An interview with Marco Barcella

Marco Barcella

Meet Marco Barcella, our new team member and resident biking fanatic.

Marco is 27 and has spent the past 6 years travelling the world on his own and as an expedition leader. He has recently moved to the French Pyrenees and has been married just over a month.

How did you become an expedition leader and how long have you been doing it?
After university I went travelling for 4 months through SE Asia as I had always wanted to see that part of the world. I wanted to see it properly though, not through a bus or a train window so I took my bike and pedalled from place to place with everything I needed to survive on my bike. It was on that trip that I decided I couldn’t come back to sit in an office and so I chased the dream of being a leader. It has been 6 years now and I have never looked back.

What’s the hardest thing about your job?
That one’s too easy – using squat toilets after too many long days on the bike!

What do you enjoy the most about your work?
The local people we work with in each country. I love having the opportunity to spend so much time with people of different cultures and backgrounds, hearing their life stories over fantastic local food and crazy local drinks.

What would you do it you fund a stash of cash?
Depends on what a ‘stash’ is. If we are talking a few thousand, I’d hand it in. If we are talking hundreds of thousands or millions, I would assume that anyone carrying that amount of cash around was up to no good so I would do the right thing. I would keep it in order to put a stop to their questionable activities!

When you’re not on a trip where is home and who do you share it with?
Home is now the French Pyrenees and I share it with my lovely wife, Harriet.

What’s your favourite snack to have on a mountain?
Flapjacks. Super tasty and packed full of calories.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone going on their first ever expedition?
Switch off your mobile phone, don’t go online from the moment you leave your house and enjoy being away from it all. You’ll take everything in, get more from the experience and have so many more stories to come home with.

What food to crave when away from home?
Cheese. I only ever miss cheese when I am away from home for a long period of time so I try to carry a small ration of it if I can. This can backfire badly however if you lose some in your bag and find it months later.

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
It would have to be the power to fly. I am obsessed with watching wing-suit base jumping videos and think that there can’t be a more amazing feeling than flying through the air like that. Also, if I could fly I could make my own way to each expedition and not have to queue up at check-in, security or immigration!

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