'The cracked and fissured ice-pack offers no comfortable reassurance - no glimmer of any reward to the traveller who has made his way to the top of the world. The Arctic Ocean, known to the Victorians as the Sea of Ancient Ice, stares balefully back as we descend towards it, reflecting nothing but the question: Why?' Michael Palin's adventure begins when he is enrolled in the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society... Travelling by train, truck, raft, Ski-Doo, barge, balloon and bicycle, Michael Palin experiences every extreme the world has to offer. Braving the cold grip of the Arctic Circle, and the swirling snowstorms of Spitsbergen, Palin has to cope with friendly locals, occasional gunfire and his own unruly digestive system before he can finally stand in Scott's shoes at the South Pole, in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
Pole To Pole
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Having circumnavigated the globe from west to east in Around the World in 80 Days, Michael Palin proceeded to stretch even his endurance with his next journey, travelling due south from the North Pole, arriving five months later at the southernmost point of the globe, the South Pole. The result is Pole to Pole, Palin's account of his extraordinary journey between July and December 1991, passing through 17 countries from Greenland and the former Soviet Union in the north to Kenya, South Africa and Chile in the south.
From the frozen wastes of both poles, to the scorching heat of Africa, Pole to Pole is a travelogue of bizarre extremes. Palin revels in the surrealism of it all as he travels through a range of vastly different European and African communities undergoing massive social and political upheavals in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Palin's shrewd observations are as ever interspersed with his eye for the weird and the comical, as he meets Santa Claus and Lenin, goes shopping for camels in Omdurman, and makes a final hectic dash to the South Pole via Chile. It's all quite exhausting! --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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No.1 bestseller Michael Palin's epic journey from the North Pole to the South Pole.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Dave Stewart
Format:DVD
'Pole To Pole' is yet another fantastic documentary from Michael Palin and an excellent follow-up to 'Around The World In 80 Days.' It appeared at first difficult to see how a sequel would work, after the first '80 Days' series, but with his now well known format, Palin carved another enjoyable adventure out of what already seemed a difficult journey.
'Pole To Pole' does not have the same sense of deadline or urgency as '80 Days', but this is entirely self-explanatory, since the former was set around the travels of fictional Verne adventurer Fogg, who did in the book travel the world in that specific time. This time round, Palin does have the opportunity to spend more time on the places he thinks would be of most interest to the viewer, and the parts in Africa are especially captivating. Filmed during the famine and millitary oppression that still haunts Africa to this day, it is a clear and at some times brutal account of life in poverty stricken Africa.
This journey takes quite some time longer to complete than '80 Days' which is not surprising since they chose to follow the thirty degree longitude line in order to cover the most amount of land; and there is a great deal in this DVD. It was recorded in 1991, a year that saw a lot of change across the world, from Russia to Africa, and Palin brushes with this change and its effects on the people with his usual light hearted humour and optimism.
'Pole To Pole' does not have the same sense of deadline or urgency as '80 Days', but this is entirely self-explanatory, since the former was set around the travels of fictional Verne adventurer Fogg, who did in the book travel the world in that specific time. This time round, Palin does have the opportunity to spend more time on the places he thinks would be of most interest to the viewer, and the parts in Africa are especially captivating. Filmed during the famine and millitary oppression that still haunts Africa to this day, it is a clear and at some times brutal account of life in poverty stricken Africa.
This journey takes quite some time longer to complete than '80 Days' which is not surprising since they chose to follow the thirty degree longitude line in order to cover the most amount of land; and there is a great deal in this DVD. It was recorded in 1991, a year that saw a lot of change across the world, from Russia to Africa, and Palin brushes with this change and its effects on the people with his usual light hearted humour and optimism.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Z. Shamas
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
The second in the excellent Palin travel series, where Michael's off on another globe trotting adventure.
Inspirational and simplicity in itself: Michael this time sets out to journey from the North Pole to the South Pole following as closely as possible the 30 degree longitude line, without resorting to air travel until absolutely necessary. Well that's it in theory anyway!
Inspirational and simplicity in itself: Michael this time sets out to journey from the North Pole to the South Pole following as closely as possible the 30 degree longitude line, without resorting to air travel until absolutely necessary. Well that's it in theory anyway!
