When I was younger we never journeyed anywhere as a family, so my love of travel really started at university when I spent one summer teaching English in Romania, in what turned out to be one of the most transformative trips I have ever experienced. It was just after the fall of communism and it was a real eye-opener for me to see people, the same age as me, living such different lifestyles - something I’d only really glimpsed on the news. They had all lived through the turmoil and violence of the events of 1989, so meeting them and hearing their stories really piqued my interest in the wider world.
After graduating, I taught English in Japan and then I went to Australia, where I spent some time as a door-to-door salesman. When I eventually came home, it was short-lived - I spent the next ten years as a UK tax-exile, tour-leading in over 60 countries from North Korea to Mali. On one occasion where I returned to London, I met Jonny. I thought I’d been to some of the most adventurous places out there before I met him! I attended one of Jonny’s talks on Afghanistan and he thought I was spying for a rival travel company, but I was just interested in what Wild Frontiers did and now I head up the Product and Operations department (and also, regrettably, have to pay tax!)
With my product hat on, I’m always looking at new areas to which we can travel - a role which is endlessly exciting, especially as the world changes. It’s important that we keep that Wild Frontiers’ edge on emerging destinations. But it’s also about visiting familiar places in new ways.
From the operational side, it’s really about managing the constant challenges that come up on tours, the ever changing rules and regulations and just making sure that everything on the road happens as planned. It’s no easy task and assuredly a 24/7 job as we will almost always have several clients travelling at any given time to one of the 90+ destinations we offer.
BEST TRAVEL MOMENTS
Favourite city
Cusco - it’s a truly amazing city. Having been not only the Inca capital but also an important Spanish colonial city, it has great historical significance, so you get an incredible mix of the old and the new. It also has some of the country’s best restaurants and accommodation and being located high up (3400m) in the Andes, it serves also as a great base for visiting the nearby Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. You could easily spend a week or more there and not even touch the surface.
I also have a special place in my heart for Sana’a in Yemen. With its 14,000 UNESCO World Heritage medieval tower houses, this is a city like no other. It has so much character.
Favourite country
This tends to change on a regular basis but as things stand now, I would have to say Iran as it was the country that most confounded my expectations. I was admittedly a little anxious about visiting for the first time as it’s never portrayed very well in the media, but I was taken aback by the proverbial kindness of strangers. Most Iranians I met were very highly educated and had a much more sophisticated and balanced view of the world than I could ever have anticipated. Beyond the people themselves, I was truly stunned to find not only incredible architecture and a fascinating history but also breathtakingly beautiful mountains, valleys and deserts. As a travel destination, it really doesn’t get any better than Iran…even without alcohol!
Favourite meal
Injera. It may look like carpet underlay (it really does) but I could eat this Ethiopian staple any day of the week.
Also, if you go to Mongolia, you have to try Airag. This fermented horse milk, frequently offered to visitors, is alcoholic, so be careful when partaking as it can really creep up on you.
Most memorable journey
Driving the Leh-Manali highway, crossing four Himalayan mountain passes. It’s not as well-known as the Karakoram Highway but it’s just as breathtaking, if not more so in places. Starting in the lowlands, travelling through peaceful hill stations and then up into the high Himalayas reaching the Tibetan plateau to Leh at 3500 metres - it’s just spectacular!
Favourite travel advice
Expect to get ripped off three times in every new country you go to. It is likely to happen at least once or twice but if you expect three times, you’ll be pleasantly surprised rather than angry that you overpaid on your water by 20p.
What you should know before travelling
If you’re travelling to northern Greece, North Macedonia or Bulgaria you should be aware that they each lay claim to the heritage of Alexander the Great and the legacy of ancient Macedonia. It’s a fascinating and very controversial subject so it’s worth reading up on it prior to travelling to avoid any potential faux pas.
Best thing to pack before travelling
When you expect to be tackling dusty roads, it’s worth having something to cover your mouth and nose - I would have recommended packing a bandana, but you’ll probably have masks to do the job now!
Also, when I travelled to Nicaragua, I found gaiters to be really helpful in keeping rocks out of my boots when climbing up or running down volcanoes. They go right up to your knee and are waterproof, so they’ll keep your feet dry too.
Next on your must-see list
I’d like to go to Ukraine and Moldova. I have family ties back to Ukraine and I think its position on the edge of Europe and the border of Russia makes it hugely significant from a historical and modern standpoint. I’m also very intrigued to visit Chernobyl and to explore the cobbled streets of UNESCO Lviv.