Alastair Poulain

I have always loved exploring. It started in the playroom at home making expansive dens out of upside down sofas and elaborate cushion configurations. Early on travel was limited to shuttles down the stairs in a cardboard box, until I knocked myself unconscious. I did run away once, but got scared at the first crossroads and burst into tears. On the streets of London in the early 80's our gang used to explore the low tide mark of the Thames and the walls separating the gardens of Stamford Brook, occasionally sleeping out in exotic locations like St Peters Square. The first taste of non family travel came with an infamous cricket tour to Holland when 15 (sorry Dr Austin!) and the revisit on bicycle the following year, living on £8 a day. After that it was Greece, France, The US, Thailand, Australia and then I was truly hooked. The army gave me plenty of opportunity to see new things, albeit by helicopter and laden down with body armour and guns, and then Nick and Tom gave me the opportunity to do all the fun stuff full time.

Too much to see, and too little time to do it: I have yet to set foot in South America, but have spent lots of time elsewhere. Sydney was where I came closest to living, though I did fall in love inappropriately in Turkey and nearly jacked it all in there. I was only 13 though and our parents split us at the end of the week. Anything with the word adventure or challenge will get me signed up, and now with wife and child it just makes the adventure more adventurous. Where have I disliked? A little underwhelmed by Cape Town, though can see why people love living there, and I still don't see why people prefer Fez to Marrakech. It must just be me....