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 I currently run the mountain walking website easywayup.com where can be found more of my writing and attempts at photography. I am the author of 2 books, "31 Days in a Campervan" which tells the tale of a journey around New Zealand made during the summer of 2005. My second book, "A Long Walk in the Alps" which recounts my experiences trekking from the Eiger to the Matterhorn in Switzerland will be available soon.
I live in the Blackburn area in Lancashire, England, am married to Jacqui and have two sons, Josh aged 10 years and Daniel aged 2 weeks at the time of writing.
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MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- The successful publication of "31 Days in a Campervan" in summer 2007. I hadn't thought about writing a book of the trip when we were in New Zealand - it was a case of after the event, deciding it would have made a good travel story. The road to getting into print seemed longer than that from the UK to NZ and Auckland to Christchurch put together but we got there in the end!
- Finally reaching Zermatt after doing battle with the conditions on my journey from Grindelwald for "A Long Walk in the Alps". I guess if the book's about the trek from Grindelwald to Zermatt it helps if you get there! The publishing process was much easier the second time around.
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MY NEWS:
A Long Walk in the Alps, the journey from Grindelwald to Zermatt in the Swiss Alps, is at the proof copy stage and all things being equal should be available soon.
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MY FAVORITE LINKS:
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MY RESIDENCE INFO:
City: Blackburn
State/Country: United Kingdom
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BOOKS PUBLISHED:
 “Look there’s a seal” I shouted to Jacqui who was already getting the camera out.
“And another,” as I spotted another on a rock just above the waves and...
“There’s millions of them!” as I realised that a large area of the stony beach below was occupied by the large grey sleepy sea creatures otherwise known as New Zealand fur seals.
“That’ll be why, “Jacqui replied, camera in hand, waving at the large sign behind, which said that Ohua where we’d stopped was a seal colony. Yes that would explain the presence of so many seals on the beach. OK, then not millions but maybe a hundred or so.
They were mainly sleeping or pretending to sleep but over near the edge of the surf was a large rock pool where six or seven baby seals splashed around out of reach of the huge waves and watched over diligently by one of the adults. The resting seals were getting a break from the kids and we wondered if they took turns at being ‘nanny’ guarding the crèche.
On through the rain and Jacqui drove the last few miles to Kaikoura where we left the main road and headed down a lane to the village. This was a delightful spot despite the weather with the single main street of mainly wood built cottages and cafes ending by the beach itself, the village reminded me a little of Russell at the Bay of Islands. We checked in at the campsite which was a walkable distance from the village and just over the railway from where “Whale Watch” was situated on the coast. This was of course our first port of call though we were not surprised to learn that trips had been cancelled that day due to the weather. It doesn’t unduly bother the whales; it’s more the stomachs of the people in the boat that are adversely affected by these rough seas.
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