I had the honour of presenting to the society in 2009 following my source to sea paddling descent of the Amazon River, so to be invited a second time is humbling. My Amazon lecture attracted a large audience, filling the 750 seat Ondaatje Theatre to capacity and then some. An indication more, I think, of the lure of the Amazon than the story I had to tell.

To my Iran lecture, my ego would be well chuffed to attract an audience half that size, but my heart would crushed. An opportunity for me to open a window into an amazing country and it's people and one that would be lost to those who don't attend. Granted, talking about Iran may not have quite the same "adventure" quotient as the Amazon but the topic is an important one. What do you really know about Iran, beyond what is reported in the media? For most people, I would hazard very little. Having now spent almost 4 years researching the country, including walking more than 1000 miles across it's surface, I would like to think I know a little about the place and it is certainly a tale worthy of telling.

With new sanctions against the country activated this week, the latest IAEA report into Iran's nuclear activity just released and the spectre of war looming large, understanding the issue is, I believe of great importance, not just to those with their fingers on the buttons but to everyone.

Now, I am no Michael Axworthy or Professor Ali Ansari, but after studying Iran in depth for the last 3 years, walking clean across the country last year and of course trying desperately to write a book about it, I reckon I might have at least a little idea about what is going on.

I am honoured to have been invited to speak at the Royal Geographical Society headquarters in London on December 5th regarding my walk across Iran and I am hella nervous. Presenting on stage in the Ondaatje Theatre in front of 750 RGS members and their guests is a formidable challenge at the best of times. When your topic is one of the hottest and polarising (not to mention most complex) in the world today things really get interesting. Since my return from Iran I have been accused of being pro-regime, anti-regime and everything in between. A sure sign that my lecture is bound to be an interesting one, for me and the audience.

My experience walking 1700km from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf across the Alborz mountains, through Tehran, Qom, the Central Plateau, Esfahan, the Zagros mountains and on to the gulf was, to me, amazing and thought provoking.

If you think that I might be able to provide you with an evening of entertainment and I hope, some thought, then please come along. I am super amped (and kaking it just a bit!) to speak for the second time at the RGS headquarters. An honour for sure! I really hope that the topic of Iran proves just as inviting as the Amazon paddling descent which garnered a full house and more.

I have some sweet gear favourites for "Dig this gear" and clips for "Friday Stoke" piling up. I spent most of October wandering around Mount Kilimanjaro leading a couple of back to back charity groups on the mountain, experiencing the worst weather I have ever encountered on the peak (albeit, I have only summited 7 times but still, it was weather of note). On my return, I have been kept busy speaking for the Royal Geographical Society across the UK. In London City presenting regarding my walk across Iran and in Keswick and Brecon, "An Adventurer's Tales", outlining a few of the adventures that have brought me to the point where I currently stand on my journey as a pro adventurer. On the 5th December I am massively stoked to be once more presenting at the RGS headquarters in London. To stand on the stage of the Ondaatje Theatre with names like Burton, Speke, Livingstone and the like inscribed on the walls surrounding is kind of surreal and a huge honour.

I am 5 months post-op from my hip bone graft and clavicular open reduction internal fixation (screwing a titanium plate into my clavicle) and last week my physio was amped with my progress. So was I, until this week when I have been in a fair bit of pain. I wonder the level of sympathy that folks will have for me if I have rushed too soon into more aggressive conditioning? Not a lot I would imagine. Probably rightfully so. Fingers crossed it will settle down again soon. In the meantime my return to paddling will have to be delayed a little.

In a couple of weeks I am also excited to be attending my first ever RGS Explore weekend, the society's expedition and fieldwork planning event. Along with my mate, Dave Cornthwaite I am chairing the Rivers workshop over the weekend. It promises to be a fab few days with a lot of the usual suspects from the UK based adventure and expedition world lurking around the halls of the RGS from the 18th to the 20th of November. If you are planning an expedition and need some advice, information and a healthy dose of inspiration then be sure to get along.

In December it has become necessary for me to don a "lounge suit" (an outfit which I have been reliably informed does not include board shorts and flip-flops) for an event that I hope will be a bit of a blast. Etiquette (real or imagined by me) prevents me from revealing exactly what it is but hopefully I will fill you in in the aftermath.

