Consequently, she also knew that the worst thing she could do, alone and injured, was panic.

when death seems almost certain, one of the most human reactions is a refusal to lie down and let it win.

They develop character and courage, and they cultivate self-belief and vision from a young age.

Goals of that scale demand sacrifice, and they also demand that we ignore the suffering that so often accompanies ambitious callings.

True to form, less than three months later, Stuart was off – again.

He was a man on a mission. I know that feeling. Obstacles don’t matter. Nor does the prospect of pain and hardship. The goal is all-consuming.

His unconventional method of exploring was to travel light and fast.

Like with a grape, you don’t really know what it is made of until it is squeezed. One thing all these stories have in common is that, in each case, every one of these individuals was squeezed to within an inch of their life, and they all had to plumb untold reservoirs of courage, tenacity and fortitude.

When you’re fighting to survive, morale is everything. Despite the disappointment, Nando didn’t allow himself to be downhearted.