Vicks managed my solo attempt to cross Antarctica on foot in late 2017 and it’s no exaggeration to say that I placed my life in her hands for two months. The fact that I would gladly do so again is testament to her unparalleled expertise in coordinating expeditions to some of the world’s harshest and most far-flung corners, and to her extraordinary enthusiasm, energy and professionalism.

Vicks was utterly unfazed by anything either Antarctica or I could throw at her, and her willingness to take on the genuinely challenging aspects of the expedition left me free to focus on the easy bit: dragging a sledge for eight weeks.