JORO CHAIRMAN’S EXTREME EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF ANSWERS

The chairman of Joro Experiences has just embarked on a gruelling expedition across the Antarctic

Garnering data for NASA, Stanford and the European Space Agency (ESA), Joro Chairman and seasoned explorer Justin Packshaw is currently on an 80-day expedition across Antarctica via the Pole of Inaccessibility. Alongside medic Jamie Facer Childs, Packshaw is travelling 4,200km from coast to coast – with the duo relying solely on man and kite power to complete their mission.

The pristine wilderness of Antarctica acts as the world’s largest reflector of the sun, keeping the planet’s water levels low. In conjunction with ESA, Packshaw and Childs will be monitoring the condition of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as well as the surface temperature as they travel across the continent. This crucial research will help ESA understand and monitor the impact of the climate crisis in this little traversed region.

In addition, the region’s extreme conditions reflect those of other planets in the solar system, and Packshaw’s journey through the unforgiving landscape is ideal for gathering data that can be used to inform space exploration in years to come. To this end, The University of Stanford’s Snyder Lab has devised wearable tech, sampling and surveys for the team which measure the impact of exercise, fatigue and stress in an extreme context – you can see some of the results on the expedition’s webpage, chasingthelight2021.com.

The trip showcases the incredible fixing prowess of Joro Experiences, a travel company for which no challenge is too big. Integral to this expedition, and able to set up similar journeys for their clients, Joro has the connections and experience to make the seemingly impossible happen. Find out more about what they can do at joroexperiences.com.

It's not the first time that Packshaw has set out into the Antarctic wilderness: this trip is his fourth to the region. During his previous forays, he's commemorated the centenary of Captain Scott's Race To The Pole, traced Ernest Shackleton's journey through the ice while following the route of the ill-fated Endurance, and raised money for the Princes Trust. His success is partly due to a can-do attitude exemplified by the message he wrote to Joro on the eve of the expedition: "Humans are meant to excel, and when you realise your potential, and how adaptive the human spirit is, anything is achievable," he said. "Throw in a bit of determination and persistence, and you will have a fairly good chance of reaching any of your goals."