The journey not the destination is a series of fast paced chapters each with a depth and richness that make you wish you were there.

Olly Sanders expeditions take the reader from North Wales to Patagonia (and many places in between), and from touring with some of the biggest bands on the planet to kayaking and climbing in some of the world's most remote areas. Each chapter touches on an expedition which makes the reader shake their head in awe, disbelief, and amusement, sometimes in equal measure, sometimes one far outweighing the others.

Despite his vast experience, skill and expertise, Olly's style of writing is very matter of fact, "this is what we want to do", "this is how we made it happen" and "this is what happened", the latter being a great focus of the book. With eacjh chapter he writes of his experiences along the way from being welcomed by locals, watching rocks and ice shards fly past him on a cliff face and a chance meeting with a polar bear, while making the reader believe adventures are accessible to all, regardless of scale. On occasion he didn't quite make the summit, or arrive at the intended location, but this doesn't detract from the adventure nor halt the narrative, and the message of hime not making the destination is often more valuable.

The title says it all, the journey not the destination is about just that, sometimes being brass-necked, sometimes being quiet and sometimes going with the flow but always looking for the opportunity for an adventure and embracing it, which is truly inspiring. Olly Sanders has travelled far and wide, often with no means of communication and in precarious situations, of which there are plenty in this book, but one of his main messages is that "going away with the right people is fundamental to whether or not an expedition will be enjoyable". That alone is certainly something every reader can take away with them to make their own trips memorable. A great read.

Clare Iley-Christie
The Professional Mountaineer Magazine