2012 Galleries

Val D'Isere for Christmas : Christmas was approaching and the boss demanded a ski trip, so I zipped online and found a package deal to Val D'Isere in the heart of the French Alps - apparently one of the world's most beautiful ski resorts. However, I had a couple of additional motives for going, involving mythical animals and ironing, which I kept carefully hidden...

Val D'Isere for Christmas

Christmas was approaching and the boss demanded a ski trip, so I zippe ...

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 5:59am PST

Vienna in November : In November the Austrian Association Against Animal Factories, and the University of Veterinary Medicine's Messerli Institute, invited me to Vienna to deliver two presentations on animal experimentation and alternatives. Never having visited this fabled birthplace of art, culture and home of Mozart, Beethoven and other geniuses, I was keen to visit. Even more importantly, Vienna was also home to the fabled basilisk!

Vienna in November

In November the Austrian Association Against Animal Factories, and the ...

Updated: Dec 09, 2012 7:38am PST

Snowdonia in November : Sadly, one of our mountaineering friends passed away recently. One of the fittest of our number, Andrew Taylor had been a stalwart of all our mountaineering challenges over the last few years. And so his friends and family organised a memorial climb of Mt Snowdon in his memory. This highest of all Welsh peaks has defined our mountaineering challenges more than any other.

Snowdonia in November

Sadly, one of our mountaineering friends passed away recently. One of ...

Updated: Nov 07, 2012 3:05am PST

Switzerland in September : In September I attended the annual conference of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine, held in the beautiful little town of Martigney, nestled in a Swiss alpine valley.

Switzerland in September

In September I attended the annual conference of the European College ...

Updated: Dec 30, 2012 2:09pm PST

Peruvian lecture tour in August : In August I was invited by Peruvian organisation UPA to deliver a lecture tour on humane teaching methods, animal experimentation, the animal welfare standards of veterinarians, and other animal protection topics. They worked me hard – I delivered 20 main presentations primarily at four conferences, participated in eight veterinary and medical school meetings with faculty members, four alternatives exhibitions, and five press conferences and media interviews. However, they also fed me well, and gave me a little time off to explore the Andes (see pics). Don't miss the published story of this adventure! I'm grateful to Swiss organization AG STG for sponsoring the tour, and to InterNICHE for supplying the alternatives.

Peruvian lecture tour in August

In August I was invited by Peruvian organisation UPA to deliver a lect ...

Updated: Sep 12, 2012 8:17am PST

Peruvian adventures in August : In August I was invited to Peru by national animal protection organisation UPA to give a series of presentations on humane education, animal experimentation and several other animal protection issues (see pics). Little did they know I had been dying to search the Andes for the little-known South-American yeti, Pie grande. I therefore quickly accepted... Don't miss the published story of this adventure!

Peruvian adventures in August

In August I was invited to Peru by national animal protection organisa ...

Updated: Sep 08, 2012 7:33am PST

Vegan Welsh 3000s in Snowdonia in August : In 2010 an all-vegan team completed the infamous Welsh 15 Peaks challenge, climbing all 15 peaks higher than 3,000 feet, in the same day. The amazing stories and photos are here. In August 2012, seven vegans once again assembled at Pen-y-Pass in Snowdonia at the ungodly hour of 04:30 to repeat the challenge – but this time, the plan was to run as much as possible, making it, as far as we know, the world’s first vegan ultra-marathon. We faced 30 miles/48 km and 14,921 feet/4000+ m of ascent, but perhaps the greatest challenge was the weather. Not only was it a British summer, but a Welsh summer! During the first attempt, six weeks ago, small streams became impassable torrents during torrential rain, and after battling over one mountain range, the course was closed for safety reasons (see event website). This time only 'showers and occasional thunderstorms' were forecast. Surely then it would be easy...?

Vegan Welsh 3000s in Snowdonia in August

In 2010 an all-vegan team completed the infamous Welsh 15 Peaks challe ...

Updated: Aug 13, 2012 10:01am PST

Vallee Blanche in April : For years I've been searching for the elusive European yeti, Gigantopithecus modernis yetii. My first expeditions to the alps (see here and here) yielded important clues about likely yeti habitats, but no actual sightings (a big furry beast located on a mountain ledge one night turned out to be a misplaced hiker named Jacques see 'In search of the yeti Part II'). However, I'd had my suspicions about the remote Vallee Blanche for years. Skiers regularly disappear without trace here, and the numerous deep crevasses provide ample shelter. Surely if the yetis were out there it would be an ideal place to find them. So when surgery to repair an old arm fracture prevented me from working, I seized the opportunity to go searching... Don't miss the published story of this adventure!

Vallee Blanche in April

For years I've been searching for the elusive European yeti, Gigantopi ...

Updated: Nov 12, 2012 7:32am PST