing that
12:30ah there you go
12:31a bit more clutch
12:34so when they said to me this time
12:36do you fancy going kayaking in the arctic
12:38I thought no face your fear
12:40face your fear
12:41and go out and do it again
12:44I know Simon you would never put me in danger
12:46no
12:47you're in good hands
12:51that's what he said last time
12:53that's all I'm saying
12:56being adventurous
12:57means coming out of your comfort zone
12:59and I think everybody should
13:01try and just come out of the comfort zone a little bit
13:04because it gets the adrenaline going
13:05and it's all
13:07oh gosh I'm alive
13:08there's that
13:11all right Jane you ready for this
13:12no
13:14where do you want me
13:15in this bit
13:16you'll swing your feet over
13:17all right
13:24I'm in
13:25there you go
13:25you made it
13:30gosh just look at this
13:31it's like a milk pond
13:32right
13:35seeing the first glacier
13:37was like
13:38Game of Thrones
13:40you know the wall
13:42it looks like AI doesn't it
13:45yeah
13:45or polystyrene
13:47it doesn't look real
13:49your eye just doesn't believe
13:51what it's taking in
13:53so I must admit
13:54Simon
13:56oh my god
14:02that's the ice
14:05oh my gosh
14:10to my relief
14:12that sound of ice breaking
14:13off the glacier
14:14is a natural process
14:16called calving
14:17so once you hear that boom
14:19yeah
14:20the ice has already fallen
14:21yeah
14:22oh wow
14:24the sound of the ice
14:27breaking away
14:28is like thunder
14:30and
14:31you're looking up in the sky
14:33and it's not in the sky
14:34it's in the ice
14:36to actually experience that
14:38and then hear this
14:39amazing
14:41vroom
14:41after it
14:42was
14:43was quite something
14:49some big chunks of ice here
14:52let me know if I headed
14:53towards a big one
14:54yeah
14:54I think we've already
14:56crossed that bridge
14:57we're doing all right
15:00and this freezes over
15:02does it
15:02yeah
15:03winter drops a lot
15:04like a curtain
15:04yeah
15:05and everything turns white
15:06all the snow everywhere
15:08and
15:08right
15:08generally glaciers
15:10are snow
15:11yeah
15:12and they build one snowflake
15:14at a time
15:14uh-huh
15:15and so
15:15the ice gets replenished
15:17by the snow that falls up above
15:19yeah
15:20if that doesn't happen
15:21then you have a receding glacier
15:23mmm
15:25the difference from antarctica
15:27and the arctic
15:28is the birds
15:30and it's wonderful
15:31because you hear this
15:34cacophony of
15:35uh
15:35just bird song
15:37all the time
15:38and um
15:39it's
15:40it's just
15:41it makes you feel elated
15:43because you're in the sea
15:45you're looking at the ice
15:46and then there's these birds
15:47having a party
15:48all around you
15:51there's quite a few birds here
15:53sure
15:53yeah
15:54there's uh
15:55an arctic turn colony
15:56mm-hmm
15:56their claim to fame is travel
15:58so they go from here
16:00all the way to the other side of the planet
16:02wow
16:04that's some journey
16:05it really is
16:06uh
16:06and uh
16:07some of those birds will see a million miles in their lifetime
16:09oh my god
16:10yeah
16:11really exceptional
16:13so they've done the pole to pole as a bird as well
16:15yeah
16:17they're following us
16:18they are
16:20i think i'd rather have my trip
16:30it's so good for your brain and your mental health this
16:35yeah
16:37oh it's the only way to travel
16:39with a big strong man behind you
16:42or woman
16:44but just someone who can take over when you're a little bit tired
16:49that's a treat
16:56back on board my yacht
16:58i may as well take advantage of this fabulous arctic light before my next stop
17:04now how to take the perfect selfie
17:08if there's anything i've learned along the years of making telly
17:12it's don't have something hanging out your head
17:15which is a bit like this selfie i'm going to do now
17:20never take a selfie from here either
17:22because you've got your chins and all your bags and your face that drops
17:25it's not attractive
17:26stop it
17:28always have
17:30the camera up slightly
17:32so that you're not getting this bit
17:35also don't do it full on
17:37because you always look a bit strange
17:38i don't know why that is
17:40maybe it's just my face
17:41but always sort of look
17:43to the side a little bit
17:44when you're taking a selfie
17:47also
17:48if you've had a hard night
17:50put these on
17:51because
17:51these sunglasses
17:53cover a multitude of sins
17:55you feel like jackie oh
17:59watch where the wind is blowing
18:01as you can see
18:02the wind
18:03is now blowing
18:05my hair back
18:07so
18:08it's taking it off my face
18:10now if i turn round
18:13and do a selfie from there
