Warrior Walker’s 24k Mile Journey: Paul Harris Walking Around The UK - (PART 2/2)

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In this emotional and unfiltered episode of Adventure Diaries, we welcome back Paul Harris, aka The Warrior Walker, for Part Two of his astonishing journey: walking over 20,000 kilometers around the UK—twice. From sleeping in graveyards and castles to withstanding minus 16°C winters alone in the Highlands, Paul opens up about solitude, near-death moments, mental health, kindness from strangers, and the aftershock of completing an adventure of this scale.

🦌 Ever been stared down by a wild stag while sleeping under the stars?

🥾 What does walking 135km on 90 minutes of sleep really do to your body and mind?

💬 Why did people across the UK start calling Paul a brother, son, and friend—without ever knowing him?

In this conversation, we go deep into:

What You’ll Learn

IDEAS
• How a solo walk turned into a national movement of kindness and reconnection.
• Why adventure isn’t about the destination—it’s the coffee stops, the hugs, and the small talk.
• The reality of post-expedition burnout and how to find purpose again.

INSIGHTS
• You don’t need a plan, you need to start.
• Community isn’t built on followers—it’s built on honest moments.
• Letting go of baggage—literal and emotional—is freedom.

QUOTES

“The more you walk, the more you talk, the less you carry.”“One day, I won’t be able to hug these people or drink that coffee—so I just start walking.”

Resources & Mentions

• 📚 Book coming Autumn 2025 – Stay tuned!
• 💪 Rock to Recovery – Veteran mental health support
• 🌍 Doctors Without Borders – Global medical humanitarian aid
• 🧭 Follow Paul: https://www.instagram.com/thewarriorwalker
• 🗺️ Try the Local Adventure Tool (by Chris): Hiking Routes - Adventure Diaries

Episode Takeaway

Hardship doesn’t define us—how we share it does. Start walking. Start talking. And don’t carry it alone.

🎙️ Watch & Listen Here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters

• 0:00 Surviving the Wilderness
• 1:08 Introduction to the Adventure Diaries Podcast
• 1:30 Paul Harris' Journey Begins
• 1:45 The Challenges of the Walk
• 2:54 Unexpected Encounters
• 4:57 The Power of Human Connection
• 12:10 Navigating Through COVID Restrictions
• 15:07 Adventures and Inspirations
• 25:38 Failures and Lessons Learned
• 27:56 Reflecting on the Journey
• 28:54 The Second Lap: A New Purpose
• 29:40 Embracing the Present Moment
• 30:56 Upcoming Adventures and Projects
• 33:21 Struggles and Mental Health
• 40:07 Closing Thoughts and Reflections
• 44:48 Final Traditions and Farewell

Transcript

 It was minus 16 I, I remember taking, I didn't really go on my phone 'cause I took my glove off and my bones instantly hurt. You know, I almost died. I think there I was on my own. It was so remote and luckily my marine life and knowledge, my body started to basically close down and talked to itself. And I just wanted to go to sleep.

And I had this feeling when I woke up that someone was looking at me. And sometimes, or oftentimes when you. Have that kind of feeling. You look in the coffee shop or the club or the bar or the place of work and you're like, you look over and someone is looking at you. Yeah. You know? But I had that in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, and I'm like, what the actual fuck?

So I'm like, in my sleeping bar, I look up and I remember like millions of stars and I looked left, nothing. I looked right and I'm like, what the fuck? And literally I can touch it. It's stag. Oh my God. I felt quite lost. I remember a day where I spent 10 hours on the bed just lying there on my own, and I was going into that head space again where I didn't wanna.

We here. Welcome to the Adventure Diaries Podcast, where we share tales of adventure, connection, and exploration from the smallest of creators to the larger than life adventurers. We hope their stories inspire you to go create your own extraordinary adventures. And now your host, Chris Watson. Chris Watson.

Welcome to part two of the episode with Paul Harris, AKA, the Warrior Walker. Now, if you haven't listened to part one, I highly recommend you go back and listen to that before continuing with part two. Now let's get into it. So I was quite traumatized for whatever reason. When I left, I didn't speak about all the things I've now told you about, and then I had to, because the currency of the walk quickly became a room for a night.

And a dinner and a meal with a woman, with a man, with kids, with the family, with their family. They get all, it got to the stage where they got all their friends to meet this guy. And I'm having massive dinners with people, but it would be like, so they gimme a room and a shower and they wash my clothes, put some money in my pocket, give me a coffee.

You know, people were fucking great, man. It would be like, so tell us about your life. What led you to walk and it would take me two, three hours. You know, I was crying within minutes. I couldn't tell people why I was walking. I couldn't tell people about my life. But what did happen when I did was that your life's not normal.

This isn't a normal life. Whereas I thought it was, but I just started to talk and walk and I had a purpose and I had this crazy, outrageous, at the time goal to get round the first time, bro, I didn't think I would be able to. I didn't. It's insane amount of distance. It's an insane amount of mileage. I'm walking in the summer.

I'm walking in the winter. I'm walking in COVID, I'm walking. Just didn't think I'd able to do it. My body's battered. I flipping them in pain and then I did it twice. Yeah. How many pairs of boots did you go through? 30. 30. Wow. Yeah. Two, the thing is two blisters of the whole way round. Really? Oh God. You need to give us some tips then, because Yeah, that's Even have these tips.

I just, I never, it sounds really bad what I say to people on you guys, and you. I don't recommend this, but I didn't stretch, I didn't have any preparation. I, I dunno, my body was robust, bit of an athlete. But my mental game, bro, is, I'm just strong. I take myself into places that I don't want to go mentally.

A bit like Goggins actually. I look up to him. Yeah. You know, I dunno. It's just this thing. I've got to do it. I put my, I was doing, you know, like I said, we're gonna dip in and out now 'cause we're talking about the walk. But the last two days of my walk, I had 90 minutes sleep and I walked 135 kilometers.

Wow. Is that because you wanted to get there on time or, yeah, yeah's the goal to do it in a year, which I did. Yeah, but it's the little wins, right? Yeah. So it's not gonna seem a big deal, what I'm gonna tell you now, but for me, at the time, it was massive. So I wanted to get to London for the first day to do a Sky News interview on the Friday morning.

Studio with Leah and the other guys. And they were great and they were really cool and they reached out to me 'cause I did it on the first lap. And they were like, Paul, don't worry. What you're doing is amazing. Like if it's next week, come in next week. I was like, no, no, I've got to get there. So I was so focused on that, that I had to be there.

And the next day I did do it. Obviously I finished the second lap, I smashed it. I felt great. It makes me smile now. Yeah. And um, I'm on Sky News, which you'll see on my Instagram in a short shirt from Primark. Because I can't put shoes on, bro. Yeah, that's that white t-shirt. So clean in my bag for like two weeks.

