My Travel: Ben Fogle

What's been your coolest adventure?
I took part in a car rally across the Australian Outback called the Gascoyne Dash. It is a feeder for the Paris Dakar and I found myself driving at 180mph across the red sand of the Outback. It was unbelievable. Somehow I came fourth.

Favourite destination?
I loved Papua New Guinea, it's like a forgotten place. And Iceland is pretty spectacular. I went diving between the two tectonic plates of Europe and North America.

What's the one trip you'd rather forget?
There are very few trips I regret. When I was living in Costa Rica I got stabbed and eventually had to leave the country. I don't have the fondest memories and I have the scar to prove it. I think adventurous travel goes hand in hand with 'worrying moments' though, they inevitably involve the unknown.

I have found myself stopped by guerrillas in Mexico, and in Peru I was caught in landslides and contracted (parasitic disease) Leishmaniasis, which was a pain. But I never regret travel. It is all about learning and understanding. Just because it wasn't as enjoyable doesn't make it any worse.

Do you pack like a boy or a girl?
I hate packing too much. My bag is unfeasibly small (unless I am travelling en famille). But I always travel with a waterproof bag just in case. I have been caught out by rain and water too many times and there is nothing worse than being stuck with soaking wet clothes. My Arc'tyrex waterproof rucksack is one of my favourite things.

What's the weirdest food you've ever tried?
Putrefied shark in Iceland. The rotting flesh is left to ferment in a barrel of its own urine for a month. It is the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten. I had to throw out my favourite gloves because the smell made me retch even months later.

Have you ever done something to be culturally polite?
I ate that shark with a broad smile on my face.

Who's your favourite travel partner?
I love travelling with my best friend Kate Humble. We have worked together for years travelling to Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and the US to name a few.

What's your favourite souvenir?
I found a crocodile tooth for my son while filming in Botswana. He now calls me Crocodile Daddy.

Where's top of your travel list?
I still want to go to Madagascar. And this may sound daft but I really, really, really want to go into space. I watched a completely mesmerising documentary called Man On A Mission about a wealthy American businessman who bought a flight to the MIR Space Station and I'm now obsessed. The price tag is $30 million which is a little out of my league but if any billionaires are reading this, pleeeeease?