News of Norway, August 11, 2003
Bancroft and Arnesen are prime examples of what a Norwegian-American collaboration can lead to. In February 2001, the two made history when they became the first women ever to ski across Antarctica’s landmass. It was a dream come true for both of them.
Now your dreams of being an explorer can come true. In April, the two women will lead an expedition through the mountains and glaciers of Spitsbergen, the largest of the islands that constitute Svalbard. There are currently 15 to 18 spots available to the public.
Experience needed
“But this is not for everyone,” warns Bob Swan of Borton Overseas, a travel agency that specializes in arctic expeditions.
“It is not enough to be the type that goes for one or two cross-country trips a year. In order to take part in this expedition, you need to have a certain level of experience and physical capability.”
In order to qualify, applicants must present a certificate of good health from their physicians. Swan expects most of the applications to come from people between the ages of 45 and 55.
“That’s the age bracket where we expect to find the people with the right age and background. It’s also where we expect to find people who have the time and money to do something like this,” he says.
Obviously, making this dream come true will be costly. The organizers will supply sleds, food, tents and cooking equipment, but participants will have to cover other costs. Bob Swan cannot say exactly what the bottom line will be, as all the details haven’t yet been set up.
“It will no doubt be worth it, though,” he says, adding:
“I mean, how often do you get a chance to do something like this?”
Thousands of messages
The journey is part of Bancroft and Arnesen’s training for a future major expedition together. The group will follow a routing through North East Spitsbergen, with snow and weather conditions dictating the course to be followed each day.
After two weeks of skiing, the group will end the expedition on Svalbard, a Norwegian territory since 1920, on May 10th.
Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, both former schoolteachers, have been collaborating on several projects since they crossed the continent of Antarctica in 2001. During the expedition, they received tens of thousands of messages from people all over the world who followed their every move via their web pages.
Dream sharing
Based on this enormous interest, the two women founded Bancroft Arnesen Explore so that they could share stories of inspiration, dreams and exploration with others.
“When we share our stories of adventure and childhood dreams, others share their goals and dreams,” says Bancroft.
Now it’s your turn to make a dream come true.
For more information about the Svalbard expedition, please send an e-mail to info@bortonoverseas.com.
If you want to read more about Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, see their web pages at www.yourexpedition.com.