Adventures with chief Scout Bear Grylls

He can eat scorpions and scale peaks, but the chief Scout isn’t prepared for a dodgy sandwich

I ENDED 2018 with a brief expedition to the jungles of Panama. We were filming several television series, which involved battling tricky terrain and eating some strange nasties including a scorpion, which had scuttled into camp. Bugs and grubs have long been part of the staple diet of indigenous people, but they never taste great.

The next day, I flew to the United Nations headquarters in New York to present to a room of officials in my new role as chief ambassador of World Scouting, stopping off for a quick sandwich on the way. It was an important event, but as I explained why the Scouts were pledging an additional three billion hours’ worth of community service by 2030, I felt something was wrong. My stomach was, err, unsettled… As I battled to keep my composure, I realised the sandwich had given me food poisoning.

As soon as the event was over, I dashed to the lavatory. Thanks to my trusted ‘medi kit’, some Imodium and willpower, I survived the day. Ironic that it was a New York sandwich that got me, not the grubs in the depths of the jungle. As the Scouts say: be prepared.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, in my capacity as honorary colonel to the Royal Marines, I flew with them to HMS Queen Elizabeth, a new carrier capable of holding 60 aircraft, while the stealth fighter jets were being test-landed on her massive flight deck. The journey there was amazing. I sat on the tailgate of a Royal Marines Merlin helicopter, legs dangling out, as we flew low over the sea. Landing on the deck of this gargantuan ship, you realise just how immense she is; the largest carrier ever built by the Royal Navy.

Spending time with members of the forces is always inspiring. After a demanding tour, many were looking forward to getting back home, yet their humour and tenacity shone bright.

I BEGAN 2019 with a packed schedule, including giving a lecture about teamwork and leadership, and filming new episodes of my television series Running Wild (where I take famous people on a 24-hour adventure into the remote wilderness). I also wrapped a new show, Hostile Planet for the National Geographic channel, and headed back to the jungle for the next season of The Island for Channel 4.

When life gets hectic, I try to look for moments of calm to remind me what really matters. Some weeks ago, while flying in a tiny plane to a shoot location in Iceland, I decided to make a last-minute diversion to a remote peak in the Alps that I love. I had just one day off during a busy stretch and was determined to make the most of it. Hiking up to the top of this mountain near the Swiss town of Sion with my mini-wing paraglider, I finally relaxed.

There is nothing more energising and exhilarating than leaping off the mountaintop under a wing, then swooping low over the forests and ravines. Paragliding makes me focus on the moment and reaffirms the wonder of this beautiful planet.

A Bear Grylls Adventure 11: The Arctic Challenge, by Bear Grylls, is out now (Bonnier Zaffre, £4.99)

There’s nothing more energising than leaping off a mountain with my mini-paraglider