18:14look at the state of that
18:17i look like i've got a beard
18:19which is not a good look
18:20it's not a good look
18:21so go back to that
18:23a side on view
18:25is always better
18:28so yeah
18:29so that's it really
18:30always have the sun behind you
18:32and watch for your mates
18:33in the background
18:34because the little terrors
18:35and they will come and do
18:36the little stuff behind you
18:37that is not nice
18:39just saying
18:48a new day
18:49and after a big breakfast
18:50with fellow guests
18:52i'm ready for another day
18:53of adventuring
18:56i've come to disco butcher bay
18:58on the west side of spaltberg's
19:00third largest island
19:01a joya
19:03it's a haven for wildlife
19:05so inspired by kaiser
19:07i'm going on a bear hunt
19:09from the safety of the bridge
19:13hopefully captain rado
19:14has good news
19:16blam it's a party
19:17it is
19:18you know that we have
19:19open bridge policy
19:20so i guess love to use it
19:22so if the door's open
19:23you're allowed in
19:24more than welcome
19:24come ask questions
19:26look outside
19:26take binoculars
19:28thank you
19:28i love that
19:29so what's on the agenda today
19:31are we seeing any polar bears yet
19:33we are hoping to get some polar bears
19:35to the inside
19:36yeah
19:36right
19:37are they a bit temperamental
19:38not really
19:39they're very slow and lazy
19:41this is how we see them
19:42but we also have a lot of precaution for them
19:45are you
19:46i'm on the bear safety team
19:47my name is will
19:48sorry the bear safety team
19:50bear safety team
19:51hello nice to meet you
19:52yeah you as well
19:52so you're on lookout
19:54are you all the time
19:55oh pretty much all the time
19:56um
19:57just make sure that we're
19:58spotting a bear before it spots us ideally
20:01okay
20:01and how far are we away from them
20:04uh we won't know
20:06um
20:06but we have to keep a safe distance always
20:08which is minimum 300 meters
20:10if i'm not wrong
20:11is that because they're really fast runners and we're not
20:14uh partly
20:15they don't really love to run if they don't have to
20:18but they can cover a lot of ground quickly if they're motivated
20:20have you ever raced a polar bear
20:23not really raced one but
20:25you know not one two three go
20:26i mean you know have you ever
20:28no fortunately i've never been in this situation
20:30really it's
20:31these binoculars are our biggest piece of safety equipment
20:35right so we're out there being vigilant
20:36keeping an eye
20:37and if we see anything that looks suspicious
20:39yeah we're backing off and getting back to the ship where it's safe
20:43because we're in their front garden really aren't we
20:45exactly so we have to be respectful of their space
20:47yes
20:48i mean they're the apex predator up here
20:50they're the king of the north for a reason
20:51so um
20:52you have to really respect that
20:55i get that
20:56i get that
20:58well thank you so much both
21:00very welcome
21:01thank you for having a chat with us
21:02i'll go get me binoculars and
21:04a cup of tea
21:05or you can use one from the bridge
21:07we have some
21:07yeah
21:08oh fantastic
21:09here you go
21:10here you go if you wish
21:11have a look around
21:12thank you
21:13captain
21:14sorry captain
21:15no no it's all good
21:16right i'm gonna have a go with these
21:21it is quite a special expedition being on this ship
21:25because you've got trained people who are looking out for polar bears
21:30oh i've got a bird
21:32i've got a bird
21:32who know to use guns
21:34who are proper guides
21:36who know everything about the species
21:40and you feel like you're in safe hands the whole time
21:45i've got three birds
21:48good
21:48talk amongst yourselves
21:50we could be here for some time
21:52is that a polar bear
21:55i guess it's a rock
21:57it's a rock
22:02coming up
22:03oh my god
22:04i'm overwhelmed to witness a once in a lifetime arctic wonder
22:09three walnuts
22:10within 20 feet
22:12i'm welling up
22:21i'm on the final leg of my journey and i've sailed to freeman sundet and i'm determined
22:27not to leave my post until i've spotted a polar bear
22:31i have to admit i have seen a polar bear before but it was in the yorkshire wildlife park in
22:37doncaster
22:37one little shiny thing on the beach
22:40yeah
22:41and it just didn't have the same effect as seeing it in its own habitat
22:45through a telescope
22:48some reindeer out there too
22:52the bear safety team have been meticulously scanning for activity since 5 30 this morning
22:58and just as i'm about to hang up my binoculars
23:04this is helena your discovery leader from the bridge
