[There] are people who make a complete and utter mockery of 'democracy' and 'equality' - they're the casualties of the primitive rules of competition which run our society, and the welfare state just keeps them alive. That's all.

After Python he began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. In 1984 he reunited with Terry Gilliam to appear in Brazil. In recognition of his services to the promotion of geography Palin was awarded the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in March 2009 along with a Fellowship to the Society.

His journeys have taken him across the world including the North and South Poles the Sahara Desert the Himalayas Eastern Europe and most recently Brazil. Before Monty Python they had worked on other shows such as the Ken Dodd Show The Frost Report and Do Not Adjust Your Set. Palin continued to work with Jones after Python co-writing Ripping Yarns.