Swiss professional explorer and adventurer Mike Horn was in town recently and we had a chance to meet the motivational figure as we set sail on his ship, the Pangaea.

"The impossible exists only until we find a way to make it possible." A quote Mike is famous for saying and lives by. The man himself has completed multiple extreme expeditions, including circling the equator by boat and on foot, a 60-day voyage in the North Pole by foot only with no motorised vehicles or dogs to pull him, and of course a drive adventure with the Mercedes Benz G-Wagon across 13 countires in his Driven To Explore expedition.

Full of energy and zest, Mike walks into the room and immediately starts sharing his stories. Like a small boy excited to talk about his day at school, Mike is animated, full of smiles and yet, 100 percent inspiring at the same time.

He shared that adventure can start at a young age, and that bringing up the young is all about setting them on a solid foundation and letting them fly. "Sometimes we do it the other way around, we think by letting the young people do what they want, we are giving them freedom. We should first build a solid base, they when they are ready, let them fly!" His Driven To Explore expedition was completed with his two daughters Anka and Jessica.

After lunch, we set sail on the Pangaea, the same sailing vessel Mike used to explore continents and travel across the planet’s oceans. In a similarly named expedition, the Pangaea project involved 100 Young Explorers that accompanied him to 12 hot spots around the world where they implemented ecological and social projects. Built in Brazil, the vessel is made with a hull that features a specially robust aluminium that can cut through ice effectively.

More sharing and inspirational conversations ensued as we sailed around Singapore waters. Mike always ready with an anecdote or two and some encouraging words that put a smile on everyone's faces.

Perhaps one of the best lessons I took away was how some complexed situations can be solved with the simplest solutions. During his Driven To Explore expedition, the Horns were held at a border with no permission to proceed to the next country. Stuck for hours, his daughter walked up to the guards and offered them to test drive the G-Wagon, a car they had never seen before. Just like that, they were driven across the border by the guards themselves.

Like the G-Wagon he drives, Mike is truly the embodiment of adventure and sheer grit. No encounter with the man is dull and I walked away that day full of vigour and positivity. A big shout out to Mercedes Benz for this opportunity. And Mike, I raise my glass to you, you're a true giver of light and inspiration!