23:07we have spotted our first polar bear of the voyage
23:10so join us on the outer decks to view this spectacular king of the arctic
23:34the excitement that we all had out on deck seeing a polar bear in its own environment
23:47and the fact that it was far enough away that it couldn't get to me and eat me that did
24:05help too
24:06um but yeah beautiful animal beautiful animal
24:12that is the most amazing thing when you just see one polar bear sunbathing having a little rest
24:19his paws are out like that but we've all got to keep our voices down
24:24because their senses can pick up everything that we're doing
24:40what could possibly top seeing the king of the north with me own eyes
24:49good morning
24:50here we go
24:52thank you
24:53i'm back out braving the elements today with discovery guide tash
24:58just here thanks tash
24:59morning
25:00yes we're here to see a massive iceberg
25:04a glacier even
25:06um everybody who's come back
25:08has just been raving about it
25:10it's huge is this thing definitely hashtag bliss
25:16i've sailed to the northeast of svalbard to the famous brazvel brian glacier
25:21which at 180 kilometers is the longest in the northern hemisphere
25:27it looks like dover from here
25:30the cliffs of the white cliffs of dover
25:34and this glacier front is also uh pretty famous for the waterfalls that will run off
25:40the ice edge
25:42wow in the summertime
25:43yeah
25:44and so we might still see some trickles now in the autumn
25:47but uh we'll see what we can find out there
25:55it's like a different planet when you get here
25:58it's very special and how things are able to adapt to survive and the harsh conditions
26:04is pretty incredible
26:04you wouldn't think anything would survive here would you
26:08you might not i mean we hardly survive an hour out
26:10it's pretty cold but
26:12you can't believe how many layers on i've got
26:15oh wow
26:16this is just incredible
26:19pretty amazing
26:22brazvel brian
26:23is also a key site for scientists to monitor signs of climate change
26:27the center of this ice cap that we're looking at
26:31is pretty impressive for this region
26:34and it's the third largest one in the european area
26:37i know it just goes on forever
26:39i think that's what is so mind-blowing
26:43is that it's it's forever
26:51it's incredible
26:53i know it's only a bit of water coming off some ice
26:57but it looks so beautiful
26:59it is beautiful for me as well i always like to
27:02uh really take in the fact that we really are looking at ancient ice
27:11when you come on this trip and you're in the sea either in a kayak or a zodiac
27:17and all the engines are switched off
27:33and it does make you exhale
27:40and you can feel the peace around you and even thinking back to it i'm exhaling
27:49it's like a meditation you're just in this calming amazing experience that i'll probably never forget
28:06after one of the most mesmerizing views of my life it's back to my discovery yacht to defrost with a
28:13warming whiskey
28:33a new day and after traveling even further around svalbard there's a whole new view
28:41what we're looking for here
28:43have you seen anything yet
28:45birds
28:46just birds
28:47birds
28:48birds everywhere
28:51right
28:52zodiacs and birds
28:54it is quite magnificent out here though isn't it
28:58fellow travelers nancy francis and gary are clearly as much in awe as i am
29:04so what made you pick the the arctic
29:07wildlife
29:08is this what you're into
29:10yeah
29:10yeah
29:11it's what we like
29:12i think it's about the only place that i hadn't been to
29:14oh really
29:15i've been traveling for about 40 years
29:16oh my
29:17and i'm thinking i'm too old to go there
29:19and then somebody said to me
29:21no you're not just go
29:22yeah
29:23here i am right
29:24who's told you did you think you were too old to do this then
29:27no other people did
29:28did they
29:29no you look great
29:30thank you
29:31i'm not going to ask you your age
29:32how much do you weigh
29:35i don't think it matters even if you come here and watch it all from the ship it doesn't matter
29:39does it
29:40no
29:40no
29:42so have you got family at home have you got they all think you discoverers and adventurers
29:47they think we made some of them
29:49yeah
29:49yeah
29:49some of the places we go
29:50yeah
29:51they don't understand why we want to go to uh cold places
29:53yeah
29:54they think we should sit on the beach all day
29:56yeah
29:57and drink pina colada
29:58yeah
29:58grow old on the beach
29:59yeah
29:59well you can do that as well though can't you
30:02of course you can
30:02yeah
30:03have you got any good photos then
30:05have you got any good photos of