'cause I was like, that's my Sky News t-shirt. Yeah. You know? Yeah. I mean I love that side of it. 'cause we kind of touched on like the negative self-talk, you know? Mm-hmm. Before you started and stuff and you know, that is too easy to fall into that. But the positive self-talk, you know, I'm gonna finish on this date and still smashing through the miles to get there.

That, to the ability to endure and still meet your commitments. It's fantastic. Well, I set out to do the, I mean, have you got any questions about the first lap before we go into it, or I'll let you, well, yeah, so rolling right back. What was your first night like when you were out the very first time? Can you remember, you know, you had your I answer.

You want me to talk about it? So I, I did it. I've walked 37 kilometers, right. I dunno how I remember all this stuff. I just do. But I've walked 37 kilometers, I end up on a place called Longworth Cove, right. Just on the high ground before you go into the village of Longworth. And there's these like divots almost.

And the marine in me at the time was like, right, well if I shelter facing the sea in these little divots, the wind that if it comes across me, will go over me. And I didn't have a tent. I couldn't afford one. So I just have a sleeping bag that Tommy gave me. And yeah, I go to bed before I go to sleep. I'm wired, bro.

I'm so close to home. I'm so close to my brother. I just wanna give him a call Tom and be like, oh, fuck this bro. I'm stupid. Couldn't come and get me. You know? It was so easy to do that. I had that like mind game even then because I'm so close. If you like drop me off somewhere far away, I wouldn't be able to do that.

But because I was so close, I was so tempted to do that and I thought to myself, you've been idiot man. I'm absolutely dead. Everything hurts. I'm in agony. I could barely walk. I'm like, how am I gonna do this? And then the fear, the voices, you know. But anyway, I go to sleep and I think let's just worry about that tomorrow.

So I get into my sleeping bag, I go to sleep and it's July, right? So it's get it's light and then it gets dark and I turn on my phones off. I turn my phone off, I turn my power banks off. 'cause they're pretty much done already and I fall asleep. And I wake up, I can take myself there like so well, and yeah, I wake up.

If you've ever been clubbing, obviously you've been in a bar, you're shopping, you're at work, you're in a coffee shop, you're walking on the street, even in your home, and you feel, and I had this feeling when I woke up that someone was looking at me and sometimes, or oftentimes when you. Have that kind of feeling.

You look in the coffee shop or the club or the bar or the place of work and you're like, you look over and someone is looking at you. Yeah. You know? But I had that in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, and I'm like, what the actual fuck? So I'm like my Stephen bear. I look up and I remember like millions of stars and I looked left, nothing.

I looked right and I'm like, what the fuck? And literally I can touch it. It's a stag. Oh my God. And that stood over me in this. I see the silhouette of it because the night, obviously, and it's right, it's massive. And I'm, and that sounds really romantic and it sounds really like beautiful. I shit myself, oh, I was on my own.

I was like, what the fuck? So I then sit up and the, I look and the stag's not moving bro, and I'm stood up and I'm jumping in my sleep, like swearing at it. I'm probably bad. I'm swearing at it. And then it doesn't still go. And I'm like, what the fuck? And then it just all of a sudden of its own free will just looks at me.

I, I imagine, turns around and just walks off. I'm like, fuck this. I got my torch like on my phone pack all my stuff, and I walk into the village and I end up sleeping in the graveyard. Oh my God. And people, when I told this story the next day, I didn't get any sleep, by the way. 'cause firstly, I didn't realize that the.

Church Atworth rings on the hour every hour. So I'm almost on just getting woke up and I think I work, it was six o'clock ish in the morning and I just go and get in the sea. It was amazing and it was sunny and it was beautiful. But the next day I tell this story on my Instagram and a lot of women message me, right, because it's the feminine energy.

Women are great and us men are just tough and don't believe in that bullshit, right? But it's real. A lot of people told me that this bag symbolizes a new journey and protection. And on the walk, especially in Scotland, I had a really strong affinity with stags and deer. And I'd almost like people who've got pictures of me just almost touching the stags that are wild in the North Coast.

500. Yeah. I just have energy with them, you know? But yeah. Wow. What a, I know what a, and I since found out that that stags and that are vegetarian. So it wouldn't have eaten me anyway, park, so, oh my God. Yeah, that was the first night on the park, bro. Yeah. I find when animals sta at, unless it's a dog or something like that, I've had that before where like sheep and cows and it freaks me out.

They're the same, I've had it before camping and we, there's like sheep just staring at you and I'd like this, you know, I walked around. That was my first night, the first lap. I stepped outside, then I actually got a tent. Slept in my tent and I slept in a barn with cows, which is not romantic. 'cause I remember again, I was in Cornwall and someone reached out to me on Instagram and offered me a, a barn for a night.

'cause they got no room at the farm. And at the time I remember it, man, I, I remember just going, well, if it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me. And it was not it, I stayed awake all night. 'cause the cow's headbutt the blood in. I dunno if they're itching their heads, but they, they're big animals and, and their headbutt in this fence.

So I can't sleep. And it's sweat. I remember it was the summer, I'm in this sleeping bag and all of a sudden I just hear this. It's almost like, it's basically rats on mice. It's not doing anything. And I dunno, my ba, my brain, my Google brain and I just watching, thinking if I sleep here, that I'm gonna wake up.

'cause the rat's eating my eye out. Oh, like, you know, I fully got this thing up. I'm sweating. And it wasn't a vibe, but yeah. Yeah. What was the best place that you slept in? In graveyards and rat infested barns aside, what was your, your memories of fondest memories of sleeping both laps, either lap here.

Right. I don't even know, man. Everywhere, honestly. So firstly, the UK's great. It's beautiful, it's massive. The people are great. So they make, wherever I'm staying, again, back to the Marines, back to Afghanistan, back to just real life. The things I value now are shower, a bed, food, a roof. But if you want to talk about specifics, then I stayed in a castle with a Lord and Lady in Scotland.

Did you? Oh, wow. I know. They reached out to me and they, in Airbnbs hotels reached out. People have just become, you know, I always talk about this. I've got 50 moms, 50 dads, 50 brothers, 50 sisters, one partner. So many friends. Like it's just so good, man. I could talk about it all the time, but everywhere I stayed was great.

That's fun. That's the power of human connection. When you do good, it reciprocates. That's wonderful. Hi everyone. Chris here with just a wee reminder. If you've been enjoying the stories here on the Adventure Days, could you please take a moment to press that follow or subscribe button on Spotify or Apple Podcasts?

It's such a small thing, but it makes such a huge difference to the show. It helps to show, reach more ears, brings more voices to the table, and really helps keep this adventure going. So if you're up for more wild stories, more adventures, and more thoughtful conversations, then please hit that follow button.

On Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And thanks for being here and spending time with us today. It is really appreciated. So hit that follow button. And now let's get back to this episode. What was it like when you were walking the coast and stuff like that? Like areas of natural beauty, you know, regardless of whether it's Scotland, England, you know.

