Written by Ants Bolingbroke-Kent & Vicky Fairhurst

Our globetrotting series of Hendrick’s Gin’ed Afternoon Teas with a Legend of Adventure came to Sydney this weekend, with a jaw-droppingly brilliant talk from Jon Muir. Located at the bustling transport hub of Circular Quay, the Justice & Police Museum usually examines the social history of law, policing and crime however for that afternoon it played host to one of Australia's greatest living adventurers.

Following an introduction from Vicky Fairhurst (the local cohort of The Adventurists), Jon emerged from a quick nap under the table and his first comment was how the crowd of 100-odd past, current and future Adventurists was the most people he has seen in one place for over a year! For most of the time Jon lives in the outback with his wife Suzan, shunning mainstream life, so we were extremely privileged to cajole him into a trip to Sydney.

Jon’s illustrious adventuring career is littered with ‘firsts’. He made the first Sherpa-less ascent of Everest from the South, pioneered a new route to the South Pole and was the first person ever to walk solo and unsupported across Australia. The latter odyssey, which he dubbed The Great Mission, was an epic 128 day, 1600 mile journey, every day of which Jon describes as being harder than summiting Everest. During the journey Jon survived on bush tucker and lost 30% of his body-weight.

Unsurprisingly, given these hyperbole-defying feats, Jon’s talk was inspiring, humbling, entertaining and downright bloody marvellous. Jon regaled the crowds with tales of fighting off polar bears in the middle of the night with an always loaded Magnum and amused us with the story that his first priority on scaling Everest... was to take a leak, swiftly followed by a cigarette. Shame he didn’t have a Hendrick’s Gin & Tonic to make the moment perfect what-o?

After captivating the audience for over an hour with his incredible tales and bushman appearance, the bar was declared open and the crowd moved to the sandstone verandah to devour the plethora of yummy cakes and plentiful Hendrick's Gin and Tonics served in vintage teacups. And of course there were the usual cucumber sandwiches - essential for any tea party.

The evening wafted on over the excitable din of adventurous gabblings, the swapping of stories and the hatching of plans. Sign up to The Jibber mailing list below to be the first to hear of our future events and adventure details.

Written by Ants Bolingbroke-Kent - Department of New Adventures & Vicky Fairhurst