30:06great one at the field
30:07have you
30:08oh let's have a look
30:10see we're gonna have to compare
30:11it's like getting us kids out innit
30:14have a look at this one
30:15oh
30:16oh my god
30:17that's incredible innit
30:19fantastic
30:21mine's a bit pathetic now
30:23I zoomed in
30:24I'm proud of this
30:26very proud
30:27yeah
30:28see I've got you all chatting now
30:29we should be looking at birds shouldn't we
30:32shall we go back to what we're supposed to be doing
30:37that's some worry I can't stop talking
30:39right
30:40back to bird watching everybody
30:45there's always something to see
30:46and someone to have a laugh with on the ship
30:48but when it comes to the wildlife
30:50nothing beats getting up close
30:57thank you
31:01and we're off
31:02come on
31:05so far on my journey I've seen penguins
31:08elephants seals and polar bears
31:11and now for a pole to pole full house
31:13walruses with my guide
31:17so Julia
31:18we've got to keep us voices down
31:20we do yes
31:21so we're at Tyrell Nusset
31:23up here in Svalbard
31:25right
31:25it's a popular haul out for walrus
31:28the Atlantic walrus
31:29fine
31:29when we went out
31:31on the walrus trip
31:33we were told
31:34they would
31:35one
31:36be very very smelly
31:38and
31:38and two
31:39that we wouldn't be able to get up close to them
31:42because they are quite far away
31:44there's quite a few down there
31:45just a few
31:46yeah
31:46I don't know how many exactly
31:48and we were all happy with that
31:50you don't want to get too close to a walrus
31:52is it only here that walrus live
31:55well the Atlantic walrus is found in a number of places
31:58but there are a few haul out sites that are popular with the walrus
32:02they're very sociable so they like to haul out in groups
32:05what's a haul out?
32:07that's actually a really good question
32:08and it's something that I've not really considered
32:10but thinking about it
32:12because seals and walruses are really big animals
32:15so I guess that's really where it's come from
32:17just the way they have to haul themselves out
32:19I know how that feels
32:20I can't even get out of a swimming pool
32:23without a haul out
32:24here we go
32:25right
32:27in this get up it's sad enough hauling myself across the beach
32:34but worth it for the surprise of my life
32:38oh yeah they're there look
32:54about 150 walruses have found a prime lounging spot
32:58just in front of me
33:02oh my god
33:15they're always all huddled together
33:17occasionally one of them will move
33:19they might annoy each other as they
33:21sort of someone's nice and settled
33:24snoozing nicely
33:25then someone moves
33:27that's so annoying isn't it
33:29it is
33:29so yeah
33:30and it probably is for them as well
33:32so sometimes have a little
33:34a bit of a tussle with each other
33:36as they just annoy and then they'll settle down
33:38but you'll find that the males
33:41and the females have tusks
33:43really?
33:44yeah
33:44it's just that the males have much longer tusks
33:46than the females
33:47and then they're wider as well
33:49yeah
33:50that makes sense
33:51and then they've got about
33:53about 15 centimetres of blubber
33:56that's how thick their blubber can get
33:58wow
33:58that is quite a lot
34:00it is
34:00yeah
34:01so nice and warm
34:02nice and warm
34:03didn't need to be here
34:04because although it looks nice and sunny here
34:06it's flipping cold
34:08it is yes
34:09it is very cold here
34:11yeah
34:12actually this one just in water
34:14they're looking at us as well
34:15oh my god
34:18you can see the hot breath is there
34:20yeah
34:20as well
34:22that's fantastic isn't it
34:23yeah
34:24it's wonderful
34:26fancy having this beach onto yourself though
34:29oh
34:30wouldn't it be wonderful
34:31yeah
34:34and just when I think
34:36it couldn't get any better
34:40oh my god
34:46can you believe that
34:51oh wow
34:54stay in the water guys
35:00that is incredible
35:02three walrus
35:05within 20 feet
35:07come to say hello
35:10I mean that's magical innit
35:13that's magical
35:16I'm well enough
35:17I'm well enough
35:20I have to pinch myself
35:22when things like this happen
35:23and I write a journal every day
35:25and that is definitely
35:27quite a big paragraph
35:29about how I felt
35:31when they just put their heads up
35:33because they didn't just swim past
35:35they stopped
35:36and put their heads out
35:37and said hello
35:41sometimes
35:41nature
35:45just takes you by surprise
35:48it's magic
35:49it's magical
35:51wow
35:54I mean that's pretty special
35:56you don't get that every day do you
36:03that's great
36:04I'm going to look like Alice Cooper
36:07coming up
