TED2014
Ben Saunders: To the South Pole and back — the hardest 105 days of my life
班．桑德斯: 往返南極點──生命中最艱難的 105 天
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今年探險家班．桑德斯挑戰自己有生以來最具企圖心的遠行。他啟程踏上羅伯特．法爾肯．史考特上尉在 1912 年失敗的極地遠征，並成功從南極洲邊境徒步來回南極點，全程一千八百哩路，耗時四個月。這是他在冒險之後的第一場演說，才回來五個星期的班．桑德斯用最真實、原汁原味的角度回顧，和我們分享這趟有些「驕傲」色彩的任務，並在旅途上做了生命中最困難的決定。
Ben Saunders - Polar explorer
In 2004, Ben Saunders became the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole. In 2013, he set out on another record-breaking expedition, this time to retrace Captain Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole on foot. Full bio
In 2004, Ben Saunders became the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole. In 2013, he set out on another record-breaking expedition, this time to retrace Captain Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole on foot. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So in the oasis of
intelligentsia that is TED,
intelligentsia that is TED,
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身在知識份子界的綠洲 ──TED，
00:18
I stand here before you this evening
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今晚我來到各位面前，
00:21
as an expert in dragging heavy
stuff around cold places.
stuff around cold places.
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以拖著笨重物周遊
寒冷地區的專家之姿站在台上。
寒冷地區的專家之姿站在台上。
00:27
I've been leading polar expeditions
for most of my adult life,
for most of my adult life,
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我成年之後就一直帶領極地遠征隊，
00:30
and last month, my teammate
Tarka L'Herpiniere and I
Tarka L'Herpiniere and I
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上個月，我和夥伴塔卡．雷聶尼爾
00:33
finished the most ambitious
expedition I've ever attempted.
expedition I've ever attempted.
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完成了我到目前為止
最具企圖心的遠征。
最具企圖心的遠征。
00:39
In fact, it feels like I've been
transported straight here
transported straight here
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其實我感覺好像直接被送來這裡，
00:42
from four months in the middle of nowhere,
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在偏遠的某處度過悶哼使勁、
詛咒連連的四個月之後，
詛咒連連的四個月之後，
00:44
mostly grunting and swearing,
straight to the TED stage.
straight to the TED stage.
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直接上了 TED 舞台。
00:49
So you can imagine that's a transition
that hasn't been entirely seamless.
that hasn't been entirely seamless.
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你可以說這個過渡期
並非完全無縫接軌。
並非完全無縫接軌。
00:53
One of the interesting side effects
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有個很有趣的副作用
00:55
seems to be that my short-term
memory is entirely shot.
memory is entirely shot.
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就是我的短期記憶似乎全都一閃而過。
00:58
So I've had to write some notes
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所以我得做小抄
01:00
to avoid too much grunting and swearing
in the next 17 minutes.
in the next 17 minutes.
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免得接下來的 17 分鐘
有太多悶哼聲與詛咒。
有太多悶哼聲與詛咒。
01:05
This is the first talk I've given
about this expedition,
about this expedition,
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這是我在這趟遠征後的首次演說，
01:08
and while we weren't sequencing genomes
or building space telescopes,
or building space telescopes,
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儘管我們不是做了基因定序
或架設太空望遠鏡，
或架設太空望遠鏡，
01:13
this is a story about giving everything
we had to achieve something
we had to achieve something
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但這段故事也是關於我們放棄一切
去達成前所未有的事。
01:18
that hadn't been done before.
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01:20
So I hope in that you might
find some food for thought.
find some food for thought.
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希望你們能從中獲得一些精神糧食。
01:24
It was a journey, an
expedition in Antarctica,
expedition in Antarctica,
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這趟遠征南極洲的旅程
01:28
the coldest, windiest, driest and
highest altitude continent on Earth.
highest altitude continent on Earth.
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是在地球上最冷、風最大、
最乾燥，海拔也最高的洲。
最乾燥，海拔也最高的洲。
01:32
It's a fascinating place.
It's a huge place.
It's a huge place.
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那是很棒、很大的地方。
01:34
It's twice the size of Australia,
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比澳洲大兩倍，
01:37
a continent that is the same size
as China and India put together.
as China and India put together.
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就跟中國和印度加起來一樣大。
順帶一提，最近幾天
01:42
As an aside, I have experienced
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我經歷了一種很有意思的現象，
01:44
an interesting phenomenon
in the last few days,
in the last few days,
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01:46
something that I expect Chris Hadfield
may get at TED in a few years' time,
may get at TED in a few years' time,
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我預料幾年後克里斯．哈德菲爾德
也會在 TED 經歷到
也會在 TED 經歷到
01:50
conversations that go something like this:
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像這樣的對話：
01:52
"Oh, Antarctica. Awesome.
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「哇！南極洲，真棒！
01:53
My husband and I did Antarctica
with Lindblad for our anniversary."
with Lindblad for our anniversary."
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我和老公結婚四週年的時候
參加領步探險去過南極洲。」
參加領步探險去過南極洲。」
01:59
Or, "Oh cool, did you go there
for the marathon?"
for the marathon?"
