Team Odyssey
The Odyssey Expedition is pretty much a one-man-band. I travel unsupported and on my own – writing the blogs and editing the videos as I go. But I wouldn’t last five minutes without my friends and family who take time out of their busy schedules to help in any way they can. These are the angels (and demons!) of
The Odyssey Pantheon…
THE PROTAGONISTS
ODYSSEUS (Graham Hughes)Rarely seen these days without my trusty Kanga Hat, I regard myself as one of those quintessential Englishman who shuns safety and comfort for a life of adventure, excitement and really wild things. Why is this journey called ‘The Odyssey’? Because I’m fighting to get back to my girl Mandy who is waiting for me at my journey’s end.
PENELOPE (Mandy Newland)I met this sassy Aussie chick in Egypt during the heady eclipse-dominated summer of 1999 and we have stuck together ever since, despite coming from opposite sides of the world. She may be cute but she’s as dangerous as an injured Wookiee – she sleeps with an axe under her bed and I reckon she’d have me in a fight.
THE PANTHEON
AHURA MAZDA (Graham Hughes Snr.)
Much in the manner of Luke Skywalker, I owe my adventurous/rebellious/genius/evil streak to my father. He’s my only match at Trivial Pursuit and would certainly not hesitate to blow up Alderaan.
Much in the manner of Luke Skywalker, I owe my adventurous/rebellious/genius/evil streak to my father. He’s my only match at Trivial Pursuit and would certainly not hesitate to blow up Alderaan.
GAIA (Irene Hughes)I blame the parents. If it wasn’t for the enduring support of my mum and dad, The Odyssey wouldn’t have left square one. As well as offering unwavering moral support (and helpfully reminding me to eat) my mum also helps with getting my visas sorted.
HANUMAN (Dino Deasha)Dino is possibly my oldest friend and we’ve been at each other’s throats ever since. After having all our individuality beaten out of us at Liverpool’s Blue Coat school, we struggled together through incomprehensible university courses before staggering out into the real world like rabbits caught in headlights. Dino helps Lorna arrange my shipping forays.
OZYMANDIAS (Leo Skelly)After Mandy and I, Leo is the guy who has worked the hardest on The Odyssey project. He really is the unsung hero of all this – he looks after the website, removes all things libellous and sweary from the blogs, puts up with my crazy whims all whilst juggling a full time job and two young children. Look on his works, ye mighty, and despair.
PALLAS ATHENA (Lorna Brookes)I met Lorna in the crazy world of 2007’s Beer Vortex – a six week bender precipitated by Mandy going home to Oz for a few months. I drunkenly explained my stupid plan for visiting every country in the world and Lorna drunkenly said she would help. So far she’s managed to blag me on board more ships than anybody else.
GWYDION (Scott “BadFormat!” Jones)Scott is The Odyssey’s designer and is responsible for the wonderful logos, banners and maps that adorn the site. His company, Bad Format!, is one of the UK’s most respected design studios and he’s the guy behind the record covers of some of the best-selling albums of all time from The Zutons to The Klaxons to The Arctic Monkeys.
AGAMEMNON (Alex Hughes)Alex is my brother and is responsible for worrying more about his sibling’s safety than anybody else on the planet, possibly because his view of the world has been tainted by too many 80s action movies. He handles The Odyssey’s press whenever I get thrown in jail. Which seems to be happening a lot.
CALYPSO (Laura McGann)Another utter legend picked up via the Beer Vortex, Laura McGann is my sassy workmate. A fledging film-maker herself, she busies herself making cracking short films for Channel 4 under her company banner of Faidra Films. She helped me film The Odyssey Pitch video and was employed last year by Lonely Planet to film stuff for The Odyssey TV show.
FREYDA (Grethe Børsum)Grethe is our Norse goddess/photographer who took the shots that appear on The Odyssey site and related media. See that shot of me in the top right corner of the site? That was her. As well as being a full-time Valkyrie, she also plays a mean few chords on the electric guitar. How cool is THAT?
OLD MAN COYOTE (Matt Eland)Matt and I met at Liverpool’s 48hr film-making challenge (which I won) and decided it might be a good idea to work together. After producing ‘The Censor’, it was Matt (together with Laura and Jewles) who helped shoot The Odyssey pitch video, starting a chain reaction which culminated in me securing the TV show and setting off for South America.
BUDDHA (Mike Guy)Mike’s the kind of guy who would make you climb a mountain to seek his wisdom, so you better make your questions count. As well as being my full time big brother, Mike helps with all things technical and is my first port of call when discussing how to take over the world or how truly awful Star Wars Episode I is.
ORPHEUS (Simon Barber)Si is the one who composed and performed the bombastic tunes for The Odyssey web videos. No only does he have a PhD in music, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of 80s film and hosts the lovely website you are currently viewing. He’s worked with me on tons of video projects since 2002. You can catch up with his latest escapades at www.simonbarber.com.
ASTERIX (Thierry Klinklin)Introduced by the delectable Lorna Brookes, Thierry is The Odyssey’s native Francophone and as such is responsible for facilitating my passage through the Indian Ocean. It was Thierry that ensured my place on the DAL Madagascar from Reunion back to Madagascar.
FINN McCOOL (Colm Broaders)Colm is Leo’s mate from Ireland who helps out with the Odyssey website when Leo is busy doing his full time job, looking after the kids, buying a new house or filing his nails. He is devilishly handsome and immensely attractive. Hey who wrote that?- G
BEOWULF (Christian Olsen)My Danish cousin, Christian was responsible for securing my passage across the Atlantic on the Eimskip boats as well as filling me full of beer upon my arrival in Copenhagen. Top Viking!
APOLLO (John Howell)John is an old school chum of mine who when not running faster than everybody else (he was the one who would always win the annual cross country run while I dawdled at the back in fancy dress) handles all things legal for The Odyssey and is the voice of reason when it comes to dealing with my hot-headed temperament.
ARTHUR PENDRAGON (Hugh Sheridan)The once and future king of Britain, Hugh strides this world like a colossus. An old schoolfriend, Hugh taught me how to sail (kinda) and is always on hand to dispense words of wisdom. Hugh might well turn out to be The Odyssey’s saviour, if only I can persuade him to join the final push around The Pacific…!
THE ANTAGONISTS
POSEIDONResponsible for more Odyssey headaches and heartaches than anybody else, This god has been a fishy thorn in my side since day one. Preventing me from getting from one place to another with his mighty waves and terrible storms, Posiedon seems to take a sick delight in stranding me in really rubbish places beginning with ‘C’.
THE VOGONSThe miserable heartless bureaucratic jobsworths of the world. They tried to stop me going to Cuba, they made my Greyhound travel across the US a misery, they made me wait for weeks on end for visas to come through, they imprisoned me illegally (twice) and demanded bribes every five seconds in West Africa. They’re the reason why Africa will never dig itself out of the hole it’s in. The rotters.
