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Ever wonder why they call it a Jerry Can? Or how a burlap bag could save your life? Explore the strange and true stories behind some everyday objects.
Travel & Adventure Become 007 With Pelorus’ Bond-Worthy Travel ExperienceThe founders of Pelorus, an experiential travel brand, use their military training to create precision-perfect adventures of every kind.
Illustrations Iron & Air Staff
At this point, enough has already been written about people’s want for experience that we won’t bore you with any lengthy pandemic-induced revelations of our own. We all know it: one can only endure the mundanity of isolation for so long; eventually, it’s time to get out there and see the sights.
With a return to travel, however, comes renewed expectations — and, unfortunately, the occasional disappointment. As much as we try to convince ourselves that staycations, day trips, and other compromises can quench our thirst for adventure, sometimes, even those can begin to feel a bit “samesy.” Never fret, though: if you’ve got deep pockets and an urge to explore parts unknown, London-based luxury travel and yachting outfit Pelorus could provide just the fix.
The Brains Behind The Operation
The origins of the company are, well, a bit unexpected to say the least. A pair of former British Army captains, founders Geordie Mackay-Lewis and Jimmy Carroll actually met for the first time while performing reconnaissance missions around Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountain range back in 2009.
After the end of their service, Mackay-Lewis and Carroll each went on to coordinate various other ventures. The former, for instance, spent several years heading a group of automotive technology businesses and acting as the MD of an adventure travel startup. The latter, on the other hand, took over as expedition manager for Xtreme Everest 2 before working as the lead communications guy at a high-profile superyachts company and becoming global tour manager for Manchester United.
Inspired by a document they used while in the military, Mackay-Lewis and Carroll have based the entire process around a six-step procedure designed to ensure absolute logistical efficiency with minimal risk.
And that’s far from all they bring to the table. Beyond their respective professional qualifications, Mackay-Lewis and Carroll are also Royal Geographic Society fellows, mountain leaders, and advanced SCUBA divers (amongst a laundry list of other accolades).
All that is to say: the two are well-steeped in what they do. They don’t just arrange adventure for others; they live it and breathe it, and come 2017, they decided to capitalize on their expertise and launch Pelorus.
(2) Pelorus co-founders Jimmy Carroll, left, and Geordie Mackay-Lewis, right.
What resulted was quite unlike anything else. Equal parts travel outfit, yachting specialist, and creative agency, Pelorus is a multifaceted operation bent on “designing extraordinary experiences for those seeking something truly different.” In other words — if anyone is going to help you live out your wildest dreams, chances are pretty good that it’s the Pelorus crew.
For this reason, the company is incredibly meticulous in its planning. Inspired by a document they used while in the military, Mackay-Lewis and Carroll have based the entire process around a six-step procedure designed to ensure absolute logistical efficiency with minimal risk.
Because each experience is catered to the client’s wants and needs, Pelorus begins with an initial consultation. From there, the team works tirelessly to research the brief, after which they respond with a proposed itinerary. Should things need a bit of work, they then fine-tune the trip’s details before bringing you up to speed with important pre-departure information. Having carefully monitored the situation country by country, it’s all systems go.
...the trip’s itinerary is packed full of experiences that are unmissable for anyone who is interested in espionage. It’s truly about as close as you can get to living out the plot of your favorite Bond flick.
It’s an approach that allows Pelorus to “put the focus on the experience, designing individual itineraries according to the client’s brief.” By working “exclusively with a network of industry leaders” they can “consider areas and experiences that most travel companies do not give a second thought.”
That’s putting it mildly. Currently, Pelorus offers travel to some 93-odd destinations around the world, including everywhere from Angola to Zimbabwe. Whether you care about conservation in Alaska, itch for the extremes of Northern Iceland, or simply want to catch up on your wellness in the South of France, there’s a bespoke Pelorus experience waiting for you (assuming there’s not, they’ll gladly put one together).
Of course, this all does come at a cost — and quite a steep one at that. On the low end, Pelorus charges $6,000 for one of its experiences; on the high end, you’ll be forking over as much as $19,000. Oh, and should you have a savings of a supervillan-like magnitude, you can always charter a yacht — but it’ll run you north of $2.2 million.
Her Majesty’s Secret Service
We’d happily embark on any one of Pelorus’ adventures, but there was one that stood out to us in particular: “Bond – Turning 007 Into A Reality.”
Just as it sounds, the trip’s itinerary is packed full of experiences that are unmissable for anyone who is interested in espionage. It’s truly about as close as you can get to living out the plot of your favorite Bond flick.
For starters, travelers journey to Greenland aboard a 254-foot luxury yacht in order to rendezvous with a fleet of waiting snowmobiles. Once there, you’ll heli-ski across the icy tundra before taking a frigid dive in dry suits, hunting for clues to disarm a bomb, and abseiling down a frozen cliff. Naturally, there will be ample opportunity to enjoy an arctic martini — shaken, not stirred, of course.
But that’s just the tip of the proverbial — and literal — iceberg. Next, the mission will take you to the beautiful Surin Islands of Thailand. Between spending time with the local tribes, going undercover in a criminal poker game, and island-hopping to escape capture, you’ll get more than your fair share’s worth of action. As any Bond fan will tell you, though – things are only just heating up.
After all, no 007-inspired adventure would be complete without a car chase (or two). Accordingly, Pelorus then takes you to the Highlands of Scotland where you’ll learn performance driving from a professional stuntman. Once your skills are up to snuff, you’ll be tasked with racing through the backroads of Inverness in a supercar to avoid capture.
The trip wraps up with one final stop in Europe, where the Pelorus team will take travelers heli-skiing — this time, through the craggy peaks of the Dolomites. Danger evaded, you’ll then have a chance to celebrate with some fine Italian cuisine. However, in order to successfully complete your mission, you’ll have to finish things off with a spirited drive down from the mountains and a quick visit in Venice amongst the gondolas.
Yeah, we’re ready to sign up, too.
Pelorus aims to make the impossible possible, and their offerings are positioned to do exactly that. It’s not a question of if you’ll have an experience, but rather where.
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Iron & Air celebrates both the journey and the destination. We’re motivated like most who seek more out of life: to leap out of bed (or stumble), embrace risk, and chase after a life worth living. While the machines that move us are the binding thread, it’s the places they take us that create the lasting stories we collect and share with you here.