Alright, buckle up for a wild ride. I've always been drawn
to the far reaches of the globe, hungry to absorb every bit of culture,
cuisine, and scenery that I can get my hands on.
Growing up, my household was a mix of geopolitics and
playtime. While other kids were flipping through comic books, I was learning to
ID Soviet planes and submarines by their silhouettes. And forget normal family
vacations—mine involved re-enacting the Battle of Waterloo with French kids
while my toy soldiers duked it out. I stormed the beaches of Normandy and spent time hunting for the Loch Ness Monster. I grew up on the North Cornwall coast
exposed to the westerly gales and smell of cow shit.
I was a den-building, adventure-reading machine, thanks to
hours spent in the company of tales of daring. My mother taught me the art of
cooking and trying new flavours, while my grandmother showed me the beauty of the
outdoors, teaching me about every flower and plant we stumbled upon. My Father
gave me the wanderlust through his life of adventure, he taught me patience and attention to detail, through model aircraft and Hornby railways.
My life has been a rollercoaster. I’ve set plenty of goals
and actually met some whilst others slipped through my fingers. Each stumble
taught me something new, shaping me into the person I am today. I am a father, explorer, raconteur and adventurer.
My true calling came to me in the misty mountains of Wales,
then pulled me on expeditions through South America, the jungles of Belize, to
Asia and the wilds of Africa. I have dodged landmines in the name of humanitarianism.
I discovered both the best and worst parts of myself, fuelling an insatiable
desire to wander and to see what beauty this world of ours has to share.
Give me an old map or a new one, toss in an oriental rug and
a good story, and I'm in my element. I live for cooking up a storm for friends
and watching the world go by, absorbing conversations and chance encounters
like a sponge.
Nowadays, you can find me immersing myself in the vibrant
chaos of New York City, where every corner holds a new adventure just waiting
to be discovered.
