▁Col in ▁Allen , ▁a ▁test ▁pilot ▁who ▁taught ▁Prince ▁Philip ▁how ▁to ▁fly , ▁brought ▁back ▁ex otic ▁presents ▁and ▁so ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁his ▁son ▁the ▁sense ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁still ▁an ▁exc iting ▁world ▁out ▁there ▁waiting ▁to ▁be ▁expl ored . ▁Among st ▁expl or ers , ▁his ▁hero es ▁are ▁Laur ens ▁van ▁der ▁Post ▁and ▁natural ist ▁Peter ▁Matth i essen . ▁To ▁him , ▁" the ▁greatest ▁expl or ers ▁are ▁people ▁like ▁this ▁who ▁just ▁listen ▁and ▁learn , ▁and ▁don ' t ▁imp ose ." ▁ ▁Allen ▁has ▁two ▁older ▁sister s , ▁K atie ▁and ▁Sus ie . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Brad field ▁College , ▁and ▁read ▁Environment al ▁Science ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁East ▁Ang lia . ▁He ▁joined ▁three ▁scientific ▁exped itions ▁during ▁his ▁last ▁year ▁at ▁university . ▁ ▁High er ▁education ▁ ▁Allen ▁began ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁E col ogy ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Aber de en ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁take ▁the ▁final ▁exam , ▁claim ing ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁planning ▁his ▁first ▁independent ▁expedition ▁from ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Or in oco ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Amazon . ▁ ▁Re ality ▁television ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Allen ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁four ▁stars ▁of ▁the ▁reality ▁ep ic ▁Ex ped ition ▁Africa , ▁air ing ▁on ▁History . ▁The ▁eight - part ▁series ▁followed ▁the ▁team ▁as ▁they ▁ret rac ed ▁the ▁journey ▁of ▁Henry ▁Mort on ▁Stanley ▁in ▁his ▁quest