Friday Unbound: 21st December 2018

21st December 2018 | Words by Jack Hart @ WildBounds HQ

#1 "I vow to tread lightly, act kindly and explore mindfully". Climate change is rarely a topic of conversation to inspire hope or joy but Palau, an island nation in the west Pacific, has recently taken some truly inspirational steps to preserve the natural beauty of their home. Each visitor will be required to sign a stamped pledge in their passports to help protect the islands from human-caused damage for the duration of their stay.

#2 Maybe it's the continued wait for Free Solo to drop in the UK but we've got one eye fixed on Alex Honnold's Twitter account, and this week it reaped rewards - a superb account of climbing one of the UK's most infamous trad routes, Indian Face. Angus Kille's introspective write-up on his experience is a fantastic insight into the heady mix of ambition and dread that accompanies facing a notoriously difficult climb.

#3 The sublime beauty of Africa's expansive savannah isn't easily captured in words - but video can give it a pretty good go. This incredible video from Goh Iromoto is an exploration of not just this incredible landscape but the process of reigniting a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world.

#4 Another great project focusing on Africa was highlighted by Sidetracked this week - Out of Eden, a 10-year journey covering 21,000 miles from East Africa to the very bottom of South America. Paul Salopek, a National Geographic Fellow, is retracing the steps of our Stone Age ancestors, the first Homo sapiens to exit Africa. The multi-year journey is an experiment in slow journalism and has already yielded some fascinating content.

#5 Finally, in case you need any extra motivation to briefly set down your whisky tumbler and lace up your boots for a Christmas adventure, Outside Online have gathered together their most popular photo essays from 2018. From the most badass 'campervans' at the Overland Expo to an introspective account of long-distance cycling, it's fuel to keep that wanderlust fire burning through the festive season.