We also were wherever. What was it like when you had to come in? Did you have to come into the cities at times to walk through? I, I imagine so how was that to deal with, you know, going from overwhelming? Yeah, I was gonna say and COVID Paul when you were back there, because if you're walking, then I would imagine it would've been a bit late.

28 days later, nobody about, and then all of a sudden people start getting the doors, the restrictions lift, and then people start getting, coming out in the country sized and, yeah. So when you say that, my mind goes straight away to when I walked from pretty much Bristol into Wales. And I got to Newport and then I remember walking from Newport to Cardiff on the first lap.

And I remember that crossing in, at the time we, in England, we were like drinking coffee at your go take away all the time. Right? You weren't allowed into restaurant. But Wales had different restrictions. I. So they were just normal as such. So I remember walking into Wales and I remember getting across the bridge and ows, right?

And I wanted to go left, but I ended up doing an extra six miles or something like that because there was a coffee shop. 'cause I could sit in the coffee shop and I remember sitting in the coffee shop and this is so cool. My motivation was to go and sit in a coffee shop. 'cause in England, we hadn't done that for months.

Oh. And then I walked to Cardiff and it. I remember walking through the high street of Cardiff. It was December, so Christmas. It was normal life. But coming from England where, no, it was ghost towns. It was so overwhelming sensory. I was like, oh my God. Like, what the hell? You know? I remember going on my Instagram show and everybody, it was so weird.

Crazy time when you look back on it really, isn't it? Well, what I've realized is I've been so remote for so long now on both laps that I actually miss cities now. So I live, I mean Bristol pretty much, and we're moving, me and my partner, were moving to. Plymouth, like now I've missed the energy of cities and towns and people, you know?

Yeah. I mean, I love getting out off grid into the country, but I love the city as well, and I'm the same. We live on the boundary a little bit. Yeah. But yeah, it's nice to go into a city and it's nice to be near a city or a big place. It's nice. That's nice. And I. As I've mentioned a few times, I like coffee and the best coffee shops are mostly, you know, some great ones, but, uh, the hub of life for me, I think I've been so remote for so long.

I get my energy. I've realized I get my endorphins and my energy. People get it from drugs, sex, rock and roll and whatever else. I get it from humans. Yeah. So. I need that. We all need that community of people. Yeah. Humans are good and with good humans, you, you get an energy almost. I do obviously like to be alone and recharge my social battery, but I get my endorphins from humans and hugs.

Yeah. And you met some fantastic humans along the way. Too many. I can't even list them out. You met Al Humphreys as well, which is Yes. I saw he'd been on your podcast, right? He has, yeah. So Al was a big inspiration for me for getting started and stuff many years ago, and it was a bit of a slow burner. And this isn't really about.

My story per se. But Al's, I'm a fan of afar. I've got all his books and he's, I've had him on his show. It's been fantastic. And then to see him picking up your story as well was, was, was excellent dm. So I was like, my changed. Yeah. That's amazing. All of a sudden on the, on the walk I, the second lap, I did it in a year, so I'm doing 40, 50, 67 kilometer days.

All the time. And it gained a lot of traction in the adventure world, right? Yeah. Because there's not many of us really? Yeah. There isn't that many, you know? And I started to get contacted, you know, off the top of my head, Levison Wood, Al Humphrey, Sean Conway. You know, they're slip to my demons. You know, I'm calling me.

It's almost like I made it. Yeah. It's almost like you've kinda bridged into the adventure world by doing this, isn't it? It's, I didn't plan it. I didn't entertain it. Now I want it. I love it. I'm coming for it. You know, I've messaged back grills being like, I'm coming for you, bro. Yeah's. Yeah. It's fantastic, but you know, but in the nicest way, like I love people.

Yeah. You know me anyway. You follow me. For a long time I wish. Stories. You know, I'm always promoting people that are doing adventures 'cause I just really believe in that. I'm not about keeping everything to myself, man. Yeah, I was gonna say, 'cause when you look at a lot of, 'cause you, your friends were like Mitch, aren't you for example like Mitch Craft.

Yeah. I love, yeah, I met, so Mitch was a Marine obviously, and he's doing the outrageous task of doing the world's biggest triathlon with his dog buddy. Mitch is a Marine, so I remember him coming up to walk with me in the West Highway way. In February this year, and I loved it. He's a boot neck, Marine as well.

So we just get each other. And then I stayed at his house in Toki. He came walking with me again, fucking good friend. He was telling me about this adventure and I was like, I'm down. So now I'm, I'm gonna be the guy that walks with him. Yeah. Bit in January because he was like, mate, you need to come and keep the pace.

Oh yes. Excellent. But yeah, I love Mitch. Yeah, and I was gonna say, 'cause if you look at like. You and there's other mil people that have been military backgrounds. Sometimes they come out and they go straight into like guiding or expedition life and stuff and, and you guys seem like you're kinda coming around and then like doing, you're coming out the long way, but you're coming into something that's like, I blow the doors off adventure.

You know? It's like amazing. Yeah. I feel like general man, like you'll, there'll be Marines at Foxy, you know, like we do. Just, we got this. We've already got the toolkit that we need. I think we look at things differently, but also we look at like the top. We don't wanna just be like everyone else. We're like, right.

What's the most crazy thing we could do? 'cause we know to do it and we're kind of blagging it. We, we are, we kind of think like, Ooh, can we really do that? And then, you know, like Mitch, now it's fucking amazing. Like, I love it. I, I talk about Mitch for an hour. Yeah. I was that kind of person. But yeah, just Mitch is great.

Al Humphrey is such a good man. I gained so much. It was actually my partner who followed Al and I came to see her and she's got all his books and said to me, you need guy. And I was like, who is this guy? I never heard of him. Right. And then I read the books a little bit and then it followed him on Instagram and then he said into my dms being like, what you're doing?

Can I come and walk with you? I was like, fucking yes you can. And I walked with him for a few hours on the last two days when I'm fucked. But he gave me so much time, insight and everything that he actually said that I thought was a bit crazy at the time about what my life would look like, what I'd struggle with.

The come down, it's come through. And I've recently spoke to him about this a couple of days ago. He's just a really nice man with a really big heart and he is just got a lot of time for people that are like me and you that are on the come up. He's not like exclusive with it and lot of people that I won't call out.

Yeah, yeah. Maybe one day, but they say one thing in social media and they don't back it up. Yes. Whereas how. Doesn't say much and backs it up. He's done some absolutely phenomenal stuff and some like right bonkers, crazy stuff as well. And he is, you say he backs, he backs it up. Isn't sugarcoat anything either.

And he's quite nice, man. Same with, you know what, while we're on this page, but same with Joe Wicks. Oh right. Well, yeah. You met Joe Wicks as well, didn't he? Did. Did you guys do a workout or something? How did that come to Yeah, I went to Q Gardens and I was meant to do a talk there and it didn't happen, but he still wanted to meet me apparently.