Right, since I have broken my run of "no words" I will endeavour to keep things rolling on into Christmas and the New Year with some interesting stuff to keep you amused.

On such a long river journey you tend to get pretty close and personal with a few bits of kit. Check out the below to feel the love.

GoPro HD Helmet Hero

"If ten years ago you'd told me I could carry a hi definition video camera around in my back pocket, I would have said, 'what the hell is hi-definition?' I'm not a professional documentary maker but I'm diligent in saturating YouTube with my expedition video diaries, and the GoPro HD Helmet Hero has been a trusty companion for my two big trips this year. Up to 1080p footage and hi-res stills from a camera the same size as two boxes of matches ticks all kinds of boxes, and if you're a mac geek like me the straight-to-SD card recording makes transfer to editing software speedy and simple. The GoPro also comes with a heap of useful attachments, like a waterproof case (through which you can still film and take shots) and sticky attachments that can adhere to surfboards, bicycles and helmets. All in all, it's more than just a neat piece of gear, if you're travelling light then a GoPro could well be a better bet than a more expensive, more professional camera".

Hammock Bliss Sky Tent

"When travelling in hot conditions I prefer hammock camping, and when mosquitos are thrown into the bargain your options are narrowed. For my current expedition I've carried with me a Hammock Bliss Sky Tent. The Sky Tent is a rainfly with a wide mosquito net underbelly. The Sky Tent doubles up as a tent (with the mosquito netting providing protection against insects but allowing air in on a humid night) or you can sling it between two trees and then rig up a hammock within. Comfortable, fast set-up and packing up tighter than any lightweight tent, my Sky Tent has weathered hot, humid nights as well as booming thunderstorms. It's already in the bag for my next exped".

Alastair says, "My favourite bit of kit is my Therm-a-rest. I remember back at university when I first saw some of my mates using them. I scoffed. I thought people were mad to be paying what seemed like huge money for a flimsy, poppable version of my good old foam sleeping mat.

Interesting that I remember my manly tutting at their wimpishness but I do not remember what tipped me over to buying one for myself!

What I do remember is that once I'd tried a Therm-a-rest I wasn't very keen to go back to the cold, uncomfy, bulky old pads. I've slept hundreds and hundreds of nights on Therm-a-rests and they really do make for as good a night's sleep as many beds. In fact I've slept in beds so squalid and so uncomfy around the world that I've even unrolled my Therm-a-rest on top of them!

My initial concern was the price of them. But if you divide the price by all the nights that I have used it then it really turns out to be great value. My other concern was that it would just pop as soon as I slept on rough terrain. Whilst you do need to watch out for thorns or really sharp rocks I have been impressed with how durable they really are. I've only suffered one puncture ever since I bought that Therm-a-Rest back in the late '90s.

One mattress since the late '90s? Almost. About 8 years ago the laminate began peeling away from the front of the mat. I took it to a Therm-a-Rest dealer and they simply swapped it for a new one. Simple, excellent customer service.
That reminds me, the same thing is starting to happen again: think it's time to trade it in for a newer model. So they're not quite as tough as the old bits of foam, but they pack down so small, they're really comfy, they make great floors for packrafts, and they're my favourite bit of kit..."

Have you got a piece of gear that you can't leave home without? It could be grandpa's old knife or it could be a paddle made using nano-technology. So long as you dig it. If you would like to feature on "Dig this gear" drop me a line.

My buddy Chad showed up to the party late with this clip from the Ueli Steck doco, "Swiss Machine". On top of that, Margaret Bowling had 2 which are definitely worthy of Friday Stoke - Mark Visser jumping out of a plane to go catch 80 foot + waves in the middle of the ocean (when a full clip of this comes out it is sure to be epic. From the same chap who surfed 40 foot JAWS at night!) and a 1 min ad from Under Armour with lots of fit girls running around. I think that was the main message that I was supposed to take away from it. Surely?

In line with today's stoke I have some uber cool news regarding Argentina and my good self that...unfortunately I have to keep quiet for now. I just had to let it slip a little!

