Isolated Living

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

Living the dream can be tough - especially if that dream's to get away from the rat race. Cutting ourselves off from the safety and comforts of modern living to be at one with nature in far away lands, takes a special kind of resolve. 

Living in the UK, within a major city like London with food readily available on the doorstep and where the protection from emergency services gives us a greater sense of security and the belief we can live without fear, leaves us more worry-free time to get on with doing what we enjoy. But it could also be said that the illusion of city security stops us taking risks and takes away the very essence of what truly makes us feel alive. 

Opting for a riskier path is something a select group of families have gone for in exchange for a daily life full of adventure, by escaping to the wild. They have chosen to live in potentially dangerous parts of the world - gaining a level of freedom that we, in our developed cities, do not have. 

One thread that I observed while watching Ken Mcloud's documentaries, was how passionate the men were to have found meaningful purpose in their daily lives. The women were also complimentary of their chosen paths but nowhere near as much as the men - and likely spoke more in terms of their commitment to the cause in support of their partner, relationship and greater good of the family. 

Having a protector/provider role and a use for the fight/flight mechanism other than avoiding a drunk down the pub on a Saturday night or sticking up some shelves in the kitchen with the man-drill just doesn't cut it, so I can appreciate the extremes some guys are going to, often somewhat selfishly and at the expense of isolation from other friends and family. There needs to be more middle ground - meaningful, self-sustained living options available closer to home. With the rise of new trends in self-builds, off-grid and sustainable living, maybe we'll see more of these kind of living options closer to home and without the need for such isolation extremism. 

On The Up

HIDDEN GEMS

If you are looking for a great place to stay and eat while on your travels, some of Britain's history-rich country Inns are arguably amongst the best in the world for offering friendly service, comfortable accommodation and sumptuous fare. 

Driving through quaint villages on medieval coach roads - long since used as major routes and passed over by the masses on busy motorways, these long-standing abodes are the little gems where that bit of magic awaits those who venture out along the roads less travelled. 

The Roads To Discovery

There's something very special about that feeling we get, stumbling across a new place never visited or known about before. Having a 'discovery' moment is up there as one of my greatest feelings as it ignites the adventurer spirit in me. It's not that these ancient places haven't been around for hundreds of years before hand, but the feeling that you've 'found' this special place - a diamond in the rough, a sanctuary for the weary in that time of need - feeds a satisfaction that expectations can never deliver. 

Great Expectations

When something is really good - the hardest thing possible is to keep it consistently up there. Renowned chefs like Gordon Ramsey, who are furiously working at very high levels under close scrutiny, will vouch for this. The fact is, very few can keep to these sustained levels, especially in the food and hospitality industry. There are just too many variables to consider and it's almost impossible to deliver consistently over and over again, keeping everyone happy all of the time. That's why discovery delivers positive results over expectation fro delivery the vast majority of the time. 

Up and over

The places that I consider to be the best - are either those that offer such good value for their modestly understated excellence (like a simple cafe called Pumblechooks in Wapping does consistently well) or those that are working fervently towards it and therefore deserve accolade for their passion attaining it. These are the the 'UP' or the 'ON THE UP' places that we seek. 

Diminishing returns

Because I find the thrill of discovery so rewarding, I refrain from going back to the same places for fear of diminishing a special memory. There's so many new discoveries to be made, why be lazy and relive something that can't possibly deliver the same or better quality as first experienced? 

There are exceptions to the rule however - and these places just have something that much more to give, that they can be visited 2, 3 or more times without losing their appeal - but they are very rare. One such place that we love, is The Kings Arms in Hurley. An Inn located near Winchester, steeped in British history, connected to Cromwell and royalty. 

However, as with many great discoveries, they eventually get discovered by the masses. They peak to greatness and eventually fall to complacency - and hence, the magic inevitably diminishes. It's strange, but you can actually feel the spark has gone the moment you arrive in a diminishing 'UP AND OVER' place, as we did today. Under new management means on this occasion that the person holding the magic has moved on to pastures new. It's saddening but as a chapter closes on this once great place, the quest for discovering an exciting new 'UP' place begins once again. 

