OutThere chatted to Team Extreme about their South Pole expedition. Here’s what they said

What was the highlight/lowlight of the trip – the experience you’ll always remember?

Alex Harris: The lowlight was without a doubt the massive front that snowed for 8 days. We had soft snow and whiteout conditions where we could not see anything but our skis. The highpoint, other than arriving at the pole was passing 85 degrees. This was halfway in distance and was a huge psychological advantage knowing there was now more behind us than in front of us.

Sibusisu Vilane: The overall achievement of the expedition. You’d think that walking unsupported, in freezing conditions, to the south pole, would be a tough enough task, but what people don’t realise is that there are hundreds of things to organise and deal with before you even get started. When it was all over and we’d achieved what we’d set out to do, that was the absolute best part for me!

Did you ever feel you’d never make it?

AH: Often, especially in the first half of the trip where many things went wrong. Strong wind pinned us down in the tent for 6 days. Then on day 4 a massive front hit when we were situated around the 83 to 85 degree mark. My ski broke within the first week, and I also got frostbite on my inner thigh within the first week.

SV: Quite a few times. But you get this overriding ambition to succeed – it’s something you really, really want so you jest keep on going.

How did you guys train?

AH: One year before the expedition we went down to Antarctica for a month. We climbed mount Vinson, Antarctica’s highest mountain, then spent some time skiing familiarising ourselves with the wind and cold. The first half of the year we focused on general training and fitness. For me this meant track and road cycling, mountain biking, gym and running. Then from June we began the specific training. This involved puling tires strapped to our sled harness. This is the main way people train for polar trips.

If the going gets really tough, who/what would what motivates you to get out in one piece?

SV: On this expedition, there were three things: The first was that I really wanted to succeed – as simple as that. Secondly, I wanted the Freeplay Foundation to get maximum benefit (one of the charities Sibu is involved with that promotes access to radio broadcasting in rural and remote areas through their wind-up and solar powered ‘Lifeline’ radios). Thirdly, while we were on the expedition, my daughter became ill. And at one stage I thought she was going to go. She was so sick for a month and I couldn’t be there for her so I really struggled emotionally through that period. I made a pact with myself to succeed at all costs for her sake.

AH: My faith as a Christian and my belief that God has called me to this life and this season so He will see me through.

Which other adventurers inspire you and why?

AH: Douglas Mawson and Earnest Shackleton for their unbelievable perseverance and unending commitment to their teams; Mike horn for his quiet determination; Felice Benuzzi, because of all the adventurers hearts, his was the purest.

SV: Sir Ranulph Fiennes – Fiennes is a remarkable adventurer and person, and I was lucky to have spent two months with him in 2005. Also, Norwegian explorer Borge Ousland, whom I shared a tent with on a previous Everest expedition. I learned so much from the guy – he has been an inspiration and mentor to me.

What now?(We’ve read that the next adventure is following in Thesiger’s footsteps across the Empty Quarter. Is that something you dreamt up as you were freezing in the Antarctic or what?

SV: Alex and myself have been doing some research on crossing the Empty Quarter in Arabia, unsupported. We’re definitely eyeing that one out!

AH: I am simply fed up with the cold. I want to go somewhere we’re there is no chance of frostbite. The desert has always fascinated me and I think it is a little-understood place, very different to the polar regions.