So I went to London and met him. He's just like, you think you know when, when people meet me they're always like, you're just like you are on Instagram. And I'm like, yeah, 'cause it's just me. And like I said, day one I refuse to lie and you get caught out and I'm glad I didn't and I said everything and anything on Instagram, I keep it real.

But Joe man, like I learned so much that day. I met his family and he's such a nice guy. I have some private time with him and what I gained from that was like his zest for what he does. He is so passionate about it. How I am of walking. He's so passionate, but it's, it was his time. Like there was lines of people including me in the line, you know, and he just gave me time.

I had a selfie and he was just so okay about it. Yeah. Oh great. That's nice, man. Yeah, that, I mean, that side of social media, if you are being honest and you're just like documenting, rather than creating for the sake of it and trying to keep everyth, people can tell the difference. Great. Clearly that you can intentions with it, you get found out, but also you can't be like, you can't be passionate about it.

Yeah. When I did the walk three years, didn't make any money and I just, and because of the kindness of humans and people donating and buying me coffees and donating charity, I fucking got round. And if it wasn't for them, and if it wasn't for you, and if it wasn't for people shining a light on what I do, I wouldn't have been able to get round or it would've taken me a lot longer than it already did, even though I smashed it.

So I said to my partner, and I say to people that I meet that I can't not. Be a good person after this. I can't not shine a light on people. I can't not want to help people 'cause so many people help me. Yeah, and what I'd say to that is, I mean, half my audience at the minute are North American based, so at least probably half of them might not even realize who Paul Harris or the Warrior Walker is.

So I encourage anyone and everyone to go and have a look through your. Instagram and thanks, mark, because we won't do it in justice in the time that we've got today. But just look at some of the photos, look at some of the interactions, some of the reels, some fantastic scenery and the people, just everything about it.

And you can see the story building up and building up and building. You can see the highs and the lows quite open and honest, I think, which is fantastic to see. So I appreciate that. Yeah, a book coming out obviously, but it's so hard to put across a three year journey in an hour or two. Like there's so many.

Like tangents and things and ah, it's exciting. Yeah, exactly. And it's trying not to get into just the q and a and all the facts and the figures and how long and did you sleep and blah, blah blah. No. All that kinda stuff. People keep telling me, you know, you must have a Guinness book of record. You must, and I'm probably, yeah.

You know, the physical side of it and the, the resilience and the savagery and the fact I didn't quit, wanted to quit all the time. But for me, that's like just a small part of it. It's actually about. What I learn and the humans. With that then Paul, probably a perfect bridge or segue into, so the opportunities that this is opening up and affording you.

So you've been and done some kayak and stuff in, in Norway. Yeah. No, and what coincidentally the exact same route that I'd done as well, which is uh, I mean, you know, got a Norway thing up there as well. It's how beautiful. Yeah. My part. Yeah, no. So Norway man, like. If you've never been go in Scotland especially, but also the uk, London, you're not very far away.

I actually, going back on the walk, so the first lap of the uk, I went to the lakes. Wanted to go a different way a little bit. 'cause the sea was getting a bit boring. So I went through the lakes, never been. And I thought to myself, wow. And then I did Scotland. Yep. And then I went to Norway. And now how I say it's, the Lakes is a mini Scotland and, and basically Scotland is a mini Norway.

Yes. Right. It just, ah, unbeliev. I can't wait to go back there. It did something to me. It was the start of September. We're now mid-October. I can't stop thinking about it. Yeah. It's got such a. Dramatic. I mean, obviously I've been to most parts of Scotland and Scotland are quite dramatic and proper wild places.

But when you go, like when I go to Norway, it's, I don't know what it just is. There's an energy, there's this kinda, when I went to Norway, I realized I love the Vikings, I love the history of the savagery, the gods I talk about a lot, and I remember being in Norway and I was yoing it out with the guys and God, it was even I so savage.

So tough and that, and that's when the penny dropped with me and I thought to myself, God, no wonder they invaded most of the world because this is their back garden. They, they're absolutely, you know, they come to it, think, guys, this it. Yeah, I know. I know. But yeah, it's phenomenal. It, it really is. I do love it.

I can't wait to go back. I've, I've reached out to visit Norway and all the things and they haven't got back to me yet, so hopefully this podcast might help with that. Yeah. They actually, uh, they tweeted me after my trip. Yeah. And I, I kinda slid into their dms asking, trying to get a, yeah, I'll do free trip.

Just invite, invite me over, but yeah. Yeah. Same. I'm waiting that, bro, they didn't so, 'cause you were doing a little bit of guiding with that. Did, do you not fancy doing more of that, like running X beds and guides and stuff. I. Corporate recruitment agency in London. Luckily, like they did a two, it's their second year now partners, right?

They did one last year and it was with Sean Conway actually. And me this time. So I was like, wow, you know, and I went with some great people, great humans that have struggled in life and we raised money for calm, which is campaign against living miserably. Right. So suicide prevention. Right. And I was there just to be the kind of cheerleader, I guess.

'cause we actually did have a much better adventures. And a guy called Callum, he was like the official leader, but we. Both, you know, he was great as well. But yeah, it was really tough. Yeah, I, but I loved it, man. Like really tough and I absolutely loved it. And I, I wanna do more of that. Yeah, I wanna do more guiding, leading, and I'm actually, now I'm moving to Plymouth and it's a very marine community there.

Dart mall's on your doorstep and the coastal paths on your doorstep. So I'm looking and I will over the next two, three years, get my actual qualifications so I can do that. Yeah, great. Yeah, yeah, you, you should, especially now that you're building a fallen in your personality and everything that goes with it.

I mean, why not? Why not? Yeah. At least too short. No, thank you. So other adventures that you've done then Paul, you're starting to bake into this world. You walked to the Olympics as well? Try to try to. Didn't quite, but with timeframe involved, I managed. London Stadium to just out of Cali. Yeah. And then it.

Bit too much. Yeah. But again, you know, I, I like that, that I failed. I, I used, I say failed, but I, I like that. I tried. Yeah. And I learned a lot. That trip ended up doing five days, but it was good 'cause it was like the Olympics and I really liked it because not everything you try will, you'll succeed. Not everything you try, you'll come first.

And the whole kind of taking part thing is, is important. But for me, I loved it that I was the man or the woman in the arena. Right. I stepped up to try. And not everything you try in whatever realm you try, will you succeed. And I came back from that with a lot of lessons. I came back with that with a hungry kind of zest kind of next time I will try it.

And I think you can learn a lot in failing because if you go to be number one all the time, it's not possible. Exactly. And I just think it's good to try things. And while we're on this conversation, and I mentioned it earlier. And my walk. I'm 41 now, you know, and you could be 18, you could be 60, you could be 70.

