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.

Those of you who follow my blog will know how much I enjoy travelling to Colombia. The country has had my attention since I first hopped off the plane back in 2014 on just a short layover. Since then, I have been back 4 times…and I am not done with the country yet! In a few weeks’ time I will be hopping on a plane back to Colombia; I cannot think of a better place to start travelling again after COVID restrictions lift!

Making new friends and acquaintances on the road is one of my favourite things about being a solo traveller. I have not only explored all corners of the globe and travelled in the most unconventional ways, to the most amazing places, I’ve also met some of the nicest, kindest people out there. Travelling is not just about how many countries you visit, or how long you spend on a trip, it’s about the people you meet on the way.

Training in winter is never easy, but this year, the added complication of COVID has made getting out in the hills extra hard. Finally, this weekend, after months of delays and cancellations, myself and a friend ventured to Wales to get some training in.
Under UK guidelines, physical training like this is allowed if you gain permission and follow restrictions. So, I waited for the ‘go-ahead’, gathered a friend and headed out to camp in the Brecons for the night. The virus meant not only dates, times, and location of the trip were affected, but so were the number of people who could come, and which friends felt they were up for struggles and hardships of ruthless winter training. Despite the challenges, I was overjoyed to finally have the opportunity to be out in nature again, doing what I love most.

Well, what a year 2020 has been for international travel and explorers like myself.
Unsurprisingly, the travel and tourism industry has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. It put a halt in so many people’s travel plans, including my own. After many cancellation emails later, I’ve come to accept 2020 was just not the year for international travel. Though it has been disappointing in many ways, 2020 has inspired me to get my head down and make plans for my future trips in the year to come.

So. I am officially an author. I never thought I would say that, but after 9 months of writing, persistence and hard work, I have finally published my first book. It wasn’t easy, but I’m proud to say ‘The Essequibo River’ is now available to purchase on Amazon.

I’m never home for long before I start to feel the urge to go on another adventure. Planning an expedition is a lot of work. These are some of the things that I consider when choosing my next big adventure and prepare for it.

REVIEW: How the SPOT Gen 3 GPS connected me to loved ones on my latest adventure better than ever
My adventures take me beyond the realms of mobile data service. And certainly outside the bounds of a Wi-Fi hotspot. So when I’m travelling, a satellite GPS tracker is an essential part of my kit for maintaining vital communication, wherever I am in the world.

How a cycling novice faced down hypothermia, a crash, and torrential weather on a 1000 mile cycle expedition from the UK to Northern Spain