EXTREME global expedition leader Jon Gupta took guests on a gruelling journey of self discovery from the comfort of their charity lunch seats.

Jon, renowned Himalayan mountaineer and high altitude leader, spoke of his treks to some of the world’s least known and most inaccessible places at the lunch in aid of the Welsh homelessness charity Llamau.

He was guest speaker at the Paul Fosh Auctions charity lunch, which was held at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff.

Jon, aided by video clips demonstrating the places he has been and the extremes of weather which he calls home, told of his failures and successes facing the most gruelling of extreme encounters.

Jon, who retraced his steps on the 430-mile Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra ‘the hardest and coldest ultra on earth’ after failing the year before spoke of his overwhelming sends of achievement nailing the super human challenge the following year, 2017.

He said: “I had to pull out of the race half way round as I was broken mentally and physically. I had massively underestimated just how hard the race would be. I failed miserably and I felt I’d let a lot of people down, including my sponsors Montane.

“I was back the following year, 2017, this time with my race colleague Tom Sutherland and we nailed it after we’d planned and prepared meticulously and much better than before. I really, really wanted it this time.

“It mentally and physically pushed me further and harder than anything I have done before or since. It’s undoubtedly one of my greatest personal achievements I’ve done ... but I never want to do it again.”

Jon, who tasted the heady sweetness of success after the grim, bitter tang of failure, on the Ultra over 12 days with temperatures plunging at time to minus 44 degrees C, said: “At the time I couldn’t see it, but later, with perspective, I came to understand and appreciate that there are actually more lessons that come from failures than successes. To make that decision, to pull out from the first Ultra, was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, but as usual, in hindsight, it was the right one.

Frances Beecher, chief executive of Llamau, thanking Paul Fosh Auctions for its continued support for the charity, spoke of the work of the homelessness charity which cares for some 8,000-plus homeless young people and vulnerable women in Wales annually.

Paul Fosh, of Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions, who completed the 350-mile Likeys 6633 Ultra in 2015, said: “You could have heard a pin drop when Jon took us through his various life challenging expeditions, treks and Everest climbs in his after lunch talk.

“I was thrilled to be able to get Jon to come to talk to us at the Llamau Charity Lunch. Jon is a truly remarkable man who in a relatively short time, he’s only 31, has achieved some really extraordinary feats and has many more to come in the future.”

Llamau is the Paul Fosh Auctions Charity of the Year 2018.

In February 2019, Paul will once more attempt the 300-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra to raise funds for Llamau.

Paul and his team will also take part in Llamau’s Sleep Out on November 22 at Cardiff City Stadium where they will join hundreds of others Sleeping Out for one night to raise awareness and vital funds to help end youth homelessness.

For more details on Jon Gupta and his business visit www.mountain-expeditions.co.uk.