It’s a cruel,
unyielding environment, where human life is constantly under threat. But enough about
Edinburgh, for this week, polar explorer Craig Mathieson will seek MSP support in setting
up a youth academy at The North Pole.Mr Mathieson will argue that the time spent at the
North Pole will boost self-confidence among Scotland’s young.
While it is expected that the nation’s parents community will rush to sign up
their kids for the character building exercise there is one flaw in the plan - the kids
get to come back.
As the Editor of The JT told himself : "I was all set to look out a sleeping bag
and winter woollies just prior to shoving our kids on the plane, but apparently they only
go for a week or so and then they get to come home. I mean, that’s no good is
it?"
Surely speaking for all the parents originally looking forward to ignoring increasingly
desperate letters from ice-bound sprogs, the Editor continued : "I thought this bloke
Mathieson was talking about some kind of permanent settlement, peopled by the
monosyllabic, where they could stay forever communing with polar bears and what have you.
But they get to return home - bummer."
Mr Mathieson successfully hiked across the South Pole last year despite the appalling
weather and inhuman environment, but he was already prepared for the hardship endured
having been brought up in Bo’ness.
