Heart of Arabia Expedition

In the final days and nights of the Heart of Arabia Expedition the team, and Philby, faced some of the hardest terrain of both their expeditions. Vast open expanses of desert dunes followed by the ancient volcanic fields of harat. As Mark, Reem, Ana-Maria and Alan get closer to their goal of Jeddah, their minds are drawn to the Red sea coast, but it also gives them time to reflect on the connection they have felt to nature and to Philby during their time crossing Saudi Arabia. But, as Mark knows only too well from previous expeditions, they must keep their focus on the day to day because just like Philby before them, illness and fatigue strikes the team again. After spending Christmas in Taif and skirting Mecca, Mark fulfils one of the main expedition ambitions, to journey with purpose, when he visits the Jeddah Prep and Grammar School to hear how the pupils there have been following the expedition and enriching their lessons across the curriculum. Having arrived in Jeddah and dipped their toes into the sea, there is a reception from the British Consulate with a congratulatory note from the expedition patron, HRH The Princess Royal. After all the celebration is done, each member of the Heart of Arabia Expedition team sit down and reflect on what it has meant to them to follow in the footsteps of the greatest of Arabian explorers. Philby left a remarkable legacy. The legacy of The Heart of Arabia Expedition is only just beginning. Follow the social links below and keep an eye on the website for news about forthcoming lectures, exhibitions and conferences in the UK, Saudi Arabia and the USA in the coming months. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Re-join Mark and The Heart of Arabia Expedition Team at the ancient site of Old Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state, historical crossroads of pilgrims and traders. It is also where Philby left Riyadh behind and followed the Pilgram Road west to Jeddah. The terrain, climate and geology of the second leg of the expedition are very different to the first leg in the eastern deserts and Empty Quarter and this brings with it different challenges for the team. But their connection to Philby continues to grow and Mark immerses himself in Philby’s writing as they travel. For his original Heart of Arabia Expedition Philby was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Founders Medal in recognition of the field data he returned to London. Today’s RGS President, Nigel Clifford explains how significant a contribution to our understanding of Arabia’s geography Philby made. And finally Mark explains why the whole team - Reem, Ana, Alan and himself - spent several hours walking in circles looking like policemen! Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Just like Philby, the Heart of Arabia Expedition used camels for some of their journey. In the eastern deserts of Saudi Arabia, Mark introduces us to their camels and explores the role the camel has played in Arab history and culture with their guide from the Camel Club of Saudi Arabia. As the expedition moves west towards their goal of Riyadh in the camel pad prints of Philby’s caravan, Mark considers his life as an explorer and what drives him to be constantly curious about our world, it’s people and cultures. Drawing on his own resilience and comparing himself to other great leaders he questions what makes us resilient. To answer this, leadership expert Jo Owen provides us with insight into how resilience has evolved with time and is a reflection of our society today. Philby was aiming for Riyadh. His ambition was to meet Ibn Saud and convince him he had the authority and power to bring the various warring tribes together under him and form a new nation. As Mark and the team arrive at the ancient city walls of the Masmak Palace, Philby’s grandson, Mike Engelbach and the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UK HRH Prince Khalid Bin Bandar explain how the meeting between these two great men developed. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

After some time to reflect on the Heart of Arabia Expedition Mark looks back over some of the key moments of the early parts of leg one of the expedition, a place Philby described as being the threshold of Arabia. Following the celebration of the expedition’s launch, Mark, Reem, Ana-Maria and Alan are leaving Al Uqayr to start retracing Philby’s route across Arabia; they visit the desert oases of Al Ahsa and Al Hofuf, venture into The Empty Quarter and consider their new nomadic life in the desert. Taking a slight detour from the desert, Mark introduces us to Mike Robinson of The Royal Scottish Geographical Society to explain how the Heart of Arabia Expedition is supporting their Young Generation Fund, designed to give more young Scottish people life opportunities in Geography and exploration, and increase their awareness and knowledge of the world around us. This quest for knowledge that the expedition is supporting was just as vital to Philby as it is to today’s expedition team members. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Journey with Purpose. That is expedition leader, Mark Evans’ great ambition for the Heart of Arabia expedition. To inspire others to travel with a reason, to learn, to understand, to appreciate. It’s an attitude that mirrors what Harry. St. John (Abdullah) Philby did when he set off on his own expedition across Arabia. In this first podcast we’ll meet the expedition team and discover more about Philby from his family. The team is small, dynamic and fast moving but all experts in their field. They’re led by Oman based, British explorer Mark Evans, MBE. Mark is a lifelong explorer and geographer, as much at home on ice as he is in the desert. Ana-Maria Pavalache is the expedition photographer who will capture the sights of the desert and the stories of the people they meet. Riyadh based Alan Morrissey is leading on logistics and a study into ancient lithic artefacts. The final team member is Reem Philby, Philby’s granddaughter. Reem is a natural explorer and looking forward to introducing the team, and us through these podcasts, to her homeland. In front of the Expedition Patron HRH The Princes Royal, with support from Ambassadors from the UK and Saudi Arabia, Diplomats, fellow explorers and geographers, the Heart of Arabia Expedition was launched in London at The Royal Geographical Society. The very place that Philby returned to to tell the world of his own expedition, so that is where we pick up the story of the Heart of Arabia in our podcast. The Heart of Arabia expedition started on 15th November 2022 when Mark and his team travalled the same route as Philby did exactly 105 years earlier. Over the next few weeks, join us as we take a deep dive into the Heart of Arabia. Subscribe now to join us on every footstep of the way in the Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

