I live in a little, cosy, wooden, farmhouse, surrounded by forest and lakes. It is totally peaceful here. I have no neighbours, except Reindeer, and the occasional Moose.

I am a self employed photographer, which is good as I can work when I need to and not when I don't.

As an underwater Divemaster and Instructor I lived abroad, in the Mexican Caribbean, for ten years, running dive trips, by day, and exploring the cave systems, by night.
I helped explore the world longest water filled cave system, (about 50 kms) in the jungle of the Yucatan, and then moved to Florida where I managed a Cave Diving Adventure shop in Alachua County.

Eventually I returned to England (that was a shock) and lived on a narrow boat and worked daily as a motor-sport photographer, at Silverstone.

I did not enjoy the hectic pace so after several years I 'escaped' to the Highlands of Scotland, where I taught myself winter mountain survival skills, and adventured, mostly by myself, on the tops, for 32 winter days. I went climbing just once in the summer. I think it was in reaction to the insects and mosquitoes back in the Jungle. Scotland can be hell in the summer with flying bitey things! I lived in a caravan without heating and during the winter, if the weather got really cold, I opened the fridge to warm up.

I was then invited to the Swedish Arctic on a survival course, by an ex- army survival expert, but when he arrived he got a paid job as a chef, at the local airport restaurant, and so I was left to survive outside, by myself, instead.

I lived outside with no tent and mostly without a fire or cooking equipment in temperatures as low as minus 20C, for six weeks. I bought my food in town and ate it quickly before it froze solid. Tomatoes and Peanut Butter are pretty useless when completely frozen solid!

I have now been living, here, in Sweden for over five years and have no plans to return to the UK. Ever!

I have learnt that paradise is all in the head and this is about as good as it gets.

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