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或是「酷耶！你是去跑馬拉松嗎？」
02:02
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
02:06
Our journey was, in fact,
69 marathons back to back
69 marathons back to back
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我們的旅程其實就是
連續 69 趟馬拉松，
連續 69 趟馬拉松，
02:10
in 105 days, an 1,800-mile round trip
on foot from the coast of Antarctica
on foot from the coast of Antarctica
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105 天徒步走完來回 1,800 哩路，
從南極海岸到南極點，再回頭。
02:16
to the South Pole and back again.
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02:19
In the process, we broke the record
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這趟路我們打破記錄
02:21
for the longest human-powered polar
journey in history by more than 400 miles.
journey in history by more than 400 miles.
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比史上用人力完成的
最長極地旅程還長 400 哩。
最長極地旅程還長 400 哩。
02:27
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
02:31
For those of you from the Bay Area,
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對在座住灣區的人來說，
02:33
it was the same as walking from
here to San Francisco,
here to San Francisco,
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這段路就等於從這裡走到舊金山，
02:38
then turning around
and walking back again.
and walking back again.
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然後再走回去。
02:40
So as camping trips go, it was a long one,
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以露營旅行來說，這是長途旅行，
02:45
and one I've seen summarized
most succinctly here
most succinctly here
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我看過最簡潔的說法
02:48
on the hallowed pages
of Business Insider Malaysia.
of Business Insider Malaysia.
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是出現在《馬來西亞商業內幕》
神聖的一頁裡。
神聖的一頁裡。
02:52
["Two Explorers Just Completed A Polar Expedition
That Killed Everyone The Last Time It Was Attempted"]
That Killed Everyone The Last Time It Was Attempted"]
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「兩名探險家完成極地遠征
前次挑戰探險隊無一生還」
前次挑戰探險隊無一生還」
02:58
Chris Hadfield talked so eloquently
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克里斯．哈德菲爾德說得很清楚，
03:00
about fear and about the odds of success,
and indeed the odds of survival.
and indeed the odds of survival.
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他談到恐懼、成功的機率，
還有存活的機率。
還有存活的機率。
03:06
Of the nine people in history that had
attempted this journey before us,
attempted this journey before us,
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在我們之前，
史上有九個人嘗試這趟旅程，
史上有九個人嘗試這趟旅程，
03:10
none had made it to the pole and back,
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沒有人成功往返南極點，
03:12
and five had died in the process.
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其中五人在路上過世了。
03:16
This is Captain Robert Falcon Scott.
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這是羅伯特．法爾肯．史考特上尉，
03:19
He led the last team
to attempt this expedition.
to attempt this expedition.
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他帶領前次遠征。
03:22
Scott and his rival Sir Ernest Shackleton,
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史考特和對手歐內斯特．沙克爾頓爵士
03:24
over the space of a decade,
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在十年之間
03:27
both led expeditions battling to become
the first to reach the South Pole,
the first to reach the South Pole,
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都帶著遠征隊，
爭著想成為抵達南極的第一人，
爭著想成為抵達南極的第一人，
03:31
to chart and map
the interior of Antarctica,
the interior of Antarctica,
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並繪製南極洲的地圖，
03:34
a place we knew less about, at the time,
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在當時南極是鮮為人知的地方，
03:36
than the surface of the moon,
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比月球表面還神秘，
03:38
because we could see
the moon through telescopes.
the moon through telescopes.
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因為我們至少能透過
望遠鏡來看月球。
望遠鏡來看月球。
03:40
Antarctica was, for the most part,
a century ago, uncharted.
a century ago, uncharted.
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南極洲大部分在百年前的
地圖上都還沒標出來。
地圖上都還沒標出來。
03:44
Some of you may know the story.
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在座可能有人知道這個故事。
03:46
Scott's last expedition, the
Terra Nova Expedition in 1910,
Terra Nova Expedition in 1910,
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史考特最後一次遠征，
1910 年的新世界遠征隊，
1910 年的新世界遠征隊，
03:49
started as a giant
siege-style approach.
siege-style approach.
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以大型極地遠征法啟程。
03:51
He had a big team using ponies,
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浩蕩的隊伍用小馬、狗
03:54
using dogs, using petrol-driven tractors,
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和汽油發動的拖拉機
03:56
dropping multiple, pre-positioned
depots of food and fuel
depots of food and fuel
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在預選的補給站卸下食物和燃料，
04:00
through which Scott's final team of five
would travel to the Pole,
would travel to the Pole,
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因此史考特的五人小隊
才能抵達南極點，
才能抵達南極點，
04:03
where they would turn around and ski
back to the coast again on foot.
back to the coast again on foot.
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隨後滑雪、徒步回到岸邊。
04:07
Scott and his final team of five
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史考特和最後的五人小隊
04:09
arrived at the South Pole
in January 1912
in January 1912
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1912 年一月抵達南極點的時候，
04:13
to find they had been beaten to it
by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen,
by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen,
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才發現羅爾德．亞孟森
帶領的挪威探險隊已打敗他們，
帶領的挪威探險隊已打敗他們，
04:18
who rode on dogsled.
