Blashford Snell and the Blue Nile ...

Once again, Bridport Camera Club presented Travel Night, this time with Colonel John Blashford Snell who came to the club to regale us with stories of the British expedition of the Blue Nile.

He stood before us, a human link to a world that has gone. A world of Billy Bunter, Biggles, brave deeds and derring do … tales that took us from Haille Selassie’s throne room to the rapids, the invention of white-water rafting, airplane drops, crocodiles, ambush and gunfights. All delivered with a deadpan, comic timing that left us holding our sides with laughter at one minute and gasping at others.

It seems that there were two ways to do business back then, one was with a smile and a can of cola, the other was with a bullet!

The club commandeered the Arts Centre for this one to give us the opportunity to get a few more bums on seats. We ended up raising £819.16 for John’s charity Scientific Exploration Society ... it's SES Raleigh Explorer Bursary helps 18-25 year olds gain fully funded places on the world famous Raleigh expeditions.