But in the culture that we live in, you, you're meant to have a certain thing by a certain time, and I really don't buy into that. So I'm massive on the whole first chance, second chance, third chance, fourth chance, fifth chance to give someone, but protect your energy while you do that. But secondly. Just to give it a go, and if you don't quite succeed, then keep trying.

Then if you do try, if you're in a dream job or you're chasing something that you think is a dream and it's not, mm-hmm. Don't be put off by that. Because if someone had told me five years ago, or yeah, four weeks or five weeks before I started the first walk and they said, you are gonna walk the uk, I'd just said, no, you know, and close those doors.

You will be closing doors that are meant to be for you. But you don't realize and how you think. Right. It's never too late. Yeah, exactly. It's never too late. And who's the judge against all of that? I mean, what there, there it's you. Yeah, exactly. There's no book, there's nothing. It's, it's these common misconceptions.

It's like, you know, I agree wholeheartedly. It's never too late. I mean, you see stories about pensioners taking up, weightlifting and all sorts of stuff these days. It's like, you know, just crack home that you're not accountable and accountable. There's only anyone time. It's too late and that's when you die.

Exactly. You know, and that's quite morbid. But for me, it's my North star and it will come one day. And I talk about this as you know, quite a lot. But you know, one day it's the small thing. So. To summarize my walk both laps. I got to the end of the first lap and I remember like I finished endorsing and it was almost like an invisible finish line that I put there myself.

'cause I started there. So I finished there and I got there and it was kind of was glad that I was going again. I went again six weeks later 'cause I had more in the tank. Physically. I had some questions that I wanted to answer and I maybe find them because I didn't find 'em on the first lap. No one had done it twice.

And my ego, by this point, as you mentioned, I was kind of entering the realm. That I didn't think I would have been an adventurer. So, you know, I knew that and I was getting asked to do talks and I was getting asked to do podcasts and I thought to myself, well what a, an amazing USP to be the first person to ever do it.

So that straightaway puts me in the category of that. And fourthly, and probably for me most importantly. I relied on so many strangers and kindness of people that I didn't know I'd get, that I couldn't financially give money to people. So I thought, well, let's try and raise some money. So I did the fourth, the second lap to raise money for charity, which I did, which is great.

Yeah. But yeah, I just really, I. Want people to give things a go man. Yeah. It's hugely inspiring for people to look on and see, you know, someone very open and honest about, you know, the trials, tribulations, and all the stuff that you've been going with and, you know, you're now carving out their estate, your own USP brand to an extent dataset, but, and it is opening doors, so if anyone, regardless age, whatever, can look at that and take something from it and get out and mm-hmm.

Just go for it. Yeah. Quickly allude to it. So deaf obviously. About it a lot, but not as much anymore. But again, that invisible finish line, right? So I put it there and I got there and it was almost like, is this it? I've done it now. It was almost like a really big anti-climax. And the same happened on the second lap.

But what I learned was it was actually, again, the biggest cliche going, it's not the destination, it's the journey. So. It was the little coffees that I had with friends, little strangers. It was the interactions I had with a, a person walking a dog. And I became friends with the, the person and the dog, and it was the hugs and it was the crazy weather and it was the physicality of it.

And for me, now I look at it like, well, I. The destination is dying. Death, your own death. And the start is when you were born. And it's the in-between bit, but even in the in-between bit, it's the small moments. It's the like coffee, it's the the sky. It's the animals that you see, the sounds site, the holiday, you know, because we're so focused on what's next, what's next.

When I was walking, everyone would say, so what's next? What's next? I know you're gonna ask me, but it's fine. But when I was walking, it's like, what's next? What's, and I was like, what about now? Yeah, I'm just enjoying now man. And people will be so perplexed by that. That is very rare because everyone, I mean any matter including myself in that when you do stuff, it's type two, a lot of the time it's like that.

Yeah. You know, it's difficult to get through it and then No, I'm enjoying now 'cause I'm gonna next. Yeah. It's a rare quality 'cause not like say, not everyone does that and you know, it's a skill I've learned, bro, through 20,000 kilometers. Yeah. You know. Fantastic. So I'm gonna ask you then, so where are you walking next?

So, I've got a book coming out next Autumn, so I'm very excited about that. I was approached by, you know, the original message was, you need to walk around the UK and write a book about it. For me, it was so far away that I was gonna finish walking the UK that I'd never even thought about the book. And people would ask me like, you know, you're gonna write the book.

Yeah, of course I'm, of course I'm, but I never really planned to. Then I got to the end and so many people had asked me, please write the book. You've got so much to say with a very good life. Like you've got so many knowledge, wisdom, things and, and stories. So I kind of wanted to, and then I was reached and contacted on Instagram by a very successful ghost writer who's written for Foxy and Nims and, uh, Tyson Fury, Wayne Rooney, Usay Bolt, and a lot of other people, Tom Daley.

And, and he's contacted me 'cause he wants to write my book. And I'm like, wow. And I was contacted again by a literary. I finished the walk on a Thursday, Friday, I'm on the Sky News and Tuesday I'm in London and I walk into this office. There's Harry Potter stuff everywhere and it's same reagent as JK Rowling, man.

Wow. I know. So I'm on that Allen. I've been taking calls with Matt 'cause he was in America at the time and 4, 5, 6 weeks. He's actually, actually, coincidentally today, he started writing my proposal for my book. I go to London the middle of next month, and there's gonna be a book auction with Harper Collins Penguin and people like that.

Oh, wow. Well done Nick. Congratulations. Thanks, man. I'm so excited about that. So, for me, my next adventure book, uh, is gonna be coming out in Autumn next year, maybe a little bit earlier. Walking wise, I wanna give Saudi Arabia a crack. Oh yeah, I've got a few friends that in places and they've asked me if I'd do that.

And, uh, I want to, 'cause again, no one's done it, but I want to, like, I don't really know, mate. I'm not, what's next is I'm, I'm in a very big transition right now. Yeah. I've got an amazing partner. We've been together a year next week. I'm like an old romantic at heart man. Uh, you know, we've been together a year next week and she's just decided to become a mature student in Plymouth as a teacher, um, riding that wave with her at the moment.

So we're moving to Plymouth. We've been up and down the last few weeks over, up down there, Bristol, back next week, we move to Plymouth full-time. So that's an adventure in itself. But I look at everything like I, like I've spoke to you and you followed me for a long time. And I look at, I try to, so I just wanna say, you know, I've struggled quite a lot since I finished the walk with the fact that I would almost seem to not have a purpose.

And as you mentioned Al Humphreys earlier, he was the man that told me that you're gonna have a come down. And I didn't believe him. And I remember actually messaging him this week saying to him about that, come down, this hit. He replied, I'm sure he won't mind me saying, but he was very adamant on the time that I walked with him that I won't go again.

And he replied, it's all good. Just go with her, but just don't go again. And I have thought about going again a third time. Lucky 'cause it's just what I know and it's outrageous. Six and a half thousand more miles and anyone wants to walk the UK twice again, I would go. Because I'm not letting someone have that record while I'm alive.