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而且他們是駕狗拉雪橇。
04:19
Scott's team ended up on foot.
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史考特隊以徒步告結。
04:21
And for more than a century
this journey has remained unfinished.
this journey has remained unfinished.
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一百多年來，還沒有人完成這趟旅程。
04:26
Scott's team of five died
on the return journey.
on the return journey.
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史考特的五人小隊
在回程途中全軍覆沒。
在回程途中全軍覆沒。
近十年來，
04:29
And for the last decade,
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我一直不斷問自己為什麼會這樣。
04:31
I've been asking myself why that is.
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04:34
How come this has remained
the high-water mark?
the high-water mark?
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為什麼到現在仍難以實現？
04:38
Scott's team covered 1,600 miles on foot.
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史考特隊伍徒步走了 1,600 哩，
04:40
No one's come close to that ever since.
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從此之後無人能及。
04:42
So this is the high-water mark
of human endurance,
of human endurance,
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因此這可以說是人類
在地球上最嚴酷的氣候中
在地球上最嚴酷的氣候中
04:45
human endeavor,
human athletic achievement
human athletic achievement
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04:47
in arguably the harshest climate on Earth.
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所能忍受、努力與體能的極限。
04:50
It was as if the marathon record
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這就好像馬拉松記錄，
04:53
has remained unbroken since 1912.
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從 1912 年到現在
沒人能打破記錄一樣。
沒人能打破記錄一樣。
04:56
And of course some strange and
predictable combination of curiosity,
predictable combination of curiosity,
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當然混雜著一些奇怪
和料想得到的好奇心與倔強，
05:01
stubbornness, and probably hubris
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也許還有點自大，
05:03
led me to thinking I might be the man
to try to finish the job.
to try to finish the job.
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讓我想也許自己能成為
完成目標的那個人。
完成目標的那個人。
05:07
Unlike Scott's expedition,
there were just two of us,
there were just two of us,
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不像史考特遠征隊，我們只有兩個人，
05:10
and we set off from the coast
of Antarctica in October last year,
of Antarctica in October last year,
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去年十月我們從南極洲海岸出發，
05:13
dragging everything ourselves,
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自己拖全部的東西，
05:16
a process Scott called "man-hauling."
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史考特說這個過程是「人力拖運」。
05:18
When I say it was like walking from
here to San Francisco and back,
here to San Francisco and back,
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雖然我剛說那就像
從這走到舊金山再回來，
從這走到舊金山再回來，
05:21
I actually mean it was like dragging
something that weighs a shade more
something that weighs a shade more
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其實是像拉著
比最重的國家聯盟橄欖球員
還重一點的東西。
還重一點的東西。
05:25
than the heaviest ever NFL player.
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05:27
Our sledges weighed 200 kilos,
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我們的雪橇有 200 公斤重，
05:29
or 440 pounds each at the start,
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就是說一開始每個就有 440 磅，
05:32
the same weights that the weakest
of Scott's ponies pulled.
of Scott's ponies pulled.
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和史考特最弱的小馬拖的一樣重。
05:37
Early on, we averaged 0.5 miles per hour.
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初期我們平均時速是 0.5 哩。
05:40
Perhaps the reason no one had
attempted this journey until now,
attempted this journey until now,
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也許過去沒人嘗試走這趟旅程，
05:43
in more than a century,
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超過一個世紀，
05:45
was that no one had been quite
stupid enough to try.
stupid enough to try.
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是因為沒人會笨到去嘗試。
05:50
And while I can't claim we were exploring
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雖然我無法名正言順地聲稱
我們是名符其實的愛德華時代探險，
05:52
in the genuine Edwardian
sense of the word —
sense of the word —
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05:55
we weren't naming any mountains
or mapping any uncharted valleys —
or mapping any uncharted valleys —
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因為我們沒有命名任何山
或畫出不在地圖上的山谷，
或畫出不在地圖上的山谷，
05:59
I think we were stepping into uncharted
territory in a human sense.
territory in a human sense.
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但我想我們踏進了人類未知的領域。
06:03
Certainly, if in the future we learn
there is an area of the human brain
there is an area of the human brain
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確實，如果未來我們發現
人腦有個部分
人腦有個部分
06:06
that lights up when one curses oneself,
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會在你詛咒自己的時候發光，
06:10
I won't be at all surprised.
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我也一點都不驚訝。
06:13
You've heard that the average American
spends 90 percent of their time indoors.
spends 90 percent of their time indoors.
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大家都聽過美國人普遍
有九成時間待在室內，
有九成時間待在室內，
06:17
We didn't go indoors
for nearly four months.
for nearly four months.
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我們卻有將近四個月不在室內。
06:21
We didn't see a sunset either.
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我們也沒看到日落，
06:23
It was 24-hour daylight.
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因為太陽 24 小時亮著。
06:25
Living conditions were quite spartan.
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居住環境很艱苦。
06:27
I changed my underwear
three times in 105 days
three times in 105 days
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105 天裡我才換了三次內衣，
06:32
and Tarka and I shared
30 square feet on the canvas.
30 square feet on the canvas.
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塔卡和我共用不到 30 平方英尺的帆布。
06:36
Though we did have some technology
that Scott could never have imagined.
that Scott could never have imagined.
