About · Introduction · The Team · Voladores

John Taylor
Johnny is another of the civilians on the team, so when he is not on expeditions, he works in the electronics department in a factory for car-parts. "Solving problems and fixing things is my work. My job exists to fix whatever someone else has done wrong, so I always get calls asking if i can fix this or that, and once a problem is solved, a new one is waiting for you."

Johnny started exploring caves at the tender age of four. One day his plan was to climb some mountains with some friend, but when they arrived, they realised that it would not be possible to scale the peak. "Hey, did we bring all this rope for nothing? What are we going to do?" The solution: Entering a nearby cave, the Eldon Hole, in Derbyshire, England.

Since then he's never stopped. Caving has become a very important part of his life because "when you're inside a cave, the most important issue is taking care of yourself, to know where you're going to put your feet, and what equipment to use. These are the two most important focuses you must never lose. From caving you learn how to become more responsible and balance your decisions, because you know that your life depends on what you choose." In this sense, Johnny refers to that what happens in caves closely resemble our daily lives.

Teamwork is not only necessary, for Johnny it's also something very good, because "On expeditions there's always someone who's in charge, who co-ordinates the team, but this is not the only thing that team-work is made of. To me, the real difference is trust, knowing that I can count on the rest of the team, and that they feel they can rely on me, is truly uplifting."

"I am attracted by two things in caving: one is the risk, and the other aspect I like is the beauty hidden away underground, and the excitement when you find a completely unknown passage is unlike any other. Just imagine coming across something nobody else has seen before, something which was just waiting to be discovered by you." His eyes shine as he recalls an expedition in Istanbul: "I remember I was walking through a narrow passage, and entered a chamber. When I looked up I saw this wonderful space, bearing perfect proportions - pure beauty."

What is Johnny doing when he is not caving or working? "Climbing is the other thing I enjoy best. I have a spot in England that I like because of the mountains, and you can also find some caves in the area," he says grinning.

As for most of the cavers in this expedition, this is his first trip to Mexico, and he, too, is thrilled by all the things he has seen so far. "I remember that my Dad used to tell me stories about the American Indians, about how they look, act and how they interact with nature. I was reminded of his tales the other day, while walking down the road. There were two Indians coming towards me, and only when they were really close could I really understand what he had meant with how their look is different. Not their physical appearance, but the way they look at the world. People look directly into your eyes and that gives me a lot of trust - it's a very comforting feeling."

Does he want to publish a special message here on the web? He thinks a little and says:
"To Mel Howard y Malc: Vote for me, I'm on the website!"