I was born in the City of Hereford, England where I still live to this day. Like many of the members of Most Travelled People, my travelling started at an early age. In 1968 at the age of 10, my parents allowed me to be educated at sea on board the S.S. (School Ship) Uganda taking in countries on the Iberian Peninsula, the Mediterranean and North Africa. Through my senior school, my father would take me on camping expeditions across Europe including into the former Yugoslavia.

At 16 I left school to join the Navy (Royal Fleet Auxiliary). In 3 years of service, I took in 19 countries, 3 island nations, 2 territories and 5 states, serving in Europe, Africa, Scandinavia, Caribbean, North America, the Arctic region, Middle East, Far East, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. During this time period, I was fortunate to obtain the ships steering certificate, using the ships wheel and compass for navigation and also, I worked weekly with helicopters flying on and off the ship. Several years later, from 1982 to 1985, I served with a reserve unit of the Royal Marines and I travelled to overseas countries with them as well. This period of employment taught me the importance of team spirit and individual effort. However, at the age of 19, I realised that travelling was the ultimate adventure.

Both my mother and father served in the Royal Navy; Mother served with Communications and Father served with the Fleet Air Arm for 7 and 5 - he and his shipmates kept the aircrafts flying. My brother Steve was later to become the pilot in the family. My grand-father Allan Hurwood was born in 1899. At the age of 15 he lied about his age by 2 years, and joined a Reserve Unit of the Royal Navy to serve in WW1. He was posted on a ship convoy patrolling the Dardanelles; the sea route to Gallipoli. My travelling was no doubt inspired by my forebears.

In 1995 I met my Canadian wife Catharine on board a Russian ice-breaker bound for Antarctica. We now live for six months of the year in England and six months in Canada.

I qualified for the Travelers Century Club in 1988, to date I have travelled to more than 300 of the 327 countries and island nations listed with them. I have been to every continent and sub-continent and sailed in every ocean. In 1991 I had the privilege of being elected a Life Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, founded in 1830 under the patronage of King William IV. The R.G.S. has since named a chair after me in the Ondaatje Theatre at the Royal Geographical Society in London, England. Also, I have been with M.T.P. from the early days.

My first world circumnavigation was back in 1987/88 with a close friend, Philip "Pip" Lamb who is a paraplegic adventurer. We overcame many obstacles together on that tour. Even now we are still planning future trips together.

I recently completed a 3rd World Tour taking in many more countries, island nations, provinces, states and territories, with fellow traveller Mal Weeks also from Hereford, England. This tour included 27 flights, visiting many more Countries, Island Nations and Territories. Climates ranged from -10c up to +40c. We travelled widely together in the 1980's/1990's.

After a serious discussion with a friend, regarding my carbon footprint, I travelled to Madagascar in 2011 and once there, I paid for and oversaw the planting of 1001 trees through a charity called Feedback Madagascar. I planned to do the same thing when I travelled back to the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest in January 2020. I did get back into the Amazon and I gave funds to the Guajajara people who are the 'Guardians of the Forest'.

It's taken step by step, but I am now a 'trustee' of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. The Bruce Trail Conservancy respects more than 16,000 acres of woodland. The Bruce Trail is twinned with Offa's Dyke Trail, which is the ancient border between England and Wales quite near to where I live in Herefordshire, UK. I have also donated funds for the regrowth of coral reefs. In particular with Richard Hunt also from Hereford, who is extremely well travelled and has been a school teacher at The British School Manila, Philippines for the past 20 years. We have become partners in a coral propagation project led by marine biologist Laura Riavitz, along with Anne-Marie Bakker who operate with a charity called 'FEED'. Hopefully these collected efforts will more than clear my carbon footprint.

I retired at the age of 50 after serving for 30 years in British Government and Local Government employment with the last 20 years in the tourism sector. I am still travelling extensively. Also, I have given talks on my travels to schools, colleges, military associations and other societies in the public sector.

Over the past 50 years, I have collected many objects from different countries. I have had the great pleasure of donating many of those objects to the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford University, considered to be one of the great anthropological museums in the world. I have put together 3 displays with some of my collection at the Hereford City Museum. Also I am a life member of Oxford University Exploration Club.

And finally thank you kindly to Ryan Trapp and Hendrik Jeppesen, for including me at chapter 18 in their book, "Chasing 193 Volume 2".