George Mallory's boot

In all the recent financial chaos I have forgotten to write about a more pleasant experience involving an Earthwatch meeting and a visit to the Royal Geographical Society.

I have been a trustee of Earthwatch Europe for many years and welcomed a recent suggestion to pool many of the resources of European and US, Japanese and Australian affiliates.

Because of charity law we cannot pool financial resources and must remain distinct charities but that has not prevented us from creating a joint body which shares many of the same employees, thus preventing duplication of expensive staff.

The respective charity trustees and senior staff met, therefore, over two days in London to agree the ground rules and structure of the organisation in future (or "going forward") as we were reminded constantly.

Have you noticed how much that needless phrase is used by executives? We're not standing still or going backwards, so why do some feel the need to be using the words "going forward" all the time? The answer is that the phrase is used unconsciously like much other management jargon as a kind of "filler".

Anyway after spending most of the day going forward at the RGS it was exciting to go back in time as we were led down to the research rooms where a table had been laid out with some of the prize exhibits from the society's collection of two million items (including a million maps).

There was George Mallory's boot recovered from the slopes of Everest, an oxygen pack from the 1953 successful Everest expedition led by Sir John Hunt, a Burberry's hood worn by Sir Ernest Shackleton, and, best of all the hats worn by David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley at their historic meeting in Africa. It made the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

It felt very special to be viewing these treasures but - and this is the great thing about the society's collection - these items are there for any of us to see on request if we pay the modest fee for a research day.

Earthwatch has moved on some, since I became a trustee and today it plays an ever strengthening role in partnering with companies, helping to enlighten employees on some of the most pressing environmental issues of our times. One of its strongest partnerships has been established with HSBC Bank. At a time that the banking sector is struggling it is good to see that this programme is demonstrating the positive measures that can be undertaken by enlightened employers.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Pole

When I was young I used to read about the exploits of Scott of the Antarctic, David Livingstone and Ernest Shackleton. I liked the idea of travelling and exploring distant parts of the globe.

What training would I need, I wondered? A military career perhaps, or something using geography or cartography?

As it turns out today such skills are not nearly as useful as those of the stand-up comedian. Ask any BBC producer.

Last month there was Victoria Wood floating around the globe's former pink bits in "Victoria's Empire." Prior to that there were the travelogues featuring comedy actor Michael Palin. Even Billy Connolly has turned his touring in to a kind of travel epic. Now I see that Channel Five has hopped on the bandwagon with "Paul Merton in China."

I wonder if Scott told jokes about penguins or whether Mungo Park ever played the Glasgow Empire? Were Lewis and Clark role models for Laurel and Hardy? After all, Laurel and Hardy did make a film called Way out West.

The BBC has missed a trick or two in the past. Otherwise we might have seen Morcambe and Wise on the Eiger or Tommy Cooper of Khartoum. At least the Carry On team made Carry On Up The Jungle.

What does the future hold? Maybe we'll see Peter Kay in Amarillo The Hard Way or Jasper Carrot in Carrot Continental or Rowan Atkinson in the Thin Blue Planet. The possibilities are endless.