“Ours was not going to be a clone of the usual expeditions, oozing with sleekness. It was clear from the start that oddity was our advantage.”

“The ability to tell a good route from a terrible one is a valuable skill when leading an expedition. Unfortunately for us all, it was a skill I did not possess.”

“The first rule of an expedition is that everyone should stick together.”

“On a harsh expedition, there's no space for anyone who does not intend to finish.”

“Previous experience had taught me that any expedition marches on its stomach.”

“Running an expedition can bring out the worst in a man. It can make you a power-crazed monster.”

“Any man who has ever led an army, an expedition, or a group of Boy Scouts has sadism in his bones.”