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不過我們還有些設備
是史考特永遠無法想像的。
是史考特永遠無法想像的。
06:40
And we blogged live every evening
from the tent via a laptop
from the tent via a laptop
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我們每天晚上在帳蓬裡
用筆電寫實況部落格，
用筆電寫實況部落格，
06:44
and a custom-made satellite transmitter,
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還有特製的衛星發射器，
06:46
all of which were solar-powered:
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這些全都用太陽能發電，
06:48
we had a flexible photovoltaic
panel over the tent.
panel over the tent.
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我們有塊彈性光電板在帳篷上。
06:50
And the writing was important to me.
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寫作對我來說很重要，
06:53
As a kid, I was inspired by the
literature of adventure and exploration,
literature of adventure and exploration,
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小時候我就深受冒險與探索文學激勵，
07:00
and I think we've all seen
here this week
here this week
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我想這個星期我們都看到了
07:03
the importance and
the power of storytelling.
the power of storytelling.
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說故事的重要性與力量。
07:07
So we had some 21st-century gear,
125
415265
1816
我們有 21 世紀的設備，
07:09
but the reality is that the
challenges that Scott faced
challenges that Scott faced
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417081
2787
但事實上史考特面臨的挑戰
07:11
were the same that we faced:
127
419868
1997
和我們面臨的一樣，
07:13
those of the weather and of
what Scott called glide,
what Scott called glide,
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像是那裡的天氣、史考特所說的滑行，
07:17
the amount of friction between
the sledges and the snow.
the sledges and the snow.
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就是雪橇和雪之間的磨擦力。
07:20
The lowest wind chill
we experienced was in the -70s,
we experienced was in the -70s,
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我們碰過的最低風寒指數是 -70 多，
07:24
and we had zero visibility,
what's called white-out,
what's called white-out,
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能見度是零，就是一片白朦，
07:27
for much of our journey.
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幾乎全程都是如此。
07:30
We traveled up and down one of the largest
133
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2351
我們越過世界上最大
07:32
and most dangerous glaciers
in the world, the Beardmore glacier.
in the world, the Beardmore glacier.
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且最危險的冰川之一
──比爾德摩爾冰川。
──比爾德摩爾冰川。
07:35
It's 110 miles long; most of its surface
is what's called blue ice.
is what's called blue ice.
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冰川有 110 哩長，表面大多是藍冰。
07:39
You can see it's a beautiful,
shimmering steel-hard blue surface
shimmering steel-hard blue surface
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你可以看到那是漂亮、閃亮，
像鋼一樣硬的藍色表面，
像鋼一樣硬的藍色表面，
07:42
covered with thousands
and thousands of crevasses,
and thousands of crevasses,
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覆蓋了成千上萬層冰隙，
07:46
these deep cracks in the glacial ice
up to 200 feet deep.
up to 200 feet deep.
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這些冰川裡的裂縫深達 200 呎。
07:50
Planes can't land here,
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飛機無法在這裡降落，
07:52
so we were at the most risk,
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所以說我們身在風險最大的地方，
07:55
technically, when we had the slimmest
chance of being rescued.
chance of being rescued.
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嚴格說來，我們獲救的機會微乎其微。
08:00
We got to the South Pole
after 61 days on foot,
after 61 days on foot,
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徒步走 61 天後我們抵達南極點，
08:04
with one day off for bad weather,
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2579
因為天氣差多休息了一天，
08:06
and I'm sad to say, it was
something of an anticlimax.
something of an anticlimax.
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不得不說那真有點掃興。
08:09
There's a permanent American base,
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2465
南極有個常駐的美國基地──
08:11
the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
at the South Pole.
at the South Pole.
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3318
阿蒙森—斯科特南極站。
08:15
They have an airstrip,
they have a canteen,
they have a canteen,
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483044
1951
他們有簡易跑道、餐廳，
08:16
they have hot showers,
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1453
可以洗熱水澡，
08:18
they have a post office, a tourist shop,
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1905
有郵局、紀念品店，
08:20
a basketball court that doubles
as a movie theater.
as a movie theater.
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3738
還有籃球場兼電影院。
08:24
So it's a bit different these days,
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492091
1975
所以今非昔比啊！
08:26
and there are also acres of junk.
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1796
不過那裡也有超多垃圾。
08:27
I think it's a marvelous thing
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1430
我覺得很不可思議的是
08:29
that humans can exist
365 days of the year
365 days of the year
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5284
人類可以生活一整年
08:34
with hamburgers and hot showers
and movie theaters,
and movie theaters,
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502586
3545
每天只靠漢堡、熱水澡和電影院，
08:38
but it does seem to produce
a lot of empty cardboard boxes.
a lot of empty cardboard boxes.
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506131
2756
但這似乎會製造很多空紙盒。
08:40
You can see on the left of
this photograph,
this photograph,
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2062
你可以看到照片的左邊
08:42
several square acres of junk
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510949
1435
有幾英畝垃圾
08:44
waiting to be flown out
from the South Pole.
from the South Pole.
