The plan was straightforward: Pack bags, travel to remote valley, hike to virgin peak. Climb! So was the plan for my recent expedition into the remote Naar-Phu valley in Nepal, which came together on short notice. But just when you think its simple, it always turns...
It’s a while that I have posted on my website – and I hope that my dear readers haven’t come to conclusion that procrastination or even early retirement had set into my life. Far from it – let me tell you more about my most recent expedition. An adventure that...
Some projects just take longer - just like great wine takes some time to mature, my latest film projecttook way longer then expected to complete. Countless deadlines were missed, scripts rewritten, missing scenes filled. But two years after Esther and me have held up...
In 2017, to my total surprise, I was featured in Tatler's Gen T List - according to the magazine the "definitive list of young leaders shaping Asia’s future." Last month the magazine showcased a portrait in its column: "What Matters to Me" Full article can be found...
As part of the Chapman Andrews Centennial Expedition I was searching dinosaurs in the Gobi desert. Our team used latest technology - infrared and hyperspectral imaging cameras that were deployed with drones to find new fossil sites. More than 100+ were detected - we...
Back in spring, when we set out on the "Round the Island" adventure we set our goal to create Hong Kong's first pollution map. 9 months later, having recorded 163 trash hotspots and having taken 51 water measurements - we finally present all the findings on:...
"Round the Island" is continuing to make news. Sending over a great thanks for the guys at Red Bull for featuring the adventure: https://www.redbull.com/au-en/coasteering-hong-kong
So here the hard facts - over the course of 6 days we climbed more than 80km of coastline, we mapped 125 trash hotspots, we took 50 water samples, we faced black rain and lots of other challenges!! [gallery type="slideshow" columns="2" size="large"...
A long held dream of mine - to climb the entire coastline of Hong Kong Island, will soon come true. End of May I will start together with my wife, to a unique adventure that will see us coasteer - climb, scramble, swim, jump - around the entire 85km coastline of Hong...
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: The mountain ranges of East Tibet, part of Sichuan province, China, were described by the legendary Japanese explorer Tomatsu Nakamura as the “Alps of Tibet” and are considered as one the last frontiers of mountaineering. Inspired by his work...
Last September I ventured with friends into a remote corner of Tibet (https://dev.neilmatthews.com/paulniel/exploring-eastern-tibet/) - it was an expedition into the unknown - we had no maps, no guides, no porters and literally no idea! It was an amazing trip, but in...
Last week I talked in front of a group of finance professionals about achieving big dreams – I illustrated the story and my concept through my journey to climb Mt Everest - the highest mountain in the world and how it developed from the dreams of a...
Last weekend the Post Magazine of the South China Morning Post, brought a feature about our India trip - I posted already some of the stories previously but hope its still a good read:...
Last Sunday, March 8 marked International Woman's Day. This years theme was: Make it happen! In time for this event, my last project: Education Explorers, has released the trailer of the upcoming documentary about girl education in India – check it...
The misty fort of Jaisalmer, like a gigantic sandcastle rising out of the desert, marked the end point of our rickshaw journey. With its last breath of life, both vehicles managed to get over the finish line. It was with mixed feelings that we handed over the keys and...
Key turned, Choke on, clutch pulled, Neutral in, then a heavy pull (a very heavy pull) on the Lever! …. and off we go: In the last ten days Sofia, Phil, Clare, Tom and myself have travelled more than 2000km - through 6 six states of India, over tiny country roads and...
Two weeks ago I posted about my upcoming adventure in India… Yesterday we finally started - after preparing, pimping and tuning our Rickshaw Clare, Tom, Sofia, Phil and myself are off - 3000 km from Cochin, Kerala to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Already, after having covered...
In my last blog I mentioned my trip to India - I spent a day in a rural village in northern Rajasthan and one of the most striking observation was the way woman were treated there. In general not even as second class citizens - no, they were third class citizens. Most...
Walking through a valley nobody has ever been, attempting an unclimbed peak – First ascents, exploration in the spirit and style of Mallory & Buhl, to face the obstacles of the unknown has been a dream of mine....for a long, long time! Over the last few weeks that...
Final day in Garzi Town, last hotpot, shower and nice bed for at last two weeks. Tomorrow its time to climb a mountain!
Rain of all sorts has greeted us in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Having barely escaped the typhoon in Hong Kong I was hoping for some weather…a no go. It didn’t really matter, however as we spent the better part of the last two days sorting out gear and...
"Today the map has no more secrets.” Idle minds repeat that parrot phase. But who knows all Tibet, or its far-away frontier on western China? Even its own prayer-muttering tribes know only their own bleak, wind-swept valleys"-
One year ago, I was in the midst of the Atlantic ocean, sitting on the deck of “Switzerland” (bettern known as Heidi) – our entry into the Clipper all around the World Sailing Race. Twenty one strangers and a skipper grew over the length of a long, hot and thirsty...
Mud, mud, mud....and a bit of hail and a long, long way to trek...we are finally back in (sort of) civilization (=a place where they serve beer) after hiking eight days into the midst of the heart of Africa. It all started in Kilembe, a small Ugandan mining town,...
Mountains of the Moon In 150AD Ptolemy famously referred to the snows of the Mountains of the Moon, that fed the waters of the Nile It took more than 2000 years to find the real origin. When in the mid 1800s daring men started to explore the last white spots of the...
What an adventure! Its a week since we left Nanyuki to climb the highest mountain in Kenya and it has been a true experience. We had lots of sun, rain, hail, snow, fog.....and overall it was cold (well, definitely colder than expected!). Already the hike towards the...
Jambo! Its all an Italian's fault that i am in Nanyuki right now: During my Antarctic expedition a few years back i overheard a conversation about the best mountain books. The book mentioned was "No Picnic on Mount Kenya". Never having heard of it, I read it...
Often asked, now revealed: End of January I will be off again to hike and climb through the very wet jungles and mountains of Kenya and Uganda. The rocky spikes of Mt Kenya and the mysterious Mountains of the Moon – Rwenzori, will be the goal. The whole project...
I had the pleasure to speak to several schools in Austria over the last two days. More than 800 kids had the pleasure (or pain ?) to listen to my adventures. As a good friend of mine pointed out: Speaking to kids is way more difficult than adults - the latter ones...
A few months in the making, its finally ready - the best moments & memories from my trip to Mt Everest & Lhotse. Pictures, videos and stories have been sifted - let me know if you want to hear more on the adventure!