The way we feel about the guys at The Adventure Handbook inspires us to get outside and explore. The honesty and skill of these young storytellers will change the way you think about travel writing.

Read our interview with Creative Director Ben Tan – we challenge you not to head for the hills afterwards (in a good way)…

Firstly, what’s your adventuring motto?

Our adventure motto is “learnin’ as we go”.

It came about last year when we were travelling through the heart of Central Australia and things just kept on popping up that we had no idea how to deal with – basically we were in over our heads. We blew a few tires, got sick, broke our tents and set up camp in some pretty stupid spots – throughout all of this I guess what we came away with was an experience where we learned a lot through failing.

It’s kind of a weird life metaphor that we’ve been using ever since, in basically everything we do.

And what do you do for a crust, when you’re not exploring?

The team do a bunch of things. We’re all involved in odd jobs and creative projects of all sorts, mainly to do with design, photography and publishing. I guess all those three things go well together in terms of AHB.

We’re independent, and we started from scratch, so we’re always busy when we’re not doing our ‘crust’ jobs, working collaboratively on projects with our contributors and clients. It seems like a bit much at times, but to be honest working with mates on projects we’re all passionate about is a dream.

Tell us about a magical secret place somewhere out there in the big wide world… 

Mount Field in Tassie – it’s pretty nuts in winter and they’ve got some great little huts to shack up in after you’re done trekking the snow-covered mountains.

What’s been your greatest “aha creative moment” in the great outdoors? How does the natural world feed your creativity? 

It’s hard to say, nature has always been one of the best places to draw inspiration from and incubate ideas. Don’t think I’ve ever had an ‘aha’ moment, rather just realised over time how a creative process takes time and space, two things that the outdoors has in spades. I think any time away from the circuit of day-to-day life is a crucial step in being able to form ideas properly.

Is there a must-pack piece of adventurer’s equipment you wouldn’t leave home without?

Not trying to sound like Paul Hogan or anything but a good pocket knife is pretty bloody useful to have on you.

Where to for the next adventure? Which place are you most looking forward to visiting?

Next up will hopefully be WA. It’s a place that offers crazy biodiversity, lots of room to move, to think, to get lost. It’s a part of our backyard I’ve been itching to see for a while.

Who’s your favourite wilderness sidekick? 

The AHB family. To be honest it’s an ever-growing/changing team so I’m not going to single anyone out, but just a good group of friends who’re all keen to go exploring without too much planning.

Could you credit one person from your childhood as first sparking your nature-loving spirit? 

Probably my step-dad if I’m being honest. He used to be an assistant marine biologist to Jacques Cousteau, got to try out some pretty crazy equipment and do some pretty insane things. It’s part of the reason he made it to this country in the first place in the 60’s.