The series is filmed in the excellent spontaneous fashion of 'Around the world', which adds a genuine touch of realism which is often missing from many documentary series. Follow Michael on his journey through 17 countries experiencing many cultures and traditions along the way, as well witnessing some major historical events unfolding such as the fall of the Soviet Union and the abolition of apartheid.
This adventure does not quite surpass around the world perhaps, but none the less is avid viewing. Michael as ever is in top form with his excellent witticisms at just the right moments, as well as his uncanny knack of mixing so well with people of all nationalities and backgrounds. Relive Michael and his team's trials and tribulations as they battle ever on against various obstacles to complete this colourful journey.
The series could almost be used as a modern history study due to the sheer momentum of events which took place in the countries they had travelled through. If only all learning was this much fun!
The Series is filmed as eight 50 minute episodes spread across 3 DVD discs with a post filming interview with Michael. Each episode is very nicely chaptered at the key scenes as well as an overall scene selection for all episodes on each disc. The picture quality is excellent, shame it is only presented in 4:3 aspect ratio rather than perhaps a wide screen format (but this is just a minor gripe). This really is an excellent accompaniment to 'Around the world', do your self a big favour and buy it!!! This is one you can watch many, many times.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Jasper Wong
Format:Paperback
Pole to Pole, by Michael Palin is more of a adventure book than a travel guide mainly because of the fact that it was filmed and written around 15 years ago. The thing about Michael Palin is that he writes like an average adventurer, not a snobbish 'I am better than you' adventurer. That, along with the fact that he always tells the truth about the countries and places he visits, and the fact that he uses humour to describe mix-ups, and confusion, makes his books so enjoyable to read. Just in case you are wondering, Pole to Pole is from the North Pole to, well, the South Pole, going through 17 countries (there was still the Soviet Union at this time) and taking various types of public transport.
Pole to Pole is the second book in the trilogy that consists of 'Around the World in 80 days', 'Pole to Pole' and 'Full circle'. All three are interesting, vibrantly discribed, and written with the right amount of humour (not too much, but not too little)
This is a good travel/adventure book, and for a relatively low price too. You should buy this.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
It would be impossible to retrace the steps of this trip/remake this video, as many of the challenges have disappeared in the modern world....
Published 28 days ago by PMcC
5.0 out of 5 stars
No diary like it
The way Michael writes is something special, it's from solely his point of view but you can completely imagine being on this journey, and best of all it leaves you wanting more, a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by I thinks it's pretty good there are plenty of others with less detail
5.0 out of 5 stars
another great Dvd with a great guy
Bought it without knowing, what exactly i was buying...but it was definitely worth it!
Typical Michael Palin style with british humor along the way... Read more
Typical Michael Palin style with british humor along the way... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mariya
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerizing glimpses of real life at the end of the Cold War era
It was an awesome experience to watch this documentary. I bought it to watch a travel adventure of a man trekking across the world, but it turned out to be so much more. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bancho
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant!
I am now using this book with a second private pupil - trying to encourage boys to enjoy reading. Michael Palin's book Pole to Pole is perfect for this, full of adventure and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by mrs G S tuckett
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
My whole family watched it so many times on video that we wore it out! So now we have it on DVD
Published 5 months ago by Leslie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very happy bunny.
I'm very happy to say this was delivered so quickly...I was a bit desperate for it because it was a gift to a very ill relative and thought it would pass away the hours nicely for... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Blondie !!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brought as present
As title says - Brought as present
The person who received it seemed well chuufed at getting it
The person who received it seemed well chuufed at getting it
Published on 21 Feb 2011 by Mr. K. B. Sullivan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Michael Palin Pole To Pole
Wonderful, Michael Palin has a great sense of humour,
very educational, a definite must have.
Delivery by Amazon was Excellent.
very educational, a definite must have.
Delivery by Amazon was Excellent.
Published on 4 Dec 2010 by Phil.Gil.
5.0 out of 5 stars
wonderful
another instalment of the excellent travel series from michael palin...although not as good as Himalaya or Full Circle this is still an excellent series that is visits some of the... Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2010 by rob_hawke
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