In our last update for the time being, Heart of Arabia Expedition leader, Mark Evans looks ahead to how the story of the expedition will now be told around the world. Encouraging us all to Journey with Purpose. Subscribe and follow to the podcast in your app so you don’t miss future, in depth podcasts exploring the Heart of Arabia, learning more about the expedition and Philby. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Reem Philby, granddaughter of whose footsteps the expedition has been following in, reflections on what the two expedition legs has meant to her and the Philby family. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache reflects on capturing the expedition through the lens of her camera Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Expedition logistics lead and route planner, Alan Morrissey reflects on the Heart of Arabia Expedition just before the team reach Jeddah Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

48 whirlwind hours after their arrival in Jeddah Mark brings us up to date with the team’s reception on the Red Sea coast. He describes a cultural melting pot of people, sights, sounds and smells that are very different to what the team have been used to and left behind in Al Uqayr on the Arabian Gulf coast. The expedition team were officially welcomed by dignitaries then later entertained by the British Consul General in Jeddah, who we hear from. Mark ends by looking at happened to Philby in life after his trans Arabian expedition. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Mark meets some pupils from the Jeddah Prep and Grammar School, the oldest British School in Saudi Arabia. Through their conversations Mark hears how the expedition has inspired the pupils to learn more about the history, geography and culture of Saudi Arabia, of Philby, of the current expedition. Mark’s ambition for the Heart of Arabia Expedition was to inspire young people to journey with purpose. Listen to this podcast to hear exactly how that happens in reality. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Talal Al Unaizi, a journalist with the Saudi Press Agency is travelling with team. Mark has been inspired by his poetry recitals during their time together so he asks Talal to recites a poem for the podcast. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

After 2 days exploring Taif, Mark and the team, like Philby before them are full of the hustle and bustle of the urban area and are yearning for the open space of the desert again. Skirting round Mecca, they travel through Wadi Al Laimun, the valley of the lemons. Meeting a local they discover his grandfather met and talked to Philby as he passed through the wadi. Mark compares his own description of the valley to Philby’s writings – both conjure beautiful images, smells and sights of the great barrier that separates Jeddah from the rest of Arabia. Tomorrow the Heart of Arabia Expedition team will descend to the flatlands of Jeddah and dip their toes into the Red Sea. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

On their arrival at Taif the expedition team visited the Shubra Palace, just as Philby did 106 years ago. Today it’s a heritage site looked after by the Museum Commission of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture. Mark sits down with Heritage Manager, Hasan Al Noumari to discover the history and heritage of the palace and its significance both locally in Taif, but also in wider Arabian culture. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Like Philby 106 years before them, Mark and the team have arrived in Taif on Christmas Day. They first visit the Shubra Palace which today is engulfed by Taif, the 6th largest urban area of Saudi Arabia. This is where Philby first arrived, but then it was still a distance from the town walls. Philby spent 2 days in Taif. His original plan to return to Riyadh thwarted he feasted and continued to Jeddah. Our expedition team will do the same. They received wonderful hospitality, but with only 2 more days of travel to Jeddah their minds are looking ahead to the last steps of the Heart of Arabia Expedition. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

A huge sandstorm battered the team yesterday, so Mark is up early this morning to update the podcast. The expedition team are on the brink of Taif and will arrive there later today. Yesterday’s going got harder and harder underfoot as Mark and Reem cross the crevassed lava fields of harat. Although uncompromising terrain for our expedition team the ground provides protection for wildlife from predators. So listen for the abundance of birdlife in the background as Mark talks. Under the new moon Mark reads from Philby’s book where he reflects on his arrival in Taif in 1917 as news reached them 1900 years previously of an event that destined to change the history of the world. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

The team leave the Uruq Sabai behind them and make their way to Khurma, a small but historically significant settlement. Mark reflects on Philby’s journey all those years ago, when Philby was close to exhaustion after an 11.5 mile hike, eating only rice and dates after his camel went lame. For both Philby and the Heart of Arabia team there was a welcome feast of camel meat for the first time on the trip. Camping by the edge of a lava field, a harrat, Mark contemplates the days ahead and the mission of arriving in Taif on Thursday. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Mark wakes early to the sound of the hoopoe lark then the expedition team set off to cross the Uruq Sabai – an extensive mountain of desert sand stretching some 70 miles in length. Once they’re all safely across they head north to re-join the Philby line and Mark reflects on how different Phiby’s crossing was to their own. For Philby the vast expanse meant being exposed both to wolves and then to hostile locals who surrounded them at gun point. Fortunately for Philby they never discovered he was an Englishman or it could have ended very differently. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

Mark and Reem walk across a vast plain of desert before coming to rest before tomorrow’s crossing of the Uruq Subai sand barrier. It’s a landscape that seems to offer up little, no landmarks, not even a hint of greenery and only a bit of wildlife in the form of some birds when they break for lunch. Mark reads Philby’s diary, who found it a similarly dry and empty-seeming part of the route. Mark takes time to reflect on the incredible ancient hand axe artifacts, found during the previous days, and wonder at the hands that carved them, possibly as long ago as half a million years. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio

After hours searching the team are rewarded with an extraordinary find – several hand axes, hundreds of thousands of years old and invaluable evidence of desert occupation in the distant past. Mark then reflects on Philby’s time in the desert highlands to compare with their own experiences of this extraordinary landscape and draws on Philby as saying he left the highlands with “many a knotty problem unattempted, many a hidden mystery unsolved”. The expedition team may well feel the same as they prepare for their final day in the highlands tomorrow before heading West towards Taif where they aim to arrive later this week. Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition Follow the Expedition on social: Twitter Instagram Facebook The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio