But if Mr Brown really is a "conviction politician", as he claims, then so far (to reverse the slogan invented for him by the Tories' old advertising agency) he has been Not Gordon, Just Flash.
From the Antarctic Peninsula, where their numbers were impressive, the Orion's route took us north again and then far east, to South Georgia island, where their numbers were staggering.
On a rare fine evening this week I walked down from the old church by way of Clogwyn Melyn and then far out on to Traeth Bach to fetch up close to Trwynypenrhyn.
Since then, far from keeping to his word, the England manager has enthusiastically undertaken a winter fact-finding mission there (current temperature 30C) from the UK.
Becoming prime minister was then far enough away to say anything, so it is no wonder that Cameron faced a humiliating rebellion from 81 of his MPs when they tried to vote for a referendum in 2011.
After returning, I try leaning forward against the locker, taking some of my weight on my kneecaps, but am then far too low to type, and also look like an idiot.
The other person is then far more likely to show you respect.
If it was another disappointment for India, then far from another humiliation to add to those of the past weeks this brought with it the promise of better things.
But if Mr Pinker is right, then secularisation has far to go in some Western countries.
Indeed: Prices for identical products can differ by as much as 300 percent from one supermarket chain to another, which means that customers have to carefully study the lists and then possibly travel far to make the most of them.
