WITH a milestone birthday fast approaching, Philip James Russell suddenly found himself pondering not just the past, but also the future: was 79 the right age to start planning an overlanding rematch, some 50 years after his last adventure? More on that later; for now let’s start at the beginning.
Born in September 1943, Philip Russell had an unusual ambition as a child – he didn’t dream of becoming a firefighter, astronaut or stunt man, instead he was dead set on being a maths teacher and duly ended up studying for a mathematics and physics degree.
It was whilst at university in Liverpool that Philip was introduced to Land Rover ownership with the keys to an 88in Series II fitted with a hard top. For reasons he could never fathom, the hard top proved to be stuck firmly in place, scuppering thoughts of open top motoring. Yet this didn’t cull the enjoyment as he recalls just how much he enjoyed owning it. “I fondly remember taking it for a spin along the water’s edge at Bracklesham Bay in West Sussex, before eventually selling it on a year later.”
With intentions of joining the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot put to one side when he suddenly found himself a family that promised a new adventure.