Um, but I've really found it quite hard mate. I like to talk about this now 'cause it's honest and it's raw and it's real. And you go on my Instagram and you'll see all the good things and I really have struggled. I've finished a walk and I've had this purpose, and every day people are coming to meet me and give me credit and put me on this pedestal, and all of a sudden it's gone.

You know, in my head, my close friends have been amazing. My partner's been unbelievably amazing, and just give me a lot of love that when I needed it most, and I felt quite lost. I remember a day where I spent 10 hours on the bed just lying there on I head space again, where I didn't be. And I know that's hard to talk about and I know that's familiar to maybe many people, but I raised a lot of money and I raised money for the Samaritans and Mind, and it really is good to talk.

So not only could my partner or my friend see that in me when it came about, can't library, I'm so, I'm so, you know, my energy's quite unique in a sense of people can just tell. Instagram and the community of that, when I've talked about this and the fact that I feel quite low have rallied around, but also I'm, I'm starting again, so I've been on this walk for three years.

And I've not made any money and I've not had a normal job as such. And I'm now trying to go, I've left the system and I'm now trying to go back into it. Mm-hmm. And it's so fucking hard. I've learned a lot and I've, I was talking to my partner last week when we were walking in Plymouth. No lies, man. We've been sometimes eating super noodles for dinner.

Mm-hmm. You know, it's been so tough, like. But I learned a lot in this time. Things are coming good, you know, next month I've got the proposal on the auction, which is great, and I've picked up some talks next year and things will be okay. And I've been working coffee shop shifts and I've got some more. And you know, I look at all these opportunities as, or sorry, obstacles as opportunities, but mm-hmm.

It's tough. And I said to my partner like, we can't ever forget this time, this time right now, because it is really hard. It is private. I'm talking about it now, but because I know people are gonna be listening to this and be going through the same situation where they're wondering where their next paycheck's coming from, where they're wondering how they're gonna get through that bad day, and I just want them to know that I struggle with it still and that it's not a shameful thing to talk about and it's hard to talk about.

But my brand myself, I got round twice because I was open and honest. And it's often sharing the The hard truths. And the tough truths that you don't wanna tell anyone. Yeah. Good things will come to the people that do the hard things. So yes, I wanna walk Saudi Arabia. I've got talks next year, like the events travel show.

I'm sure more will come when the book comes out. Yeah. But most importantly, man, and I'm just excited to be alive bro, and I'm so grateful to have great people in my life and you know, one day I'm not gonna be able to drink that coffee and hug those special people and smell that fresh air and I might not be able to walk, bro.

So I'll just start walking. Yeah, thanks for sharing that firstly. And I think if anyone that is, than that. As going through something similar, just, you know, try not keep it to yourself. If you do struggle and you need to pick up the phone and slide into someone's dms, I mean people probably don't, and I'll share a little bit now that realize how we connected and it wasn't necessarily to try and get a podcast guest.

I think you came up on my, my feed when I was in the very early days. This, and I think you were struggling or, or you were sharing about your head space and I, and I kind of reached out and Yeah, if we wanted to talk and it's like, you know anyone, and that's not trying to be anything special by doing that.

It's just, that resonated with me. It struck a chord. It's good. Uh, yeah. Yeah, it's good to be honest. It's hard to be honest. It's often seen as maybe being weak. Yeah. To be emotional, to cry, to show people your true self. But that's an old fashioned thing now, bro. Uh, it's actually a strong man and a strong woman to a strong child to be able to say, actually I don't feel very good right now.

This is why I don't feel very good. And, you know, you might tell someone and they might not listen, that's fine. Just keep talking, but keep talking to strangers. I find it really hard to tell people I care about how I really feel, and that was the old me. But I used to just talk to strangers and it's actually really easy to just tell a stranger 'cause they only see what they see in front of you.

Whereas fortunately, like your family, friends and people you've known for a long time, they have already this picture of you in their head. 'cause they formed an opinion, but a stranger doesn't quite easy to do. So that's why it's important to pick up the phone. Call mind, call the Samaritans, call, you know, calm.

There's some amazing charities out there, and they're really struggling right now financially, so hopefully one day I'll have my own. Charity and foundation that hopefully I can make a little dent in that man. Yeah, yeah. You're doing good things, Paul. Really keep up with it and just to kind of round that out, my dms are always open to anyone that's listening as well.

We spoke about earlier about not ruminating on things, getting out and going for a walk to cool ahead, but that's just as the same as like talking to, even if it is a stranger or whatever, you know, sometimes to lighten the load a little bit. It can be very, yeah. The thing to close this segment of it off is I started the walk with a massive bag on my back and it was almost a burden.

And metaphorically, that's true as well. I had this massive bag physically on my back, but I also had this massive weight on my shoulders, and by walking and lighting the load, by talking and light hit. If you follow my Instagram, you'll know, but if you don't, and you're new to this and you have a look through it, you'll see that when I first started, it was this ginormous osprey.

Bergon. That was just like a house in it. I was walking in July, but I had January kit in it had a food for three weeks. I had two toothpaste, all these things. And then the second lap, I just had one ruck, which is actually it. It was just this. Right. People would meet me and say, you've walked the UK with that.

And I'm like, yeah, you don't need as much as you think. But the more you talk, the more you walk and the more you up, the less you'll carry. And that's a physical metaphorical thing as well. Oh, beautiful. Thank you. Before we move into the closing traditions and closing this out, Paul, question on that. You just made me think with that bag walking in Scotland, it was minus 16, 18, whatever it was.

The photos and the videos were beautiful. The snow. Yeah, but exactly. I mean you must have been like, fuck this at some point. But you know, did you, you know like this is just too much, mate. Do you know what's crazy? It's like middle of October now, right? Mm. And that was in the middle of January, not long ago.

Yeah, for me it seems like a million years ago. But yeah, I did, I, so when I did the, the first lap and the second lap, I basically went the same way. There's a little bit that where I've come out a little, you know, just not far. But anyway, you'll see it on the map. I was on the Isla Harris did Is of Sky, beautiful place.

Uh, but I remember being in a place called uic. And this is in middle of January this year, and I had to get to Glasgow. So I went wig Sky north to South, coming the other way, crossing over to Ma Lake, get into Fort William, and then doing the West Highland way into Glasgow. Right. And I remember it was so cold and I was in wig for the night and I didn't have any rooms.

I didn't also, so I left in June with this bag and it's a great bit of kit. Sleeping bag, no tent. 'cause in my head, I'm gonna resupply myself when I get, 'cause I've got one lap and now I know a lot of people. So they've said, you're a crazy bastard. We'll put you up again. Right. So I've got like these places that I can put Kit, I can meet people, and the first lap, great.

