Bloody hell, it's Ted Edwards ..

Blimey! You wait for one reason to write about the Sahara, then another one turns up on the very same day! Yes, folks, as coincidences go, yesterday's was one of the best I've had in a long time!..

You might recall I mentioned the Sahara in yesterday's blog, which was on the theme of travel. I was telling you that I'd been sifting through lots of my old travel photographs to make a new webpage on my site, and mentioned that a cloud of sand and dust was blowing up to the UK from the desert. Anyway, after writing the piece I headed off to sunny old Eccles where some of my archive photographs are going to go on display - more on that soon - and then I nipped into Morrison's to get me tea and some lagers. Well, guess who I bumped into! Only Ted Edwards, that's who! After all these years! Ted bloody Edwards, in the flippin' flesh..

Ted Edwards? Ted Edwards is a long-time resident of Eccles - a former folk singer and peripatetic teacher - who, in 1983, took it upon himself to walk - alone - through what's called the Empty Quarter of the Sahara Desert! The BBC did a great programme about it, with a wonderful opening shot of Ted in a cowboy hat getting on the 166 bus at Eccles bus station - next stop Timbuktu! I did some pix for the MEN at the time. Anyway, the trip nearly bloomin' killed him! One of his camels stood on one of his canteens of water and meant he ran out of good old H2O long before he was meant to! It was only a chance meeting with some Bedouins who took him to a well that saved his life. Anyway, I've always rated Ted for doing that and he's been high on my list of 'top blokes' ever since. Thing is, not so many years after his adventure, poor old Ted had a stroke and the last time I saw him - maybe sometime in the early 90s - he was hobbling about on a walking stick and having one hell of a time even trying to talk to anyone. Imagine that for an explorer who used to sing for a living! Now Ted's in a mobility scooter, still wearing a stetson and sporting badges on his jacket from his travels..

Well, of course I pounced on him, told him of my admiration and - hey, you gotta do it - booked him in for a portrait shoot next week! Ted Edwards, I salute you!..
 

Comfort and Joy ..

Phew! Made it! I've come through the other side unscathed! Actually, I've had a fantastic Christmas, and I hope you have, too! Now, for me, it's time to take off the party hat and put on the Photographer's hat, as I have a family shoot at the studio this afternoon! Hope I don't have to photoshop too many bloodshot eyes, ho ho ho!

Talking about making it through, one of the nice things to happen over the holiday came about because of a TV programme last night. It was about two 'famous' people crossing the Empty Quarter of the desert in Oman. I dropped a line onto Facebook about a chap who became my 'hero' - a guy from my home town of Eccles called Ted Edwards - who crossed the Empty Quarter of the Sahara desert alone back in the early 80s. No TV crew, no SatNav, no mobile phones - just him and two camels! He got barely an ounce of recognition and, sadly, a few years later, had a stroke that really debilitated him. Anyway, I've had a message to say he's alive and well, and I've been given his phone number so I'm hoping I'll be able to photograph him again after a gap of 30 years! Christmas! Bringing people together! Nice ..