How my time in the desert prepared me for corona

PRESS RELEASE

Daredevil Benji Brundin Urges 'Adventurer's Mindset' to Navigate Gobal Crisis

May 18  2020

Melbourne adventurer Benji Brundin, who holds a 2019 Guinness World Record for being the fastest man to cross all ten Australian major deserts solo on his trusty Yamaha 250 motorbike, has just released a book on his odyssey. 

In Hunting Fear, Benji tells the story of his journey from rock bottom to the highs – and terrifying lows –  traversing some of the country's wildest terrain. 

In 2015, Benji had the picket-fence cottage in the quiet suburban street, a promising career at the Victorian Police Academy and a loving wife. Three months later, it was all gone. He was 33.

“What do you do when the world crumbles around you? This is the question we're all facing now. We're currently entering probably the hardest times some of us have ever seen,” he said.

“My message is anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Life will stretch us, so it’s up to us to recognise those moments, act on them and develop an adventurer's mindset. When things go wrong, that's when the real adventure starts because you're tested and pushed past what's comfortable.”

Benji had plenty of 'oh shit' moments during his 30-day, 7000-kilometre life-changing trek across the deserts. As someone with little riding experience, the treacherous conditions pushed him to the extreme, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Pitted against the elements, his toughest challenges included losing most of his water when he hit a tree while crossing the Great Victorian Desert, then being hit by a sandstorm shortly after. Out in the Gibson desert, the terrain was so rocky and corrugated, his arms went numb. The sand dunes in the Simpson were relentless.

While Benji had a team back in Melbourne tracking his movements via a spot tracker, “it could have gotten bad out there. In the desert, the difference between winning and losing is living and dying”.

Today, he is passionate about sharing his message of self-belief with schools and corporate work places through his 6 Keys for living Life as a Daring Adventure.

“I want to inspire people, particularly young people, to live life with the throttle wide open. On the other side of gut-crippling fear lies freedom, and when you face those fears, the greatest adventures await you, that I can promise,” Benji said.

BIO

So far, Benji Brundin has been a boxer, a sailor, a husband and a public servant. He has written two books and is a mentor to young people. Part Filipino and part Swedish, Benji grew up in the Pilbara region in WA. Constantly looking for ways to challenge himself, he set a new Guinness World Record in 2019 when he became the first person to cross all ten Australian deserts, solo and unsupported, on a motorbike. He is an advocate for mental health awareness and has raised funds for The Black Dog Institute. 

For more information or to set up an interview, contact Benji on 0407 553 638, email: benji@daring2venture.com.au or check out the website: daring2venture.com.au

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