LImiting Choice

LETTING FATE TAKE A HAND

There are so many options available to us in this modern age. With the Internet, it's become increasingly easy to discover new places and things to see & do. This means that good places are listed for all to see and hidden gems remain hidden no more. 

Finding a place to go during peak holiday times such as the weekend when the kids break up from school, can be neigh on impossible to those unwilling to look hard enough. On these busy times, main routes are chock-full as hoards of families take to the roads. Accommodation has already been pre-booked up in advance and finding anywhere to stay last minute near a beach is a no-go zone in the UK. 

This is the time when I like to leave the decisions to fate. As I for one, like to include an element of adventure and spontaneity in my travels that most cannot stomach - particularly at these most busy times of year. I always have a tent in the car just in case, but there is always a hidden little gem - a cancellation, a discount for last minute or a quiet, picturesque place to stay, just a short distance from the hot-spots where one can enjoy the serenity of nature and a breakfast in solitude watching the wildlife go about their day.

Road trips

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Taking a ride along roads to places new can be likened to roads of discovery in other areas of our life too. Having time to think as the world passes us - moving away from home, work – leaving our worries behind, allows new thoughts to open up and bring about a freer state of being. This was the idea behind the mind-altering trip that the Merry Pranksters took in their bus way back at the start of the hippy revolution in 1964. Those heady psychedelic days may now be gone, but the open road is still there for another kind of mind-altering trip.

Looking for any evidence to support the happiness I feel when I'm on the road, I can only find religious references. It's interesting that so much is put on discovery of religion but little comes up on self discovery through travel. The closest I have found is through reading The Art of Travel by Alain Botton - although, he ventures further afield to find himself through travel and art. Yet, simply whizzing along in a car is largely overlooked in this profound book for having any life epiphanies take place and it really can be that simple.

When those poor lost souls 'discover' religion, they are moving from their current 'place' or state of mind - where they are weighed down with all their life baggage - to a newer place in their minds where they feel the merits of discovery in the form of religion. It's all merely a state of mind - can't they see that? So, I'd concede that this same baggage-dropping state can equally be found by going on a journey to new places in a car.

The very act of driving means we are constantly in the moment - checking the road situation, reading signs, maps, gauges. It's a form of meditation in itself - especially so on those long trips that demand extended periods of concentration. For a passenger, it's a very confronting state as the responsibility for safety is on the driver. This allows all other thoughts to flow through the mind and this is where we can practice the art of observing these thoughts as they pass in front of us - choosing which ones to listen to and take action on.

This quality time can prove to be the best for making tough life decisions and is a place for coming to the realisation that whatever baggage we've 'left' behind, can even be left behind on our return from being on the road to discovery.

Alpe D'Huez Megavalanche

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE

The mountains hold something special for me and many others that flock to these magnificent peaks for clean air, views, walks and adrenalin-fuelled sports. 

Downhill mountain biking

It's pretty crazy what some people will do for their kicks - like hurtling down a mountain on a bike. Yet, there is something so invigorating about speeding over rocks and through twisting, dusty, bumpy bends with serious injury or death just inches/moments away. Some of the kids today make it look very easy...

Resetting the brain

Concentrating hard on which line to take and focussing intently on the terrain, we leave our bodies to work at the best of it's ability - we enter the flow state. It's like a kind of meditation. All other thoughts leave the mind and stay out of our thoughts for many hours and sometimes days after the ride. And if there's been any negativity or depressing thoughts before the ride - they are banished and the mind becomes reset for a time, certainly until the inevitable return from the sanctuary that is The Alps. 

