Honestly, I don’t know how to do introductions. I prefer to just dive in, and get to the topic at hand. This was true of my early primary school days, and it remains true now. That being said, I think it would be pertinent to provide you all with a brief overview as to who I am, how I came to love travel, and why I have started this site. With that in mind, I’m James, and here’s my travel story:

Compared to many others in this realm, I came to travel relatively late. Growing up, financial constraints ensured that family holidays weren’t really a thing for my siblings and I. The furthest we travelled as kids was usually to Sheffield, to see the family at Christmas. Or to ‘exotic’ destinations such as Hamilton, or Bristol, or Reading, for sporting commitments. Because of these circumstances, I never really developed a love of travel. I never developed any sort of curiosity about the world at large. Even into my early 20s, I never saw myself as a traveller. Sure, I went on the occasional school trip, but the educational nature of these ensured that they weren’t particularly exciting. I thought I would remain on Britain’s grey, gloomy, rainswept shores for the rest of my life, and I was perfectly fine with that.

All this changed in December 2022. I had just turned 25. My grandad had just died. And I suddenly realised I wanted to see more of the world. Whether either of these events had an impact on this sentiment, I am unsure, but it was there regardless. I started out with Cologne, primarily to see the cathedral. From there, I went to Budapest, Dresden, Bratislava, the Czech Republic, and Andalusia, and have not long returned from my first Transatlantic trip to New York City. Eventually, I plan to get out to Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and South America. On that cold December day, I realised what I had been missing out on all these years, and became determined to make up for lost time.

So, with all this being said, why exactly have a decided to start a travel blog? Well, there are two answers to this question. The first is that, simply put, I love talking about travel. As my (very bored) friends and family will attest, I will yap to anyone who will listen about the places I’ve been, the places I’ve seen, and the places I would like to visit in future. As much as travel is a recent interest of mine, it is one that has really taken root, and running this blog will allow me to fully indulge it and share my passion with the wider world.

The second answer is that I would like to encourage other people who aren’t really natural travellers to give it a go. Look, I get it – travel is daunting. As a diagnosed autistic, I know this more than most. Being naturally disorganised, and prone to anxiety, it is something which presents me with significant challenges. However, the more frequently I have done it the more I have realised it isn’t actually that hard. If I can travel, then pretty much anyone can. So many blogs in this sphere focus on the typical, ultra-extroverted backpacker demographic, but in doing so they neglect to focus on everyday people. That’s the niche I am aiming to fill.

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy reading my little blog. I hope it helps you. I hope it inspires you. And, in the words of MGMT, I hope you take what you need from it. My travel adventure may have only started recently, but I have no plans to end it anytime soon. So buckle up, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.