The second lap, I didn't stay outside, you know, it came close a few times, but people were so great and the ripples into waves of me doing what I was doing for charity as well. People just wanted to help me. So people were, put me up. But I got to wig. I had no rooms between Wig and Glasgow. That's a long way.

Mm-hmm. I had no tent, no sleeping bag in the middle of January. I thought to myself, I've fucked it. I've done this, I've taken this too far. Right. But people are great. Yeah. And the snow came. The ice came and there was this urban legend almost of this crazy English white English guy with this red coat on.

And mate, people were opening up their houses to me. People were driving and giving me chocolate. People were opening up their guest house and their hotels. 'cause it's winter in January and just opening up one room. Just for me to stay. And honestly, those days, man, that was, I think it was over about two weeks.

I remember it was so cold. It was minus 16. And I remember meeting someone who came and drove and gave me this flask. I sat in his car for three hours, like shivering and shaking and thing, what the fuck am I doing? And he told me that, by the way, this is the coldest place in the UK right now. I was like, of course it's, it was minus 16.

I, I remember taking, I didn't really go on my phone. I took my glove off and my bones instantly hurt. You know, I almost die. I think there I was on my own. It was so remote, and luckily my marine life and knowledge, my body started to basically close down and talk to itself. I. I just wanted to go to sleep.

So it was like my body was closing down. Right. And I remember looking at this woodland in the bridge of Orie area coming into Tyron, I think where that really expensive green welly shop is. Yeah. Yes. Like 20 pounds for freaking water. 'cause they're like the math's, nothing. Seven for own sausage. That's crazy.

Oh man. It's like I, I got like a meal deal and it was 20 quid. I was like, what is your, what is happening here? But yeah, I remember seeing this woodland and I was thinking to myself, just go and sleep there. For 30 minutes. But what that was actually doing is my body was actually telling itself to like go for a sleep.

But I know now looking back on it and I knew then just keep walking bro. I was walking, so, but you know, I knew I couldn't stop. 'cause if I stopped, I knew I'd go to sleep and I think I don't be alive. Yeah, yeah. Because no one knew what I was doing there. But yeah, I did that man. And it was a 20,000 kilometer walk.

Right. On the Isle of Sky and obviously did Scotland and the lakes and wells, the Welsh coast and Southwest coastal path. And I brought it home. You know, even then, man, my resilience and determination was just to not quit and just to do what I said I was gonna do. It was a long off destination. But if you keep going and keep doing, you will build up the momentum of this kind of resilience that you dunno you've got and you can do hard things.

Yeah. Yeah, hear. Fantastic. And what, what an achievement. I think when I was watching that wrapped up, you know, with a co a hot coffee watching that, it was like, oh my god. Uh, it must have been really tough. But yeah. Congratulations. So we're way, way over, but this has been phenomenal. Thank you, Paul, for No, no, that was talk.

Great. I love it. Thank you for this. Yeah. So we'll move into the closing traditions of which there were two, but now are now three. The first being a pate Forward was a suggestion for a Worthy Cause, project, charity, whatever's dear to you. And then we'll talk about a call to adventure, which is your opportunity to recommend an adventure activity, a place.

And then the third is some quick fire lighthearted. 10 questions to close out that you have not seen in advance. I'm gonna answer this. There's so many things and causes, but I'll give, I'll get it again. Great. So pay it forward. Yeah. What's your pay forward recommendation? Wow. Okay. To pay it forward to anyone?

Anything. Anyone. Anything. Or a project. And typically people will recommend like a charity or some like to contribute to something. Whatever comes to mind. Okay. So there's a few actually, but off the top of my head, internationally. It would be Doctors Without Borders. Nope. Can I heat? So I raise money for them, mostly on the second lap.

'cause I look at their amazing people that take, give up their free time to go and shine a light into the darkest places of the world. And I think that's courageous and amazing. Locally or, or within the uk. It would be probably actually the Armed forces, just 'cause I'm going for a bit of a time at the moment and I didn't, you know, it'd be nice that there's a lot of ads and women that have served in the military that don't get looked after when they leave and they struggle.

So yeah, rocks Recovery would be one of them. The Royal Marine Charity or any military charity really. And also just pay it forward to yourself by speaking to people and saying, Hey, how are you? Oh, fantastic. And you'll be amazing and come back. Yeah. Yeah. Excellent. Thank you. Great. Yeah. Rock to Recovery and Doctors Without Borders has come up a few times, so that's two of which I highly recommend as well.

Second, a call to adventure. So to inspire people to get outside, be active, do something adventurous, and it doesn't necessarily need to be walking 20,000 kilometers. So what would you say to people listening or watching as a call to adventure? Oh wow, man, these are really good questions. By the way.

They've not even gotten to the 10 quickfire questions yet. I would say a call to adventure in the sense of just, if you can, I think it's quite a hot topic at the moment. Obviously from my experience, I'm gonna see more of those things. But honestly, it's, it's all we've ever done as humans is walk. Mm-hmm.

And I would say that if you are, you are really struggling. Just go for a walk and it doesn't have to be 20,000 kilometers, obviously just a 10 minute walk, 20 minute walk. Firstly, do it on your own. Secondly, try and do it with a group of people or friends. But what I'd say is I really struggled individually and on my own, and I feel like the NHS is a great thing that we have, but I feel, so the flip side of that is that sometimes people are medicated too early.

Given too many tablets and things. So I would say, and just keep walking and keep going. And if after a number of weeks or months you still feel the same, then go and seek help via the NHS. 'cause I think, and I believe that if you keep walking, you won't need to get to that stage. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're here walking access to Nature Outdoors.

Yeah. It's a really big thing. Yeah. The doctors and the NHS and the WWF, like they're, they're really hot on that base. Honestly. It's changed my life, bro, so I'm never gonna stop saying adventure as a therapy is something I highly encourage. Excellent. And how hot freeze. Uh, yeah. It is all about doing it in your little postcode and your, you know, back to him.

I'm gonna message half this because I wanna, and I've created a, depends when this goes out. But I, I've created a little tool that people can find on my website, which allows you to make this accessible. It doesn't matter where you are in the world. Put your postcode in your location and tell it how many adventures you want and it'll map.

Oh, I love that. It'll map out all your route for you and it'll give you directions to, it can open up in Google Maps and what, whatever else, but depends when this is live, there'll be links to that. So to make it accessible, so don't just listen, get out and act. Fantastic. Right. So the final, and I, I need to get my notes for this.

Yeah. So this is. 10 quickfire questions to end I'll try and do to end in a fun note, right? So, Paul Harris, question number one, you're hosting a dinner party and you can invite two guests, dead or alive. Who would they be? Oh man. Dead or alive? Two guests. Okay. Firstly, I know I'm a romantic man, but I love my partner, so she's coming along.