Run For The Hills

THE IDEAL MAN SPA

It's a bit of a generalisation to say that women like to be pampered more than men, but for me, the idea of a spa weekend is not something I'd ever do with a group of male friends. Not to say I don't like a massage or a Jacuzzi - it's just that men don't really know how to really look after themselves in that regard and if they ever do go to a spa - it's not really discussed with their mates. Again, I'm generalising. But....this weekend, I've realised what an ideal spa break for me is. A trip to the mountains for some life-threatening activities, followed by death-cheating celebratory drinking filled with many moments of laughter.

It's amazing how much clarity of thought you can get after really concentrating on not hurting yourself up a mountain - all other worries and concerns are pushed right out of the mind. It's the exhilaration and thrill of doing something potentially dangerous with your friends with a bit of competition thrown in and banter in the pub afterwards that make my man-spa weekends. And for a bit of conventional spa treatment - booking in at a spa hotel like the Grandes Rousses Hotel where we stayed, means theres even a jacuzzi to relax in too.

Discovery

DOORSTOP ADVENTURES

To keep our adventurous spirit alive, we have to daily seek out new experiences. Fresh perspectives on life will be found as we discover new horizons and we needn't board a plane to do this. 

There's so much adventure to be experienced from right here on our doorsteps and it often only takes a slight deviation from the path to stumble upon some amazing discoveries. We have only a limited time on this planet and yet, so many of us repeat the same old routines day in and day out, never looking to try something new.

There's a rich and rewarding world out there just waiting for us to discover it. New sights, sounds, tastes to sample and interesting people to meet. Some of this can be found just around the next corner. We just need to start off our day with an inquisitive mind and a realisation that so much can be discovered if we are open for adventure. 

Making Good Returns

DIMINISHING RETURNS

There's so many great places to explore, new people to meet and exciting experiences of adventure - all out there waiting for that brave step into the unknown. So, why is there ever a need to go back to somewhere we've been before? If the first time was great - will the second time be as good... In my experience - no. It's very hard to live up to the first time so it's better to strive for somewhere new and take the risk. The more we try, the better we see and hence I try and stick to my motto - 'never go back.'

Barceló Illetas Abatros

Sometimes, when something is so good, when a 'go for what you know' is a sure bet - it makes perfect sense to go back. This hotel in Mallorca was just as great this weekend as it was for me two years ago. So the never go back motto now has been modified....The secret to going back now is to have new places to explore as well. That way, if the new doesn't inspire, there's always the known places to enjoy!

Out Of The Flow

NON CONFORMITY

Going with the flow can be a happy solution - a compromise for getting a group of people together or doing something easy to keep a balanced status quo. This works some of the time - but breaking free from the school and swimming upstream can get us to new places, experiences and allow us to make some amazing discoveries. 

Yesterday, for example, rather than go areas and venues already known and likely get drunk in on the bank holiday, we made a pact to go places not visited before. We walked. Planning out little bars and cafes on the way, we took a route that we'd never experienced on foot before. Stockwell. It's mid way between Balham and London Bridge and cut through by a long and seemingly dull busy road usually travered in a car, bus or bike. 

First discovery was to learn of a strong Portuguese and South American community. The Brazilian cafe on the main road offers a selection of tasty snacks and beverages, entertaining us with lively carnival music to make you feel like you're in Rio! A short detour from the main road revealed a beautiful set of grand houses and small park. Just off the square is a community space called Van Gogh Walk and a placard on one of the houses marks the place Van Gogh lived at in his time spent here working in London! Swtiching on the geocache app - we learned that there's another three regeneration areas in Kennington, all with a GeoCache to find making the experience even more like a treasure hunt. 

Carrying on our walk, the White Bear Theatre is just up from the Oval and has a very intimate space showing some very well received plays - The Pictures of Dorian Gray is now booked. We finished off our little walk with a visit to a quaint little pub called The Old Red Lion - a pub I've passed maybe a thousand times and now realised is a true London gem. It's definitely a pub I'll be visiting again soon. 