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2513
等著運出南極。
08:46
But there is also a pole at the South Pole,
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4032
但南極也有個極點，
08:50
and we got there on foot, unassisted,
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3396
我們徒步抵達，
毫無援助，走最艱難的路線，
08:54
unsupported, by the hardest route,
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522325
1646
08:55
900 miles in record time,
163
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2345
用破記錄的時間完成 900 哩，
08:58
dragging more weight
than anyone in history.
than anyone in history.
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2048
還拖著比史上任何人都還重的東西。
09:00
And if we'd stopped there
and flown home,
and flown home,
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1969
如果我們就此打住，直接飛回家，
09:02
which would have been
the eminently sensible thing to do,
the eminently sensible thing to do,
166
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3134
這樣的決定看起來非常合理，
09:05
then my talk would end here
167
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1881
那我的演說就會到此告一段落，
09:07
and it would end something like this.
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3590
而且以這樣結尾：
09:10
If you have the right team around you,
the right tools, the right technology,
the right tools, the right technology,
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4805
如果你和對的團體在一起，
擁有對的工具和科技，
擁有對的工具和科技，
09:15
and if you have enough self-belief
and enough determination,
and enough determination,
170
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3738
如果你有足夠的信念和決心，
09:19
then anything is possible.
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3445
那麼任何事都有可能實現。
09:24
But then we turned around,
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2633
但是後來我們轉身繼續走回程，
09:27
and this is where things get interesting.
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2759
這件事就有點意思了。
09:30
High on the Antarctic plateau,
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558048
2794
在南極高原上，
09:32
over 10,000 feet, it's very windy,
very cold, very dry, we were exhausted.
very cold, very dry, we were exhausted.
175
560842
3999
超過一萬呎，風超大、超冷、
超乾，我們都精疲力盡了。
超乾，我們都精疲力盡了。
09:36
We'd covered 35 marathons,
176
564841
1870
我們已經完成了 35 趟馬拉松，
09:38
we were only halfway,
177
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1586
但這只完成一半，
09:40
and we had a safety net, of course,
178
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2031
當然我們有安全措施，
09:42
of ski planes and satellite phones
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570328
2124
像是雪地飛機、衛星電話、
09:44
and live, 24-hour tracking beacons
that didn't exist for Scott,
that didn't exist for Scott,
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4053
24 小時即時追蹤信標，
當時史考特可沒有這些東西，
當時史考特可沒有這些東西，
09:48
but in hindsight,
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1742
但事後看來，
09:50
rather than making our lives easier,
182
578257
2066
與其說能讓生活好過一點，
09:52
the safety net actually allowed us
183
580323
2159
不如說安全措施讓我們
09:54
to cut things very fine indeed,
184
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3855
能把事情做到最精準，
09:58
to sail very close to our absolute
limits as human beings.
limits as human beings.
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3767
讓我們能完全發揮到人類極限。
10:02
And it is an exquisite form of torture
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3473
這是種最極致的折磨，
10:05
to exhaust yourself to the point
of starvation day after day
of starvation day after day
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2837
日復一日耗盡力氣直到餓扁肚子，
10:08
while dragging a sledge
full of food.
full of food.
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4262
而且還拉著滿雪橇的食物。
10:12
For years, I'd been writing glib lines
in sponsorship proposals
in sponsorship proposals
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3927
幾年來，我總是在
募款計畫上寫些好聽話，
募款計畫上寫些好聽話，
10:16
about pushing the limits
of human endurance,
of human endurance,
190
604613
3111
說我們要超越人類極限，
10:19
but in reality, that was
a very frightening place to be indeed.
a very frightening place to be indeed.
191
607724
4412
但其實那裡是非常嚇人的地方。
10:24
We had, before we'd got to the Pole,
192
612136
1909
在我們抵達南極點之前，
10:26
two weeks of almost permanent
headwind, which slowed us down.
headwind, which slowed us down.
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614045
3464
幾乎吹了整整兩週的逆風，
降低了我們的速度。
降低了我們的速度。
10:29
As a result, we'd had several days
of eating half rations.
of eating half rations.
194
617509
2650
結果我們有幾天只能吃一半。
雪橇上讓我們走完整趟路的食物有限，
10:32
We had a finite amount of food
in the sledges to make this journey,
in the sledges to make this journey,
195
620159
2719
10:34
so we were trying to string that out
196
622878
2002
所以我們要試著節省食物，
10:36
by reducing our intake to half
the calories we should have been eating.
the calories we should have been eating.
197
624880
3913
減半攝取原本應該有的熱量。
10:40
As a result, we both became
increasingly hypoglycemic —
increasingly hypoglycemic —
198
628793
3619
結果我們的低血糖日趨嚴重，
10:44
we had low blood sugar
levels day after day —
levels day after day —
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2824
我們的血糖一天天降低，
10:47
and increasingly susceptible
to the extreme cold.
to the extreme cold.
200
635236
4758
而且越來越容易受酷寒天候影響。
10:51
Tarka took this photo of me one evening
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639994
2103
塔卡有天晚上幫我拍了這張照片，
10:54
after I'd nearly passed out
with hypothermia.
with hypothermia.
202
642097
2130
我才差點因為失溫而暈倒。
10:56
We both had repeated bouts of hypothermia,
something I hadn't experienced before,
something I hadn't experienced before,
203
644227
4808
我們一次又一次面臨失溫，
這是我以前從沒碰過的事，
這是我以前從沒碰過的事，
11:01
and it was very humbling indeed.
204
649035
1711
真讓人自覺渺小。
11:02
As much as you might
like to think, as I do,
like to think, as I do,
205
650746
3668
你很可能會有種想法，我也是，
11:06
that you're the kind
of person who doesn't quit,
of person who doesn't quit,
206
654414
2256
你自認是那種永不放棄的人，
11:08
that you'll go down swinging,
207
656670
1994
你會光榮退場，
11:10
hypothermia doesn't leave you much choice.
208
658664
2252
但失溫讓你毫無選擇。
11:12
You become utterly incapacitated.
209
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2810
你會變得很沒用，
11:15
It's like being a drunk toddler.
210
663726
3181
就像是個喝醉的學步幼兒，
11:18
You become pathetic.
211
666907
1973
變得很悲慘。
11:20
I remember just wanting
to lie down and quit.
to lie down and quit.
212
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4119
我記得當時只想躺下，就此放棄。
11:24
It was a peculiar, peculiar feeling,
213
672999
2174
那是種很怪的感覺，
11:27
and a real surprise to me
to be debilitated to that degree.
to be debilitated to that degree.
214
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5239
而且累到那個程度也真是嚇到我了。
11:32
And then we ran out of food completely,
215
680412
4482
後來我們吃完了全部的食物，
11:36
46 miles short of the first of the depots
216
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3458
離第一個補給站還有 46 哩路，
11:40
that we'd laid on our outward journey.
217
688352
1865
我們為出遠門準備了糧食補給站。
11:42
We'd laid 10 depots of food,
218
690217
1343
我們準備了 10 個補給站的食物，
11:43
literally burying food and fuel,
for our return journey —
for our return journey —
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691560
2717
基本上就是把回程的
食物和燃料埋起來，
食物和燃料埋起來，
11:46
the fuel was for a cooker so you
could melt snow to get water —
could melt snow to get water —
220
694277
3277
燃料是為了煮冰，我們才能有水喝，
11:49
and I was forced to make the decision
to call for a resupply flight,
to call for a resupply flight,
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697554
5807
我被迫決定聯絡補給機，
11:55
a ski plane carrying eight days of food
to tide us over that gap.
to tide us over that gap.
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703361
4569
這種雪地飛機會運送八天份食物
讓我們度過難關。
讓我們度過難關。
11:59
They took 12 hours to reach us
from the other side of Antarctica.
from the other side of Antarctica.
223
707930
3359
他們花了 12 小時
才從南極的另一端找到我們。
才從南極的另一端找到我們。
12:03
Calling for that plane was one of
the toughest decisions of my life.
the toughest decisions of my life.
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711289
3709
請求飛機支援是
我生命中很困難的決定。
我生命中很困難的決定。
12:06
And I sound like a bit of a fraud
standing here now with a sort of belly.
standing here now with a sort of belly.
225
714998
3476
聽起來我就像是個
有大肚腩的騙子站在這裡。
有大肚腩的騙子站在這裡。
12:10
I've put on 30 pounds
in the last three weeks.
in the last three weeks.
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718474
2840
最近三週我胖了 30 磅。
12:13
Being that hungry has left
an interesting mental scar,
an interesting mental scar,
227
721314
3075
那種飢餓在心裡留下了
一種有意思的恐懼，
一種有意思的恐懼，
12:16
which is that I've been hoovering up
every hotel buffet that I can find.
every hotel buffet that I can find.
228
724389
4607
讓我四處狂掃每家飯店的
吃到飽自助餐。
吃到飽自助餐。
12:20
(Laughter)
229
728996
1778
（笑聲）
12:22
But we were genuinely quite hungry,
and in quite a bad way.
and in quite a bad way.
230
730774
5694
但是我們真的超餓，完全餓壞了。
12:28
I don't regret calling
for that plane for a second,
for that plane for a second,
231
736468
2441
我從沒後悔向飛機呼救，
12:30
because I'm still standing here alive,
232
738909
2002
因為我還活著，
12:32
with all digits intact,
telling this story.
telling this story.
233
740911
2060
十指健全站在這裡說故事。
12:34
But getting external assistance like that
was never part of the plan,
was never part of the plan,
234
742971
4738
但是尋求像那樣的外部援助
完全不在計畫中，
完全不在計畫中，
12:39
and it's something my ego
is still struggling with.
is still struggling with.
235
747709
3204
我的自尊心仍掙扎不已。
12:42
This was the biggest dream I've ever had,
236
750913
3042
這曾是我此生最大的夢想，
12:45
and it was so nearly perfect.
237
753955
2092
差一點就完美了。
12:48
On the way back down to the coast,
238
756967
1681
走回海岸的路上，
12:50
our crampons — they're
the spikes on our boots
the spikes on our boots
239
758648
2191
我們的冰爪──裝在靴子上的釘鞋，
12:52
that we have for traveling
over this blue ice on the glacier —
over this blue ice on the glacier —
240
760839
2926
用來在冰川的藍冰上行走，
12:55
broke on the top of the Beardmore.
241
763765
1655
在比爾德摩爾冰川上壞了。
12:57
We still had 100 miles to go downhill
242
765420
1765
下山還有百哩路，
12:59
on very slippery rock-hard blue ice.
243
767185
2234
而且是走在很滑，硬如石頭的藍冰。
13:01
They needed repairing almost every hour.
244
769419
2391
釘鞋幾乎每小時都要修理一次。
13:03
To give you an idea of scale,
245
771810
1951
讓你更了解狀況，
13:05
this is looking down towards the mouth
of the Beardmore Glacier.
of the Beardmore Glacier.
246
773761
2997
這是向下看比爾德摩冰川口的照片。
13:08
You could fit the entirety of Manhattan
in the gap on the horizon.
in the gap on the horizon.
247
776758
3475
你可以在地平線上的這個缺口
塞進整個曼哈頓。
塞進整個曼哈頓。
13:12
That's 20 miles between
Mount Hope and Mount Kiffin.
Mount Hope and Mount Kiffin.
248
780233
3214
這是在霍普山和奇芬山之間的 20 哩路。
13:15
I've never felt as small
as I did in Antarctica.
as I did in Antarctica.
249
783447
6233
在南極讓我感覺前所未有的渺小。
13:21
When we got down
to the mouth of the glacier,
to the mouth of the glacier,
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789680
2105
我們走到冰河口的時候，
13:23
we found fresh snow had obscured
the dozens of deep crevasses.
the dozens of deep crevasses.
251
791785
4646
發現剛下的雪已經覆蓋了
許多深長的冰隙。
許多深長的冰隙。
13:28
One of Shackleton's men described
crossing this sort of terrain
crossing this sort of terrain
252
796431
2950
沙克爾頓的隊員形容橫越這種地面
13:31
as like walking over the glass roof
of a railway station.
of a railway station.
253
799381
4994
就像是走在火車站的玻璃屋頂上。
13:36
We fell through more times
than I can remember,
than I can remember,
254
804375
2914
我們掉下去的次數多到我都記不得了，
13:39
usually just putting a ski
or a boot through the snow.
or a boot through the snow.
255
807289
3432
通常只有雪板或靴子陷下去。
13:42
Occasionally we went in all
the way up to our armpits,
the way up to our armpits,
256
810721
2603
但有時候一路陷，直到腋下才停，
13:45
but thankfully never deeper than that.
257
813324
3443
還好沒有陷更深了。
13:48
And less than five weeks ago,
after 105 days,
after 105 days,
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不到五週前，在出發 105 天後，
13:52
we crossed this oddly
inauspicious finish line,
inauspicious finish line,
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我們穿越這條格外不祥的終點線，
13:56
the coast of Ross Island
on the New Zealand side of Antarctica.
on the New Zealand side of Antarctica.
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就是南極洲靠紐西蘭那側的羅斯島海岸。
13:59
You can see the ice in the foreground
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你可以看到冰川前端
14:01
and the sort of rubbly rock behind that.
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和那後面的碎岩石。
14:04
Behind us lay an unbroken
ski trail of nearly 1,800 miles.
ski trail of nearly 1,800 miles.
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我們身後的是完好的冰道，
大約 1,800 哩長。
大約 1,800 哩長。
14:08
We'd made the longest ever
polar journey on foot,
polar journey on foot,
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我們徒步走完最長的極地旅途，
這是我夢想了十年的事。
14:10
something I'd been dreaming
of doing for a decade.
of doing for a decade.
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14:15
And looking back,
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回過頭看，
14:17
I still stand by all the things
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我還信守著
那些我說了好幾年的事，
14:19
I've been saying for years
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14:21
about the importance of goals
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那些目標的重要性、
14:23
and determination and self-belief,
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決心與信念，
14:26
but I'll also admit that I hadn't given
much thought to what happens
much thought to what happens
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但我也必須承認，我過去一直沒多想
14:31
when you reach the all-consuming goal
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當你實現那個全心全意想達成的目標，
14:35
that you've dedicated
most of your adult life to,
most of your adult life to,
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那個成年後傾全力投入的
目標時會如何，
目標時會如何，
14:38
and the reality is that I'm
still figuring that bit out.
still figuring that bit out.
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而現實是我還在一點一滴摸索。
14:42
As I said, there are very few
superficial signs that I've been away.
superficial signs that I've been away.
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就像我剛說的，
表面上沒多少我遠行的跡象。
表面上沒多少我遠行的跡象。
14:45
I've put on 30 pounds.
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我胖了 30 磅。
14:47
I've got some very faint, probably
covered in makeup now, frostbite scars.
covered in makeup now, frostbite scars.
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我長了一些很淡的凍瘡，
大概被粧蓋掉了，
大概被粧蓋掉了，
14:50
I've got one on my nose, one on
each cheek, from where the goggles are,
each cheek, from where the goggles are,
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鼻子上一個，左右臉頰各一個，
從護目鏡那開始長。
從護目鏡那開始長。
14:54
but inside I am a very
different person indeed.
different person indeed.
