At one point on the expedition, I actually had to move a python from the path in front of me which was surreal, to say the least. On the same day, we also had to wait two hours for a female orangutan to move off our path. It would not have been safe to scoot around her- they are bigger than you think. Eventually, she shifted and we were able to continue with our hike. Seeing the Orangutans close though was an incredible experience…and the excitement didn’t end there. I’ll never forget watching the Macaque monkeys steal our pancakes on my 18th birthday morning. Not very typical for a young man's 18th, but nevertheless, I was over the moon to be chilling out with the Macaques on my birthday.

Envisage your first lads holiday: a quick two-hour flight to Spain, a week of sun, and a load of booze and babes...
Well, I had my sights set on something slightly different for my 18th birthday.
I was 17 years old and had just left my first job at the local zoo. Shortly after leaving, I received a cheque from the taxman for £800. That is a lot of money for a 17-year-old and I had no idea what to do with it.