All in all, we managed to entertain ourselves with a long walk of discovery right here on the doorstep - and like Vincent Van Gogh, who also professed his love for walking the same route, we took on life from a completely different perspective and through breaking convention/conformity, found some hidden treats away from the usual places in our weekend of adventure.

Walking Moments

THE LONG WALK

Hiking long distances over rugged terrain in places of sublime natural beauty, can help open the mind for thoughts to flow and evoke a consciousness akin to that experienced when meditating. The very act of walking can bring about a sense of calm and isolation in the mountains is not the only way to access this mental state. Walking even short distances across a busy city like London, can bring about a clarity of thought that cuts through the noise and allows us to sense things around us and discover them as they really are.

This is how I, after many years of living in London, discovered parts of my home city that I'd never realised were there before and rediscovered those that I thought I knew well. Walking slowly from Wapping to Waterloo along the north rather than the south bank of the river, allowed me to take on a different perspective and view of the buildings, bridges and ships that line the Thames. Allowing more time than would usually take me to walk this route - essentially halving my usual double pace and regularly stopping to look about me, gave much pleasure and feelings of adventure. Sitting on benches never before sat on, gave yet another perspective as my eyes were fully opened to observe the ornate details on the bench itself and admire the hard work an artist had put in to create a beautifully detailed and interesting mosaic, tucked away from sight just a moment away from the busy main road.

The West Highland Way

It was four years ago today that we were walking through the Scottish Highlands on the famous West Highland Way. It wasn't the right time for me to really appreciate a walk of almost 100 miles back then. I mostly recall thoughts of boredom and not ones of great revelation as I stayed fixated on the end of the journey rather than fully appreciating the moments as I journeyed along. I know I'd treat this kind of adventure differently if taken today.

I'm currently reading an amazing book by Rory Stewart called, The Places in Between. In it, Rory talks about one man's journey walking through some of the planet's most inhospitable terrain, encountering cultures cut off from the rest of the world, often putting himself in life-threatening situations but at the same time experiencing the raw vibrancy of life by taking on an adventure into the unknown. I can't say I was in any real danger yesterday but I had an amazing journey of discovery and wonder that was found here - right on my doorstep.

We can all experience this feeling of adventure if we allow ourselves time and space to really use our senses for experiencing the environment and all the amazing things that surround us every day.

Weekend Get Aways

THE PEAK DISTRICT

Being in a major city like London, you have so much entertainment right on the doorstep. Theatre, film, culture and of course great pubs, restaurants and bars to meet with friends and have some fun. However, we have other great places of natural beauty also just on our doorstep. The Peak District can be reached by rail or car and is just a short 3hr journey away. There's great things to do like horse riding, hiking, cycling and nature watching.

The area also has some great pubs with local beers and hearty meals - and what better way to enjoy a pint after a full day's excursion walking or cycling the famous trails around the area than stopping at The Lady Bower Inn which is where we are today after completing a 28mile Ladybower loop on our mountain bikes.

The extra reward at the end of the trail was seeing the sun setting over Derwent Dam, which had a kind of other-worldly glow and gave the illusion of a floating reservoir of water and submersed castle at it's edge. After a heavy 4 hour exertion cycling up and down steep and rocky hills, the pint in the sun at the end was all the more sweeter and my 'fix' for taking on an adventure like this - new places and sites to explore, gave me a satisfaction that a workout in the gym can never compete with and a reminder to get away more at the weekends.

On The Rocks

RISK MANAGEMENT

I've always been an adventurous sort. As a kid, I'd scare the life out of my mum doing crazy (to her) things - ie. climbing up high and balancing on ledges. My childhood was filled with things that, had my poor mum seen me doing them, she'd have had a fit, I'm sure. Things like climbing 13 floors on the outside of a building at 12, jumping across the gap at the top and riding on top of the lifts - just to name a few.

