Movie:
Loved By All: The Story of Apa Sherpa
Where: Vimeo
About: The film traces the journey of Apa Sherpa, a Nepalese mountaineer who holds the world record for climbing Mount Everest 21 times. Yet behind this extraordinary accomplishment lies a story of hardship; Apa was forced to leave school at the age of 12 and work as a high-altitude porter after his father passed away.
Why: While many mountaineering films focus on the triumphant climber who conquers the summit after overcoming great odds, this documentary takes a different path. It’s a human tale of resilience, sacrifice, and the unsung heroes behind those iconic ascents. By shifting the spotlight to the Sherpa community, the film highlights the harsh economic realities and social pressures, particularly the difficult trade-offs between pursuing education and taking on risky, high-altitude work.
Book:
The Modern Explorers
About: The book is about forty contemporary adventurers who continue to push the boundaries of exploration in the modern world and challenge the notion that the world has no frontiers left to explore. The book is organised into nine themed sections, such as Polar, Desert, Ocean, Rainforest, highlighting expeditions in extreme and remote environments. Each explorer shares first-hand accounts of their journeys, offering insights into both physical challenges and personal motivations.
Why: Because most of the stories are told by the explorers themselves, they come across as vivid and deeply authentic. For anyone fascinated by modern-day adventurers embarking on remarkable journeys to the world’s most remote places, this book offers powerful inspiration. As seasoned explorer John Blashford-Snell aptly says: ‘In these dark days of world tension, this expedition showed that people of many nations, inspired by a sense of adventure and with a healthy contempt for difficulties and dangers, can come together and perform a worthwhile task.’
Podcast:
CoROM Podcast – Expedition Dentistry with Burjor Langdana
Where: Spotify
About: Aebrhric O’Kelly, a critical care paramedic and former Green Berett talks to Burjor Langdana about Wilderness and Expedition Dentistry. Burjor trained in maxillofacial surgery in India and later worked in Oman, the UK, New Zealand, and Malawi, gaining extensive experience in well-resourced and extremely limited settings. He shares his passion for providing dental care in an austere setting, teaching others how to do so and is an Adventure Medic patron. He also created the Wilderness Dentistry website, offering free videos, articles, and downloadable materials for remote dentistry.
Why: Most medics and paramedics receive little or no formal training in dental emergencies, despite the fact that dental problems are common and can become serious in the field. In this podcast Burjor Langdana shares practical lessons from years of delivering dental and facial trauma care in some of the world’s most challenging environments like Antarctica.
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