Throughout my working years I have been travelling, meeting wonderful people from all walks of life and sharing wonderful experiences and stories while collecting new friends.
Meeting new faces, learning about new cultures and listening to the tales of others is a dream life I don’t ever want to give up. I’ve travelled in many ways be it boat, plane, car, bicycle, camel or elephant, sometimes sharing experiences with old friends and sometimes setting off on solo journeys of self discovery.
On the road I have been on the receiving end of unbelievable acts of kindness. If you need reminding that the world is, at core, a good place full of wonderful people then by following us on this journey you will be able to see how much people will go out of their way for a good cause. As we update our 'Thank You' list, you will see all those willing to help.
There are a number of amazing people out there who are doing good deeds around the world, a few of which I have been privileged enough to meet and do a little volunteer work or fund-raising for and I'm sure this trip will allow us to meet many more.
'Why do you work just to spend all your money on travelling. You don’t have a thing to show for it?'
For all my friends out there, you will know that I have little if no interest in collecting items of monetary value. I have no property, car, jewels, designer clothes or fancy items. What I do have is my camera, a hard drive to hold all my pictures on and a head full of wonderful memories of the places I have been and the people I have met. I am sure that on this adventure I will be making many more friends and listening to some awe inspiring stories from fellow travellers.
My one weakness is books, I am an avid reader and I like to have myself surrounded in a number of them. What books can offer in terms of inspiration, escape, knowledge, history, education and humour is immeasurable. Travellers often swap books, leave books behind for others to pick up and pass on again. Conversations about books are held around camp fires and in communal areas in hostels. Book club members around the world sit around bottles of merlot enjoying stimulating discussions on the book of the month. Books are read out in community settings to encourage thought and debate.
Books have inspired me, moved me, encouraged me, thrilled me, made me angry, sad, happy, scared or have made me spit out tea from my nose in laughter. I would like more people around the world to have access to these tools of thought.
Book Aid International was the obvious choice. Take a look at their work, voted on the channel 4 website as the number one way to end world poverty. It is a cause worthy of attention.
View from Mount Fuji just before dawn
For the last three years I have been working for Osaka Prefectural government teaching in various junior and senior high schools in the Sakai city area. It has been a wonderful eye opening experience.
Throughout my working years I have been travelling, meeting wonderful people from all walks of life and sharing wonderful experiences and stories while collecting new friends. 