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但我的內在變成了非常不一樣的人。
14:59
If I'm honest,
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老實說，
15:01
Antarctica challenged me
and humbled me so deeply
and humbled me so deeply
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南極挑戰我最內在的部分，
讓我深感卑微，
讓我深感卑微，
15:06
that I'm not sure I'll ever be able
to put it into words.
to put it into words.
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我不確定自己能用言語表達清楚。
15:10
I'm still struggling to piece
together my thoughts.
together my thoughts.
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我還在努力拼湊思緒。
15:14
That I'm standing here
telling this story
telling this story
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我站在這裡說這個故事
15:18
is proof that we all can
accomplish great things,
accomplish great things,
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證明了我們都能成就大事，
15:23
through ambition, through passion,
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憑著企圖心、熱情、
15:25
through sheer stubbornness,
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堅定不移、
15:27
by refusing to quit,
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和不願放棄，
15:28
that if you dream something
hard enough, as Sting said,
hard enough, as Sting said,
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只要你的渴望夠強大，
就能像史汀說的，
就能像史汀說的，
15:31
it does indeed come to pass.
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終能實現願望。
15:34
But I'm also standing here
saying, you know what,
saying, you know what,
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但我也站在這裡告訴大家，
15:38
that cliche about the journey being
more important than the destination?
more important than the destination?
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你知道為什麼陳腔濫調總是說
旅程比目的地還重要嗎？
旅程比目的地還重要嗎？
15:44
There's something in that.
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裡面有些道理在。
15:47
The closer I got to my finish line,
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當我越靠近終點線，
15:49
that rubbly, rocky coast of Ross Island,
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那條羅斯島的碎石岩岸，
15:53
the more I started to realize
that the biggest lesson
that the biggest lesson
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我開始越能理解，
15:56
that this very long, very hard walk
might be teaching me
might be teaching me
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這趟又長又艱辛的步行
教我最重要的一課
教我最重要的一課
16:01
is that happiness is not
a finish line,
a finish line,
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是快樂不等於終點線，
16:05
that for us humans,
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對身為人類的我們來說，
16:06
the perfection that so many of
us seem to dream of
us seem to dream of
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大多數人夢想中所謂的完美
16:10
might not ever be truly attainable,
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也許永遠都無法實現，
16:14
and that if we can't feel content
here, today, now, on our journeys
here, today, now, on our journeys
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8466
如果我們不能在此地、此時、此刻
滿足於我們的旅程，
滿足於我們的旅程，
16:22
amidst the mess and the striving
that we all inhabit,
that we all inhabit,
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不能滿足於一團混亂
與努力奮鬥之中的旅程，
與努力奮鬥之中的旅程，
16:27
the open loops,
the half-finished to-do lists,
the half-finished to-do lists,
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不能滿足於充斥想不透做不到的事、
未完成的待辦事項、
未完成的待辦事項、
16:29
the could-do-better-next-times,
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和事情下次能做得更好的旅程，
16:32
then we might never feel it.
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那麼我們也許永遠都不會感到滿足。
16:36
A lot of people have asked me, what next?
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很多人問我接下來要做什麼？
16:39
Right now, I am very happy just recovering
and in front of hotel buffets.
and in front of hotel buffets.
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現在只要能恢復、站在飯店自助餐前，
我就覺得非常快樂。
我就覺得非常快樂。
16:46
But as Bob Hope put it,
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但就像鮑勃．霍普所說，
16:50
I feel very humble,
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我覺得自己十分卑微，
16:53
but I think I have the strength
of character to fight it. (Laughter)
of character to fight it. (Laughter)
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但我想我有剛強的性格能起身戰鬥。
（笑聲）
（笑聲）
16:57
Thank you.
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謝謝。
16:59
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ben Saunders - Polar explorerIn 2004, Ben Saunders became the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole. In 2013, he set out on another record-breaking expedition, this time to retrace Captain Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole on foot.
Why you should listen
Although most of the planet's surface was mapped long ago, there's still a place for explorers in the modern world. And Ben Saunders' stories of arctic exploration -- as impressive for their technical ingenuity as their derring-do -- are decidedly modern. In 2004, at age 26, he skied solo to the North Pole, updating his blog each day of the trip. Humble and self-effacing, Saunders is an explorer of limits, whether it's how far a human can be pushed physically and psychologically, or how technology works hundreds of miles from civilization. His message is one of inspiration, empowerment and boundless potential.
He urges audiences to consider carefully how to spend the “tiny amount of time we each have on this planet.” Saunders is also a powerful advocate for the natural world. He's seen first-hand the effects of climate change, and his expeditions are raising awareness for sustainable solutions.
Being the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole did not satiate Saunders' urge to explore and push the boundaries. In 2008, he attempted to break the speed record for a solo walk to the North Pole; however, his journey was ended abruptly both then and again in 2010 due to equipment failure. From October 2013 to February 2014, he led a two-man team to retrace Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated 1,800-mile expedition to the South Pole on foot. He calls this journey the hardest 105 days of his life.
Ben Saunders | Speaker | TED.com