When I decided to spend a whole year exploring the small map I live on, I hoped it would help me slow down, pay attention, discover new places and learn more about nature. Each week I explored a single one-kilometre grid square, picked at random. The project helped me to build a routine of exercise, fresh air and mental headspace. It was an opportunity to step away from emails and beeping notifications for a few hours each week. As such, I wanted as little to do with my phone’s tempting distractions as possible. But, if used with purpose and self-control, my phone was also a very useful tool i ..read more

I love this explanation, by Morgan Hite, of the difficulties of returning home from adventures.   I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the lees: all times I have enjoyed Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those That loved me and alone; on shore and when Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vexed the dim sea: I am become a name; —Tennyson, Ulysses After the adventure I am expected to go home. I arrive there, carefully carrying the thick, tattered web of bonds I had with my fellows, torn apart and divided up too hurriedly at the parting. All their ghosts are still ..read more

Sometimes, as an author, you receive glowing book reviews. That is a lovely feeling. Sometimes, as an author, you receive not very glowing book reviews. That is a less lovely feeling. I have been having some fun with my #notveryglowingbookreviews, turning them into blackout poems like @katejbaer and @austinkleon – “a ritual that reclaims the vitriol and inspires readers to transform what is ugly or painful in their own lives into something beautiful.” I have quit my dream life. I fear this simply underlines how unwise it is to bash other people! The end is a beginning. Is ..read more

Shouting from the Shed Hi again, In the last newsletter I started with an impromptu riff about trying to figure out what to get my teeth into now that I’ve finished writing Local. I was touched by how many of you got in touch with ideas. Thank you! I love getting emails in response to these newsletters (just hit ‘reply’). Your suggestions offered great food for thought – not least of all through discounting ideas that several people recommended but which do not&n ..read more

Shouting from the Shed Hi again, The mornings are getting lighter, birds are singing again, and life feels good. Now that the dust has settled from launching my book, Local (did I mention that I’d written a book…? ) I’m a bit of a limbo phase trying to work out what to do next. I’d like to keep pursuing some of the key themes from that book, but feel I need to wait a bit first to see whether they gain any traction. I’d like to write more ..read more

“My thoughts first turned to adventure 10,500 days ago today. The idea of adventure for me at first was simple and uncomplicated. It was the prospect of excitement, fun, and novelty that were pulling me forward, and the push of escaping from the grinding treadmill of everyday life that pushed me from behind. I leapt into the opportunity with little doubt or questioning. I was 18 years old, and the opportunity to spend a year living and working in a tiny, remote, obscure dusty forgotten corner of Africa was an exciting privilege that I never gave much thought to or contemplated turning down. It ..read more

I recently asked the wonderful readers of my newsletter for a bit of advice on what things I should focus my attention on for the next few months and years. I thought I’d share the results here, partly to show the respondents that I appreciate their effort and have paid attention; partly because I hope it might help you with your newsletters / plans; and partly because it’s a way of me thinking out loud and trying to reach some conclusions… Here are the results of the questions, plus my conclusions on them. First, a bit of info on the demographics of my readers, and those who chose to respond ..read more

Shouting from the Shed Hi again, Here are some things I’d like to share with you today: I’m challenging people to climb the 7 Summits of their neighbourhood this year. Does that sound like a fun challenge? Here’s how to do it. Filling a computer with beans. Comedy. I’m doing a talk in Kingston, west London on Feb 21. Still some tickets left. Come along if you can! “What I used to do was…” is a great way to open the door to what you’re going to do tomorrow. Reall ..read more

In the journey of life, we often find ourselves at crossroads, contemplating the path less traveled versus the familiar road. Drawing parallels from a life dedicated to adventure, we can extract profound lessons that not only motivate us but also offer practical wisdom for navigating our professional and personal landscapes. #### The Genesis of Adventure Adventure doesn’t begin with a grandiose declaration; it starts with a whisper, a subtle nudge towards the unknown. It was 10,500 days ago that the journey began, not with an elaborate plan, but with a simple yearning for more beyond the confi ..read more

I enjoy compiling reading lists for people to discover, such as these recommendations of good adventure books, sorted by categories. And every so often I share online this photo of great adventure books written by women. It always generates fabulous responses in the comments. So I decided to collate the responses on Instagram and Facebook, stick them into ChatGPT to tidy them up, and share them here: my readers’ recommendations of fabulous adventure books by women. My next step needs to be to add links and summaries, but one step at a time, eh? And please do share in the comments section belo ..read more