Nothing excited me more than opening up the atlas and seeing places and seas, imagining what they looked like and what kind of life the people had.

More from Achieving the Impossible

• Always when we walked, it was clear to me how much he loved nature, wild flowers, animals in their natural habitat and the simple pleasures of a beautiful sunset. My love for the environment did not develop out of a vacuum.
• Going against the tide has never been difficult for me. It wasn’t even a conscious decision but the natural consequence of following my own instinct.
• My love for the water would always be tempered by respect for dangers that must never be underestimated.
• Everywhere water is under threat. It is our most precious resource. And there is no alternative to it.
• If we pass on an unsustainable environment to our children we have failed them.
• Never, ever did I think that there would be a debate in this arid country about which was more important – gas or water. We can survive without gas. We cannot live without water.