FIRST UP, BEST DRESSED!

O ne of my 'crack of dawn' photos. I often capture a photo like this when on tour, evidencing the stillness of the early morning, while the family slumbers on. I'm always the first up, and early. It's when I make myself a coffee and get to work sorting the hundreds of photos we capture, and writing material for these articles.

It was around minus 10 degrees Celsius when this photo was taken; I can imagine some readers thinking it must be awful camping in that! In all honesty it's not an issue for any of us, but only because the dieselelectric tent heater I put together especially for this expedition has worked reliably again since we descended from Tajikistan's high Pamirs and resumed our adventures nearer to sea level.

Fingers temporarily frozen whilst outside boiling water for a coffee quickly thaw in time for me to begin typing, once back inside the cosy 20+ degree tent.