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Dubai: Adrian Hayes has said he is "apprehensive but confident" as he embarks on the final part of his amazing attempt to conquer the world's three poles.
The British ex-Airbus executive is today due to begin a gruelling 1,130-kilometre walk to the South Pole.
His latest adventure comes little more than six months after he reached the North Pole on foot, and a year-and-a-half after he climbed Mount Everest, sometimes described as the third pole.
Former British Army officer Hayes is setting off in a team of five and expects to take about 55 days to reach the South Pole - totally unaided.
Speaking to Gulf News by telephone from South America as he made final preparations for the walk, Hayes said he couldn't wait to get going. "I am apprehensive but confident and I really want to get on with it now," he said.
"I learned so much going to the North Pole - that will be absolutely invaluable and it was the hardest trek of the lot.
Strong team
"We are a strong team but you never know what will happen. We will be totally unsupported and unassisted. The only help we will get is if someone needs to be airlifted out in an emergency. There will be no air drops, nothing."
Hayes, a married father-of-two who lives in Dubai, spent many early mornings pulling tyres along Jumeirah seafront in order to prepare for his walk.
If his latest trip succeeds - he is scheduled to reach the North Pole in January - Hayes will be just the 15th person in the world to conquer all three poles. Only one Britain has completed the feat so far.
In recent days, Hayes and his teammates have been working hard to reduce the amount of equipment they take with them as everything has to be pulled on a sled.
Each of the men's sleds will hit the scales at about 110kg to start with, although this weight will be reduced as the trek continues and the men use up some of their 60-day supply of food.
Two of Hayes' teammates have, like him, reached the summit of Mount Everest.
Hayes used to be area sales director for Airbus, but as the adventure bug took hold of him he quit and when not training or adventuring he now works as a life/corporate coach and motivational speaker.
Hayes is hoping to have more success on his trip than Captain Scott, a legendary British Royal Navy officer who in 1912 was beaten by a Norwegian, Raold Amundsen, in his attempt to be the first person to walk to the South Pole.
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