Rocky relationship
So, we're in St Ives, Cornwall where I've been coming every Easter since I was a little kid. The town is on a sort of island - surrounded by rocks, which you can navigate to get to the other beaches. In the glorious lo-tech 70's and 80's, we had arcade games for a bit of a treat at the seaside, otherwise, we had to make our own fun with whatever we could find - and a lot of it was on and around these rocks. My brother and I were just reminiscing about our time here as children this morning, telling my niece and nephew about how we'd never been bored as kids.

We headed back from Carbis Bay Hotel after a lovely (boozy) family lunch and I suggested to my girlfriend that we take the rocks round, like my younger brother and I did at 12 & 8 years old - and join another walkway that takes us up the cliffs, back to the other adjoining beach just half a mile away. 

It was on the first tricky bit, that I realised my other half's abilities to climb slippery rocks was not as highly adapted as my own, but mercifully, with a bit of assistance, helped her to get around a potentially dangerous portion of the rocks. We'd managed to get around another couple of edgy bits - my girlfriend's three pint confidence helping her to beat the fear of serious injury or death, when we came to a really precarious and slippery part. Then it came back to me how I'd got my 8 yr old brother to do this section. It was pretty hairy looking at this now, even as a grown man - and I still enjoy dangerous pursuits like rock climbing for fun. What were we thinking!?

In the end, I had to get us up a different, equally steep and precarious cliff back to the path and safety - where we embraced and laughed about our recent brush & victory with death! The relationship was saved after all...

The tech-kid generation 

The kids never did get to play on the rocks. They weren't even allowed to stray out of mum & dad's sight for the whole trip. They were bored unless on an iPhone or in the arcade - they couldn't make their own fun. It's a very sad modern-day situation. 

I'm so glad I grew up in a different, more free-to-roam age. Kids should be allowed to explore more and we need to encourage it more. It's important for their characters to form properly. Otherwise, how will they ever find the metaphorical rocks needed to help them grow.

Getting Away From It All...

DUBNOBASSWITHMYHEADMAN

Spring is upon us. You can feel the energy coming through from having the longer days. The jumpers are coming off and it's time to come out of the cave again. And it's worth looking farther afield for some inspiration, fun and adventure. Holland is one of my favourite destinations - but usually it's Amsterdam that I head for. However, there's more to be had by looking at some other less well known places too. So, for this weekend, we made a decision to head off for somewhere new and to see Underworld play a gig at the very cool STRP venue in Eindhoven last night. 

They were playing a set to their first album in commemoration of the albums 20th anniversary - Dubnobasswithmyheadman. The gig was cool. I loved this album 20 years ago, and it still has legs even now - hence their European tour. It was great to get away from it all. We could have scrabbled for tickets in any of the British venues where Underworld were playing - but what I got from this experience, is that Europe - and in particular, the Dutch, have got such a great way of doing things. It's a reminder to get away from the UK a bit more and explore some of the other European cities to see what they have to offer...

I made the most of the two days - and the 5am club was adhered to, except it was at the end of the day rather than the beginning. Luckily, the spa, pool and bar in the Pullman hotel were happy places for respite. They have some other cool looking hotels all round the world and they are well worth a visit on the next city adventure...

Travel

EXPERIENCING LIFE

I was talking to someone about travelling last night. Not just a holiday, you understand, but an immersive experience in another country. The type of trip where you've been away from your every day environment for enough time, where you can feel like you've always lived this other life - one of new horizons, adventure and possibilities. A place full of life-enriching experiences. It feels like such an age ago when I travelled to a place like that where I could experience adventure for a decent length of time...

The last time
It was 2007 when my girlfriend and I took a month travelling through Rajasthan & around southern India. We hired the Indian version of Ryan Gosling, our trusty driver in an Austin Cambridge, to take us on a journey of discovery through the northern delights of India through Rajistan. We embarked on a magical trip to catch the Taj Mahal at sunrise, engage in some diamond dealing in Jaipur, camel racing in Pushkar and Tiger hunting in Rantambore. Travelling on the trains down to Goa and riding an Enfield Bullet down through Varkala in Kerala, we really covered some ground in those 4 weeks and complete with bindis, pashminas and the pair of us adorned with Hindu kalava bracelets and other Indian trinkets and jewellery, we found ourselves on a beach at the southern most part of India, Kanyakumari - where the Bay of Bengal, The Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea all meet. A place of spiritual significance and somewhere to watch both the sunrise and sunset over the sea in the same day while contemplating life and the fruits of travel.