Okay, excellent. And I feel like someone we both wanna speak to would be Wow, man. I dunno why, but in my head, Lawrence of Arabia. Oh, excellent. Yeah. Fantastic. I've always fascinated by him. Yeah. What's the craziest or funniest experience you've ever had? I don't think I can put this on the podcast, but uh, it involved Thailand and someone I thought was a woman but wasn't.

Oh, okay. Whoops. Number three. Do you have a hidden talent? Oh wow. Uh, I think it would be not so hidden, but my kindness and compassion to myself now and other people. Yeah. Excellent. Really good with dogs. Oh, dogs. Yeah. I've just got a little puppy as well. He is only like 14 weeks. Me and my partner are constantly like, fighting our feelings not to get a puppy.

Yeah. It's harder than having a, a child, honestly. Uh, I'm only just, only just starting to get some sleep now, but it's, I wouldn't, wouldn't change it for them. Bring it on. I love it. Yeah. I, number four favorite movie. Geez, bro. So I always go off the top of my head. Oh man. I would say, I dunno why this is coming in my head, but I always think about the first thing I think or see or where the craw dos seem.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I cry a lot. Yeah. I cry a lot, bro. I'm a crier. I watched that not that long ago 'cause my wife read the book. Excellent. Ah, beautiful film. Beautiful message. Favorite book? Jesus. I'm reading a book right now, actually. Mm-hmm. And it's absolutely captivated me. Mm-hmm. And my partner, 'cause she's great.

It's called Burn. Burn, okay. Yeah. About a guy that I resonate very well with, but he went through a lot of struggles and he found the forest. Oh, okay. K kil, like melting of wood to make coal and charcoal. Oh right. Okay. That's always interesting. I read it, but yeah, there's that book. I can't, I've got, can I give you a few?

Yeah, yeah. Go for it. Yeah, that, and there's Carla Sini, any of his books. Ah, a Kit Runner. Oh, what a fantastic movie and book. Sorry. Uh, the movie Ann Book. I thought a thousand hundred Sons is like, oh my gosh. Matt Hague's book's Amazing. And then who else do I like? Any Kind of like Dan, not Dan Brown. Damn.

That's I've gone down. Um, but any, any spy kind of Yeah. Espy kind of book. I like that as well. Yeah. But me, I love books, bro. Yeah. I love So do, uh, my roommate's just a lighter books at the minute. My wife goes mad. Yeah. A problem everyone talks about where you buy the books before you finish the other one.

Yeah. The last gig that you went to, the last music gig. I went to a festival called Valley Fest. Valley Fest. Excellent. Yeah, it was a free day field, not so far from here. It was amazing. And actually it was my first ever festival. Oh, was it? Ah, yeah. Like 41. Like I said this to my partner all the time, but I feel like I'm living life backwards.

So I went to Syria, Benjamin In the military? Yeah, in Afghanistan. And now I'm kind of like the, a pre-teen, 18-year-old loving drum and bass. Commercial drum and bass fan. Yeah. Excellent. Like if you could snap your fingers and be anywhere doing anything right now, what would it be in Thailand? Yeah. On Beach with my partner, God, I'm sorry.

Love drinking it out of a coconut. Oh, excellent. Three more to go. Number eight, what scares you, Jesus? Boy, what scares me? This is a multifaceted layer of answers to the question, what is the world that we're in now? Yeah. Uh, it's on a precipice, but I feel like it might have always been that way. We're so technologically advanced that it's quite scary.

So that's a big answer. Climate change. I used to be scared of dying, but now I feel like I'm scared of not being living a long life, that I can do all the things I wanna do. And what else scares me is the fact that social media and phones and people feeling good enough. They already are, you know, like the filters and the things and children like being looking at their phones and thinking that they're not good enough when they absolutely are.

That scares me as well. Yeah, as it does I with my little one at the minute, which is why I try to get it away and out and doing adventures as much as possible. Excellent. Number nine, what is the best advice you have ever received? Wow. It. There's so many answers to this, but Nick, a lady, amazing lady that's 10 years older than me, but is basically my mom, just the best person ever, Nicola.

I remember being sat around her table right at the start of the walk in North Devon, and I kept on saying, I'm lucky because of this. I'm so lucky and I'm so lucky. And she quickly interrupted me and told me that I'm not so lucky. You create your own luck. And if I hadn't started and I hadn't kept going, I wouldn't be meeting this luck.

And I'm a massive believer in that now. So whenever I hear someone say, they're so lucky, I tell that story. So yeah, by saying that you create your own luck, which is very true. Excellent. And finally, yeah. If you had to do a third lap with anyone past or present, who would it be? It's gonna be my partner, isn't it?

Yeah. You know. Yeah. I've lost about her. She's great. And it's so lame, maybe, but I love her a lot, so yeah. It, it would be with her. Yeah. Excellent. That's the 10 questions, and would you believe it? We are two hours on the door meant to be so we're meant to be one lap. We've done two laps. I was honestly, man, I, you followed me for a long time.

Yeah. And I think you're. I, I know, spread a good message. I'd absolutely love to do it in person sometimes. Yeah. But we can do it. The offer is open, we'll do it lock side once the book is out and we can help do a bit of a celebration and stuff, uh, yes as well. So we'll do it by the lock and we'll have a weed round.

Absolutely. Haven't had a weed since I was not in Scotland, which is actually, you know, like atmospheric wise. Yeah. So I had a weed, I finished and I drank it, and I was in England. I thought, this doesn't taste very nice, but it's the, when you're in Scotland, you see all the things and smell all the things.

Oh. You know? Yeah. Fantastic. Oh, this has been epic, Paul. This would be one of my favorite conversations for a long, long time. This has been brilliant. Absolutely been. Honestly, man, it's, I, this morning I, I, I woke, I dunno if this goes on or not, but if it does or doesn't matter. 'cause it's been renewed. I woke up this morning.

I actually wasn't feeling it. Yeah. You know, I was just. Gonna almost make an excuse because I just mentally, I've been a bit outta the game at the moment and that my partner gave me some shit, to be fair, was like, you need to do it. And then I kind of was triggered by that and thought, no, I'm not. And then all of a sudden afternoon I was like, you know what?

I need to do this. Yeah, yeah. I hear you. I, I mean, I was in a rush to get back and in Israel and I was in a bit of a kinda head space and they do do a bit of exercise to. I sent you a voice note and I deleted it 'cause the wifi went and I was like, man, and then I was kind of okay with not doing it and then it came on again about 10 minutes before we did this and I'm so glad.

Right. Yeah. Excellent. No, it's been epic, mate. I really appreciate it and it was a long time coming, so thank you. And I wish you all the best with everything that's coming your way, good things will come your way. I'm a hundred percent sure of that. I thank you so much. Thanks for tuning in to today's episode for the show notes and further information.

Please visit adventure diaries.com/podcast. And finally, we hope to have inspired you to take action and plan your next adventure, big or small, because sometimes we all need a little adventure to cleanse that bitter taste of life from the soul. Until next time, have fun and keep paying it forward.