Sooo...please enjoy a clip that while very new has already got a lot of airplay. It's Danny Macaskill's new short film, Industrial Revolutions. I don't apologise if you have seen it already because it is very much worth watching again and again. The man is super gnarly! Why does he ride? In his own words - "I ride my bike cause it's fun". That is stoke!

I was stoked to have an excellent example of getting too wild - Christopher McCandless of Into the Wild fame (infamy?). McCandless broke away from society as most of us know it and simplified his life to the extreme. Unfortunately at some point he got it wrong and paid the ultimate price. Boom! You can't argue with that can you? If you try to extricate yourself from the bonds of modern society, bad things happen right? Well...no.

Contrary to the above example I had planned to use, I don't believe you can ever get too wild. Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia once said that the hardest thing you can do is to simplify your life...it is easy to make it so complex. All the trappings of modern society are largely superfluous to our needs. The list is endless. But what would really happen if we left it all behind? Could we survive without those things to which we have become so accustomed? Would it matter if I did not update my blog, Facebook or Twitter? What if I had no car, train or plane to get around in? No tech, no supermarket, no giant Apple store?

Most people would scoff at the idea of "dropping out". Modern civilizations are geared for the opposite of this with constant reinforcement to remind us. You need a big bank loan for a house you can't afford, you need a new sofa on 24-months interest free, you need a new smartphone and you need a new car. To what end? As Chouinard said, simplifying your life is difficult.

Dropping everything to head into the Alaskan wilderness is not for everyone and I do not advocate that people do so (unless they want to). But, I only see benefits from simplifying life and one of the best ways to do this is to get outside. As anyone would testify, when you are stood on top of a mountain, big or small or floating a river the last thing you are thinking of is your mortgage, that new Scarlett Johansson film, what your friend's Facebook status is or even whether your took the garbage out. Who f**ken cares? Because, it doesn't matter! Feeling the rush of the wind on the summit and the sting of the glacial water on your face is what counts. It's what you will hold close to your heart for the rest of your life. It will form the basis for the stories you tell your kids and your grandkids. That is what makes a life worth living.

My passion for the outdoors has, unfortunately, led me to being plugged into the internet and other modern conveniences way too much. The realization of which is leading to some changes to how I communicate while on expedition and off. Don't fret, I ain't going all Alexander Supertramp, but a bit more of that and bit less Mark Zuckerberg can only be a good thing right?

With such a large percentage of populations now living in urban environments the opportunity for many to get into the wild has been stifled somewhat. So what can city dwellers do? Head to the park on their lunch break? Sure, perfect. I am a big believer in shutting down your laptop and phone, walking out the door and sitting yourself under a nice tree. Half an hour there and your mind and body are re-energised.

But, the strength of the outdoors can be made so much more powerful. Here's an idea. Start work an hour earlier than you would normally on a Friday. Unless your boss is a complete numpty, you can then step out the office by maybe 4pm. Of course you have brought all your outdoor gear to work that day. Change, grab your pack and head to the train station (or car if you have one). Drive (or clickity-clack). 2 or 3 hours later, no matter if you work in deepest, darkest skyscraper-ville you should be in the wild. In summer, there is plenty of light. Tent up, stove for coffee on. Sit back. The powerful restorative effects of the outdoors have begun. For the next 2 days you can walk or chill as much as you please. Late Sunday, you head back to the city. Mission accomplished. Your body is moving easier, your mind open.

Now, imagine multiplying that weekend in the hills tenfold. No ways! A month on the road! Rent a van. Throw in a tent, kayak, surfboard, bicycle and a few buddies and you are away. Don't plan too much. You only have one pre-requisite - leave the city behind. Easy. A month in the wild will change everything you ever knew. Be warned. It is likely, upon your return to the "real world", things are going to change. No longer will you be satisfied with normality. You will question what your purpose really is (I know, heavy again. Such is the power of getting wild!). I call it enlightenment. Not a state of mind but the beginning of a most wonderful journey.

In part 2, I will have a crack at questioning if you can ever get too much of a good thing (as it relates to the outdoors that is).