Danger travel
After spending four enjoyable weeks with my other half, I then found myself between jobs. I was now getting into the travel mindset, and definitely not wanting to go home at that point. So I decided to extend my trip for another three weeks and travel north to meet a friend in Delhi - where we would then head off to Gulmag in Kashmir for some snowboarding. It was during these last 3 weeks that the real adventure kicked in. Kashmir has been at the centre of struggles between Pakistan and India for many years. There has been much conflict and it's on the FCO (Foreign Commonwealth Office) list of unsafe areas to visit. My friend was held up at gunpoint on a bus when he visited previously in 2000 and likely, only just avoided a hostage attempt by refusing to get off the bus. So, it was a risk going back - and hats off to my friend for taking the second pilgrimage knowing what possibly laid in store again. Kashmir is now more geared up for winter tourism. They have a French-made gondola, which is the highest in the world but it's only recently that they've been making the area safer for more tourism. I hope they haven't taken too much risk away as it's the thrill of surviving a danger trip that fuels the soul and has kept me in good stead since 2007.

No guts no glory
I like to use this saying when there's a risk of losing. I normally use it when playing cards with friends, but it's the same feeling you get when you undertake a risky task that could result in serious injury or even death. Making the decision to come through a war-torn nation to get in some of the best snowboarding in the world at the risk of being hijacked or killed in an avalanche was not really a tough decision for that reason. The attacks in Kashmir have largely been indiscriminate - like lobbing hand grenades on to a crowded bus. The chances of having this happen in London are probably just as high, plus you can get run over crossing the road outside your house. So, it was a decision to take a measured risk of being somewhere remote and therefore tricky to get help if you really needed it. I actually found the people from the region to be extra tolerant, considerate and accommodating. Even the army guys, who were a bit ominous and serious with their Kalashnikovs ready to hand, were helpful when it came to buying beer - selling to us from their own reserves. War is generally not good for business (unless you sell weapons, of course) or conducive to happiness, so things had calmed down considerably since the most recent fighting from 1999 it seemed.

Raja's Tea Hut
The first place we stayed at was a small and hospitable hotel run by a great guy called Raja (pictured below), who is the friendliest and most hospitable ex-mujahideen in Gulmarg (you'd definitely want him as your friend though...). It was in here one night where we were sampling some of the local delicacies with an eclectic mix of people from different religions and backgrounds including a Sikh, a Jew, a Christian, a Hindu two Muslims, and Agnostic, a couple of Atheists - all from different backgrounds - that we collectively put the world to rights. That night, in the cold hut, sitting huddled round the Bukhari heater, with my new worldly friends, I truly felt the magic of being a traveller.

Kashmir did feel however, like there were many opportunities to get caught out and come to a grizzly end. On the first day of arriving, we learned that someone had gone out for a hike the previous day and hadn't made it back. A group of us went up the gondola the first day and one guy put a hole in his hip and twisted his knee so bad, he would need surgery. But he wasn't immediately able to get down the mountain again and back to Srinagar for a flight home, because the roads were snowed. So, considering there were only about 30 people in the resort - that's a 1 in 15 chance of serious injury or death just there in the first day!

Riding the deep and fluffy snow, through the trees - all unmarked runs and with no avalanche prevention, all the thoughts of death were outweighed by the sheer exhilaration of being in the mountains. Being amongst just a select group of adventure travellers, I really felt part of a kindred rag-tag bunch and now feel very privileged to have met some of the craziest and greatest guys - those that are willing to go that extra mile, to discover the special places in pursuit of that live-enriching feeling. The thrill of being alive.