Ten years ago...

Ten years ago I said to a mate 'if we don't get this journalism traineeship then let's cycle to the South Africa World Cup and make stories en route.' We didn't get it, but he got another job. So, I found three keen strangers to join me after they answered to my Metro article. The team dynamics weren't great, I got stung by something on my lip, I fell off my bike at 30mph an hour and got stitched up in an Ethiopian hospital after being flung in a local bus with chicken flapping at my feet, I contracted celulitis and my right leg ballooned to twice the size as my left, and my journalism career never really properly took off. But, it was an incredibly wonderful journey, my vagina balls swelled to the size of She-Ra's and I realised that I could do anything or go anywhere that seeped into my dreams. . . Ten years later, I've still been galavanting around. The hardest challenge for me has always been staying put and trying to settle. After a wonderful 2019, on a journey randomly meandering around Britain and Ireland to swim with whoever would invite me, I've actually found myself in one place for 4 months, and more importantly longing for longer. Hurrah for Bristol. . . We're encouraged to chase the things that get you excited about living. I think I'll always be a wanderer, but now I'm excited about being in one place, and trying to attain that focus needed to tap down some of these stories and bloody well get to the end of this book that I've said I'm writing. And I hope, by the end of this decade I'll get them done. Much love to everyone who's reflected and questioned their lives. Life is a struggle and we're all doing great ❤️ @ Bristol UK