36:08after my extraordinary adventure
36:10from the very bottom
36:12to the top of the world
36:13ready to rock and roll
36:15this awestruck wakey lass
36:17reaches the finish line
36:19what an adventure
36:21this is it
36:35my pole to pole journey
36:37has been the adventure
36:38of a lifetime
36:39and I've almost reached
36:41my final destination
36:42deep in the arctic circle
36:47they say that travel
36:48broadens the mind
36:50hi
36:52going from one end of the earth
36:54to the other
36:55has definitely opened my eyes
36:57in so many ways
36:58right
36:59are you ready madame
37:01I am
37:04ready to rock and roll
37:08I think since losing head
37:10you wake up every morning
37:12I still get that thud
37:13in my stomach every day
37:17and grief changes you
37:20I can't
37:21I can't lie on that
37:24and it's changed me
37:26beyond recognition
37:28but now I need something else
37:30in my life
37:32and this is it
37:34it's travelling
37:35and doing all the things now
37:38that are
37:40a privilege
37:41for me
37:43woohoo
37:45I've gone as north
37:47as I possibly can
37:48weather wise
37:50ship wise
37:51looks a bit like Iceland
37:55and I want to end
37:57my adventure
37:58from the bottom
37:59to the top of the world
38:00on a high
38:01so I've chosen
38:03the Alconet Mountain
38:04a truly impressive landmark
38:06on Svalbard's largest island
38:08it was just
38:10magnificent
38:11to see this
38:12mountain
38:13veiled
38:15and
38:16just stood there
38:17so proud
38:18as if to say
38:20you've reached it
38:22so it was like
38:24backing me in
38:25saying you've done it
38:29hi
38:29g'day
38:30welcome
38:31would you like a couple of poles
38:32well yeah pole to pole
38:34thank you very much
38:35yeah
38:35you've done well
38:37oh gosh
38:37we've got here at last
38:39finally
38:39you've made it
38:40I know
38:41it's amazing
38:42was it a long walk
38:43no
38:44most of it by ship
38:46thankfully
38:46but where do I go Shane
38:49you head up there
38:50up over that path
38:52right
38:52thank you very very much
38:54I'll just go then
38:55yeah
38:55okay
38:55right
38:56I'm off
38:57thank you
39:11I'm not going to sit here
39:12and pretend I'm
39:13Michael Palin
39:14or David Attenborough
39:15because I'm not
39:16I'm just a
39:17normal traveller
39:18doing the
39:19pole to pole
39:20experience
39:21and I hope
39:22I don't waste it
39:24I hope I'm
39:24articulate enough
39:26to convey
39:27how special
39:28this trip is
39:32every moment
39:33of my very own
39:35odyssey
39:35has been extraordinary
39:36from Antarctica
39:38to the South Georgia
39:39islands
39:40to Falklands
39:41and Brazil
39:42and then we did
39:43Uruguay
39:46and Montevideo
39:49and Capri
39:53it's exhilarating
39:54to see the views
39:56that you've seen
39:57and the things
39:57that you've seen
39:58and experienced
39:59the amazing things
40:02that you can do
40:05and I think
40:06once you start travelling
40:08you can't stop
40:08it's addictive
40:10that's what it is
40:13I'm finally here
40:15look at this
40:19we've made it
40:22we've made it
40:24oh wow
40:37travel
40:38does change you
40:39in so many ways
40:40and I've learned a lot
40:42about myself
40:42on this journey
40:43about how I love
40:45nature
40:46how I love
40:48the vastness
40:49of emptiness
40:50and how I love
40:52peace
40:57this journey
40:58has been
40:59full of
41:00adventure
41:01discovery
41:03knowledge
41:04that I never knew
41:05great friends
41:07fabulous
41:08surroundings
41:10sunsets
41:11which are breathtaking
41:14sunrises
41:14which I never
41:15usually see
41:16let's be honest
41:18amazing adventure
41:20and all finished
41:21off with a cocktail
41:22at the end of the night
41:24I mean
41:25what an amazing
41:26experience
41:28I think we should
41:29do it again
41:29don't you
41:34I think this is a trip
41:36that I will never ever forget
41:38I feel blessed
41:40honoured
41:41privileged
41:42to have been able to do this
41:45so thank you
41:46for letting me do this for you
41:49I've only done it for you
41:50you know I have
41:52what an adventure
41:57this is it
41:59the end
42:00of our journey
42:03well
42:03not quite the end
42:05there's always time
42:06for a song
42:09you're as cold as ice
42:13someday you'll pay the price
42:16I know
42:17I've seen it before
42:19it happens all the time
42:21you're closing the door
42:23you leave the world behind
42:25you're digging for gold
42:27you're throwing away
42:29a fortune in feeling
42:31someday you'll pay
42:37as cold as ice
42:40to be
42:41as cold as ice
42:48you're as cold as ice
42:53cold as ice
42:55I know
42:55oh
42:57yes I know
43:01you're as cold as ice
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