Time moves quickly, it is not long ago that we were young people wanting to grow up fast and rushing to be the “what I want to be when I’m older” person. When I was little I remember one day I got asked that very question, my response; “a lawyer”. I can honestly say I did not endeavor to become a lawyer and nor am I a lawyer or working towards being one now. In my mind at that age I wanted to be a lawyer so I could swim with dolphins, I think the two link because I thought I would have the pennies to then be able to swim with them, who knows!
For me, I ended up taking a route that allowed me to be active and outdoors. I took the pathway of outdoor education, this journey opened up many doors and opportunities which in turn spiked my interest in nature, the environment, travelling and photography.
Throughout my education I was lucky enough to trial various adventurous activities in an array of locations, whether that was learning to kayak down the road in the local river, across the country to surf the waves in Cornwall or up to Scotland where I reached the top of Ben Nevis via the Carn Mor Dearg Arete. I cannot put into words what the view was like up there, not because I cannot find the right words but because there was no view, it was a rather fog filled day where visibility was as low as the next 10 meters in front of you.
Anyway, lets keep going….
Studying Adventure Education and the University of Chichester was probably one of the best things I could have done. This course was over four years with the third year being a placement year. This for me was one of my biggest years, I managed to go all the way to New Zealand and become a Sea Kayak guide and surf, hike and explore in my spare time. Not only was I outdoors in varying environments, I was able to experience the culture and a different way of living. Walking around barefoot was acceptable, since then I have never really liked wearing shoes, where possible I am barefoot or a flip-flop kind of person.
This is where the “travel bug” really came out to play. My first foot steps into exploring more of the world we live in. Kayaking through coastal rock gardens, surfing the perfect wave, hiking through the never ending vines and ferns to extraordinary views and meeting many people along the way gave me that feeling that I have never been able to escape. Exploring, seeking, adventuring to different heights, different grounds, Seeing the outdoors and what it has to offer, fed the internal me to want to go out and do it! ….So here I am, working in the outdoor industry combining my love for the outdoors with work and my hobby of photography to help document all the opportunities that arise along the way.
Oh and encase your wondering, although not a lawyer I have managed to be up close to dolphins and see them in their natural habitat, and that is as good as it gets!
Here’s to the world we live in and the hope that we can love and look after it and let others grow up to see all the fascinating places it has to offer.
