Tom Barber

After leaving Durham University I wrote for a number of national magazines and newspapers. I was on the staff at GQ Magazine for two years before becoming Features Editor and Chief Travel Writer on GQ Active, the spin-off magazine specifically focused on sport, health and travel. In 1999 I left Conde Nast magazines to become Chief Sports Writer at start-up company Sports.com, before going freelance. Directly before setting up Original Travel, I spent three years freelancing and writing features for the London Evening Standard and Metro, and travel features for the Independent on Sunday, Tatler, GQ and Brides Magazine.

My parents are both passionate travellers (my mum adores India, and dad China) and this has very much rubbed off on me. I seem to go through phases – Indian Subcontinent for a couple of years, Africa for a couple of years, Latin America, Middle East etc etc. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into North America and Australasia some day soon although three children aged three or under might well have put paid to that for a few years! Closer to home, I sometimes think we Brits take Europe for granted, but it can still offer the ultimate break, be that mucking around in Swedish Lapland or enjoying some bonkers Spanish festival.