Online chat with Ian Wright

Earlier this evening, from 6:30pm until 8pm local time, I had the opportunity to participate in an online chat with Ian Wright, that GlobeTrekking traveller whom everybody loves. The chat was heavily moderated, but I managed to ask a few questions which he readily answered.

Tigrrr: Ian, have you or your crew ever been in a dangerous situation?
ianwright: Yeah sometimes. We nearly got beat up in Japan by some rockabillies for filming them.
ianwright: Which is a weird place to have trouble - it's probably the safest place I know.
ianwright: Then got hit by lava in Varanasu from a volcano which was erupting at the time.

Tigrrr: Ian, have you had encounters with over-enthusiastic fans on your travels before? With stalker-like behaviour?
ianwright: oh yeah ...
ianwright: I've had fans come up to me when we're filming who think they can talk to me while we're filming.
ianwright: My fave fan letter: Dear Ian, I'm a big fan. I don't care if you have a wife or girlfriend.
ianwright: Let's meet at Derbyshire station. See you there, Dimples.
ianwright: This woman sent me a picture, she looked like a fruitcake. I sold the letter to me mate for a tenner.
ianwright: I haven't seen him since.

Tigrrr: Do you watch your health, Ian? Do you eat vitamins and health supplements?
ianwright: I watch my health from afar.
ianwright: With a pint and cigarette in hand.
ianwright: I try and keep trim, I play football and cycle.
ianwright: If I started getting a big gut I'd start to worry.

Tigrrr: Ian, what's the most important lesson you've learnt during your travels?
ianwright: If you can travel then you're in the most unbelievably privileged position there is. Don't forget that!

*Update: Added the missing parts as the transcript is now available here. I edited his typos. *grin*
Hmmm, looks like I didn't save the other two questions (and I thought Ctrl+A selected all?). No matter, the chat transcript will be out soon enough. The two other questions from me were whether he and his crew got into dangerous situations (Yes, they almost got into trouble with some Japanese people for filming them and another time when they got hit by lava) and if he had encountered overenthusiastic fans, with stalker-like behaviour ("Oh yeah...", his favourite fan mail goes: "Dear Ian, I don't care if you have a wife or girlfriend, meet me at ..." Once, some girl sent him a letter and she was a fruitcake. He sold the letter to his friend for a "tenner" and he hasn't seen his friend since!).

Some interesting facts learnt during this chat:

• He's been married for 10 years
• He has children
• His youngest loves to travel
• He's writing a book
• He doesn't meet or hang out with the other GlobeTrekkers because he's in the UK and they are in the US.

It was an enlightening encounter and with 60+ (edit: 80) chatters in there (most of whom had to leave in disappointment when they realized that they couldn't just chat freely and questions/declarations of love were rejected) Ian was constantly busy answering questions. Well, I'm glad I had four questions answered. Well, that's it from me.

Take care, all!