Travel Talk with Friends of STOW: Henry Cookson
Friends of STOW • Nov 19
STOW speaks to Henry Cookson who traded the banking world to found his own adventure travel company. Passionate about the transformative power of travel, Cookson Adventures (www.cooksonadventures.com) curates adventurous itineraries for those who love to travel well.
Where’s top of your travel wish-list and why?
There’s a cave deep underground in Chihuahua State, Mexico, called the Cave of Crystals. It contains some of the largest crystals ever found, the largest one being 40-feet in length, and its depth (almost 1,000 feet down) means temperatures are around 60°C and humidity approaches 100%. It’s very hard to access and you need to wear a refrigeration suit because of the heat.
Who would you take with you?
I would want to share the moment with someone who is equally as curious as me; someone that is not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone.
One essential piece of kit you can’t travel without, and why?
A battery pack, as I’m forever on the move.
Your favourite STOW piece and why?
The Universal Tech Case would come in handy. You may or may not be surprised at the amount of times I’ve misplaced my passport.
What would you keep in your stowaway envelope?
My closely guarded list of experts from around the world – be it documentary makers or local fixers. It’s amazing what a group of people can achieve when they explore together.
Luxury or practicality – which one are you?
We talk a lot about the definition of ‘luxury’ at Cookson Adventures. For us, it’s about gaining access to incredibly rare travel experiences and we need to be extremely practical when delivering such experiences — so I think I’m somewhere in the middle!
Best piece of travel advice you’ve received?
Completely immerse yourself in the country’s culture.
How do you stay stylish when travelling?
The nature of the job means that I have a lot of Cookson-branded expedition gear that I can wear, but apart from that, style goes out of the window when you’re kilometres deep into a Colombian rainforest.
How do you refresh body and mind when you travel?
I mix the high-octane with the rejuvenating. For example – after scaling a smoking volcano in far eastern Russia, you can find a thermal spring near its base to soak in.
Which luxury item do you take on your travels?
High tech cameras, and lots of them. Drones, GoPros, SLRs.
Your top tip for travelling well?
Make bold decisions. If I wasn’t up for trying new things, I would never have embarked on the exhibition to the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility, nor won a Guinness World Record for doing so, and most likely wouldn’t have my own adventure travel company today.
Be sure to stay up-to-date with Henry’s travels and the team at Cookson Adventures on Instagram or via their website.
Friends of STOW • Nov 19
STOW speaks to Henry Cookson who traded the banking world to found his own adventure travel company. Passionate about the transformative power of travel, Cookson Adventures (www.cooksonadventures.com) curates adventurous itineraries for those who love to travel well.
Where’s top of your travel wish-list and why?
There’s a cave deep underground in Chihuahua State, Mexico, called the Cave of Crystals. It contains some of the largest crystals ever found, the largest one being 40-feet in length, and its depth (almost 1,000 feet down) means temperatures are around 60°C and humidity approaches 100%. It’s very hard to access and you need to wear a refrigeration suit because of the heat.
Who would you take with you?
I would want to share the moment with someone who is equally as curious as me; someone that is not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone.
One essential piece of kit you can’t travel without, and why?
A battery pack, as I’m forever on the move.
Your favourite STOW piece and why?
The Universal Tech Case would come in handy. You may or may not be surprised at the amount of times I’ve misplaced my passport.
What would you keep in your stowaway envelope?
My closely guarded list of experts from around the world – be it documentary makers or local fixers. It’s amazing what a group of people can achieve when they explore together.
Luxury or practicality – which one are you?
We talk a lot about the definition of ‘luxury’ at Cookson Adventures. For us, it’s about gaining access to incredibly rare travel experiences and we need to be extremely practical when delivering such experiences — so I think I’m somewhere in the middle!
Best piece of travel advice you’ve received?
Completely immerse yourself in the country’s culture.
How do you stay stylish when travelling?
The nature of the job means that I have a lot of Cookson-branded expedition gear that I can wear, but apart from that, style goes out of the window when you’re kilometres deep into a Colombian rainforest.
How do you refresh body and mind when you travel?
I mix the high-octane with the rejuvenating. For example – after scaling a smoking volcano in far eastern Russia, you can find a thermal spring near its base to soak in.
Which luxury item do you take on your travels?
High tech cameras, and lots of them. Drones, GoPros, SLRs.
Your top tip for travelling well?
Make bold decisions. If I wasn’t up for trying new things, I would never have embarked on the exhibition to the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility, nor won a Guinness World Record for doing so, and most likely wouldn’t have my own adventure travel company today.
