Meet David Gill of 40/40 Adventures in Fort Worth

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Gill.

David, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
For over 15 years I have been leading expeditions to remote parts of the world, introducing people to the adventure of travelling, learning about new cultures and providing them with new found skills and confidences.

Being a British guy growing up in a Royal Air Force family, I was provided with the opportunity to get involved with an adventurous life from the get go. As I left University I knew only one thing for certain, that I wasn’t cut out for a 9-5 lifestyle! I was accepted into the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst – the British equivalent of West Point. However, a knee injury curtailed my ambition with the Army.

I was fortunate enough to find a calling within Outdoor Education and Experiential learning, working for Outward Bound Wales. This provided me with my first taste of instructing and seeing the positive results that the outdoor environment has on young people. In 2003, I lead my first overseas expedition, heading to South America where my group of 20 experienced several months on the road through Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Bolivia. Returning home to the UK was hard!

I subsequently spent the summer months in Malawi, leading a schools expedition. I was hooked on the expedition lifestyle. An archaeological expedition to Belize followed, where my team and I mapped Mayan ruins, previously lost within the jungles.

The expedition experience certainly helped when I landed a job with The HALO Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian landmine clearance organization. HALO rose to prominence on the world scene when Princess Diana famously walked through a minefield in Angola. My initial months with HALO was spent being trained on explosive ordnance disposal, minefield survey, mapping and logistics in Nagorno Karabakh.

Once deemed responsible enough I was deployed to Abkhazia and the minefields of Gali. Here is where I really got to grips with operations and it was a privilege to spend time in such a beautiful but troubled place. Mozambique followed, and I am proud to say that I played a part in removing the landmine issue for good from the country. After completing operations in Northern Mozambique I said goodbye to Africa and The HALO Trust.

In 2009 I took up a position in Afghanistan, again with landmine and explosive ordnance disposal, seeing a good deal of Northern Afghanistan. My last work with landmines was within Angola. Following several years of working in austere environments I decided that I needed a wee break.

I returned to leading expeditions, working in the sales and marketing of overseas trips and subsequently running the operations of a Safari and Schools expedition company in Ghana with my wife Audri.

In 2015, I immigrated to Texas, my wife Audri is a Fort Worth Gal, and we established 40/40 Adventures. This chapter of our lives is still being written and we are looking forward to many more adventures along the way!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For me the transition to life here in Texas has been as challenging to adapt to as any of the other countries that I have lived and worked in. Culturally there are many similarities between the US and UK, but there are differences as well!

That aside, with starting a new business, it takes time, just like settling into a new country. I have learned some lessons over the last few years and look forward to introducing others to the joy of travelling, the cultures, languages, food and skills that come from being on an expedition

40/40 Adventures – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
40/40 Adventures specializes in remote adventure travel, schools expeditions and off the beaten track experiences. We pride ourselves on our network of guides and logistics across the globe. These people allow us to go one step further and provide immersive experiences for our clients. We support our local guides and businesses by paying good wages throughout the countries we operate in.

As a company I am most proud of our ability to offer the first steps for those looking for adventure both here in the United States and overseas.

I am proud to offer the opportunity for Schools, Universities and Individuals to experience life on an expedition!

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
There are so many ways to define success, the monetary, the career title or the big house. Don’t get me wrong, those are all fantastic if that is how you define success.

Success for me is seeing a trans-formative change, whether that is within myself, my family or clients.

I have been privileged to be part of some epic projects, within my work with The HALO Trust, the team I led cleared over 70,000 Landmines from Mozambique. A huge success for all those involved. For me though I saw a trans-formative change in my outlook to life.

Through expeditions I see trans-formative change in my clients, from those that initially doubted their abilities to overcoming these hurdles and seeing them ascend mountains, tackle white water rafting, get to grips with differences in languages, cultures and cuisine. That to me is a success. So I am quite happy to say that I have been pretty successful so far in my life!

Contact Info:

• Address: 823 E. 2nd Street
  Fort Worth
• Website: www.4040adventures.com
• Phone: 8172919918
• Email: info@4040adventures.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4040adventures/

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.