This volume charts my attempts to steer an often bumpy course between the emerging potential of the television traveller and the reputation as actor and writer which I’d built up over twenty-odd years of a professional life that had begun in 1965.

This volume charts my attempts to steer an often bumpy course between the emerging potential of the television traveller and the reputation as actor and writer which I’d built up over twenty-odd years of a professional life that had begun in 1965.
Twenty-seven days away. Much-needed head treatment on Chowpatty Beach, Bombay.
With Nigel Meakin, my cameraman. A working partnership that has lasted twenty-five years.
Attack on my trousers in Bird Market, Hong Kong. ‘Well, all right, I had asked the parrot if he knew John Cleese’.
Halfway round the world. The crew in Hong Kong harbour. At back: co-director Clem Vallance with our Hong Kong fi xers, MP, and Angela Elbourne, production assistant. Foreground: Simon Maggs, camera assistant, and Dave Jewitt, sound recordist.
Day 79: Weary warriors on the steps of the Reform Club, having made it round the world with seventeen hours to spare. Clockwise from back left: MP, Nigel Walters, cameraman on the second leg, Maggs, Jewitt, co-director Roger Mills, Ann Holland, production assistant. And they wouldn’t let us in.
With Charlie Crichton, my director, collecting a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for A Fish Called Wanda.
Being silly with Gilliam.
Python’s twentieth anniversary filming with Steve Martin.
Mum on her terrace at Southwold.
John with a few deceased parrots I gave him for his fiftieth birthday.
Publicising 80 Days at the Western Show at Anaheim, California. ‘Have your photo taken with Michael A Fish Called Wanda Palin’.
With Terry Jones, posing as characters from the Ripping Yarns as publicity for a new combined volume of the scripts.
Gordon Ottershaw in Barnstoneworth United strip. At The Complete Ripping Yarns shoot.
On Michael Aspel’s show with Maureen Lipman (on his left) and Wendy James, founder member of Transvision Vamp.
As Reverend Francis Ashby (based on my great-grandfather) in American Friends, Oxford.
At La Residencia, Deyà, Mallorca, with Helen, daughter Rachel on the right, and her friends Kate and Sylvie Lewis.
Dearbhla Molloy, MP, Julia St John and Mike Angelis, Derbyshire.
Jim Nelson and his school kids, Bolton.
Rain acting with Dan Massey. ‘The rain was such a surprise to Dan that his voice rose several octaves’ - Ulverston.
Comparing pencils with Basil Pao’s daughter Sonia, London.
The last months of the Soviet Union. With two Lenins in Leningrad.
Preparing to take on the white waters of the Zambesi.
Journey’s End. Me and various poles at the South Pole on the last day of Pole to Pole.
Early selfie. Polaroid taken before the North Pole trip.
Pole to Pole sheets ready for cutting and binding at Richard Clay.
Pole to Pole book-signing in Sheffield with John Hall, my geography teacher at Birkdale School, on my left, and Michael Hepworth, the headmaster, on the other side.
Thinking up another ridiculous journey with Clem Vallance.
A chance to extend my repertoire.
Mr Pilsworth and daughter: MP and Tracey Ullman.
With Freddie Jones as ‘Sir’, my director David Blount (behind me) and the cast and crew of The Dresser, at the BBC.
Trying out the pipe and slippers, presents from my office on my fiftieth birthday. Longueville Manor near Mallow, Ireland.
With Helen and big friend in Thailand.
Research trip to Africa for my never-completed novel Uganda. At the Equator with my guide, George Byomhumuza, Uganda.
Sunday Times photo for The Weekend. ‘The photographer has some odd idea of me sitting in a dressing room and eating Mars Bars. The effort of not doing it is so much more draining than just getting on with it, so I borrow a dressing gown... and sit and eat Mars Bars.’ Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford.
One of the two good reviews of The Weekend. And we made the most of it. Strand Theatre, Aldwych.
With Elena Salvoni, my all-time favourite maîtresse d’, at Elena’s L’Etoile.
With Lena Rustin, the speech therapist whose work on stammering in children inspired the Michael Palin Centre.
With Travers Reid, who got me involved, at An Evening with Michael Palin at the Cambridge Theatre, London.
Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait. Where we started our journey round the Pacific Rim on August 28th, 1995 and ended it on August 14th, 1996.
Spectacular, almost unreal turquoise lake in the caldera of one of the many volcanoes in the Kamchatka Peninsula, eastern Russia.
On the Sado Island ferry.
On one of the longest, busiest fi lming days, I try my hand with the Kodo drummers. I’d already been running with them at 5 a.m. Sado Island, Japan.
Filming in the monsoon is not to be recommended. Hue Station, Vietnam.
With Iban elders (and one-time head-hunters) in a communal longhouse, Nanga Sumpa, Sarawak.
Getting in the way of the tea harvest, Java.
The one and only time I’ve looked down into an active volcano - Mount Bromo, Java.
Helicoptering onto the Cook Glacier at the end of our long voyage down the western rim of the Pacific.
El Tatio geyser fi eld. Spectacular steam effects at 4,500 metres. Calama, Chile.
My morning in Alcatraz – with two men who’d spent a lot longer than that here. Now they take guided tours. ‘A day described as “almost fl awless” by Fraser at dinner’- San Francisco.
As Bugsy in Fierce Creatures. With Robert Lindsay and our tiger.
Me as a bee with Jamie Lee, on the Fierce Creatures re-shoots.
Gumby brain surgeons. One of them really is a brain surgeon. With Michael Powell, the man who saved my wife, National Hospital, London.
Pythons in the 1980s. This turned out to be the last group photo with Graham in it. Taken by Chris Richardson at our office in Camden Town, April 1989. Graham died six months later.
Taken by Chris Richardson at our offi ce in Camden Town, April 1989. Graham died six months later.
With my indispensable travelling companions: leather and canvas bag with lots of pockets, notebook and pen.
Palin’s New Year Party team wearing a selection of my travel hats. Left to right: Phillida Albury, Ian Davidson, Anthea Davidson, Ranji Veling, Mary Burd, MP, Helen P, Simon Albury (where’s his hat?) and Edward Burd.
Family visit to Greenwich, Christmas 1998. Back row: Will, Tom. Middle row: Helen, Rachel, MP, brother-in-law Edward. Front row: Helen’s mother, Anne Gibbins, and two sisters, Cathy and Mary.
New York pals. Left to right: Merron and Julian Schlossberg, Nancy Lewis/Jones, MP, Simon Jones, Sherrie Levy.
Alan Whicker presents me with Best Documentary Award for Full Circle at the National Television Awards: ‘... that Whicker should have to present me with the award does sort of bring things, well, full circle’.
Pointing out my hero. With Spike Milligan at the Talkie Awards. The Goon shows were an inspiration and he was given a special award for The Last Goon Show of All.
With my tall, funny friend. Almost anywhere.
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