I love that feeling of anonymity and escapism that travelling affords; immersing myself in the local culture using a phrasebook. The journey is all part of the experience and sitting squashed in the back of a bus or on the roof of a train with locals, sharing food and smiles are the moments I treasure most. On a 50-hour train journey to Tibet, we learned to count to ten with locals who did not speak one word of English. In Latin America I really got involved when learning to speak Spanish and it far enriched my experience.

Breathtaking scenery is what it’s all about for me, sitting back and thinking; ‘Wow that was worth the swim/hike/ride/climb’ and just feeling completely blown away. I particularly like veering off the beaten track to explore snow-capped mountains, beach-combing and volcanoes. One of the best experiences I have had is wlaking the Camino de Santiago – a month across Spain where I witnessed many a sunrise and sunset. Probably the best sunrise ever though was at Everest Base Camp in Tibet.