Hi, my name is Gary and travel is my passion.

 

I’ve travelled to many places around the world and somehow managed to survive. If you read some of my stories you too may wonder how the hell I’m still here today, at times getting myself into some particularly sticky situations. And not necessarily through any act of courageousness on my half I may add …… more a healthy mix of young naivety served with a big fat dollop of plain dumb-ass stupidity .…… but as some famous person once said :–

• Adventure‘s the Bread
• Excitement‘s the Butter
• And Danger, why that’s the Strawberry Jam to top it off!

But what were the chain of events that led me to throw a handful of clothes into a backpack and leave everything else I had behind? A good job, my family and friends? Well, it’s like this ……

 

Unlike all the other teens at highschool who were listening to Madonna, getting pissed for the first time and chasing girls round nightclubs, I was a bit of a dork at that time, pretty much only interested in sport, motorcycles and Alice Cooper. By the age of 18 however I found myself leaving British shores for the very first time to play in the World Table Tennis Championships in India. To say it was a bit of a shock to the system for a country-hick like me would be an understatement, but it truly blew me away and it ended up having a profound, life-changing effect on me. From that moment on, every competition I played in around the world was not just a sporting event, but another pin in the world map.

 

(….. I really did have a big map on my bedroom wall with pins in it …..)

 

By 23 I finally realised what I truly wanted to do in life; travel the world. So in a brief moment of clarity I started saving as much as I could and about two years later, with a wedge of cash behind me, I set off on my way.

 

My plan was simple, to go see and do as much as I could before my money ran out. I had absolutely no interest in working along the way either, I just wanted to see the world and have as much fun as I could along the way.

 

When I left home the only thing I had booked was a train to the south coast of England. From there on I’d just wing it.

 

Over the next four years I backpacked from Britain to Bali, through Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia. Then Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego , through Northern, Central and South America (see the Big Trips section), pretty much overland the whole way, getting from A to B by any means available, whether it be train, boat, bus, truck, tuk-tuk, rickshaw, donkey …… whatever.

 

Since those crazy backpacker days I’ve calmed down quite a bit. I found myself a backpacker chick who loves travel as much as me and acquired a cat and a mortgage, but still manage to have a few wild adventures every year to keep life interesting. The only difference these days is I’ve traded in the hostels and dorms for fluffy towels and lodges ……. but I wouldn’t change those backpacker days for the world.

 

This website is to share the many stories and photos I have acquired all these years and to help, guide and maybe even inspire you or others to make that first big leap; to go and see this amazing planet with your own eyes!

 

I promise you, It will be the BEST thing you’ve ever done and you’ll have stories to last a lifetime.

 

I wish you all the luck in The World.

 

Now go explore ……

 

Happy travels!