40 things... 26 months... 1 man!

Well, there comes a time in everybody's life where you simply need to get off your butt and try something new or do something different. It happened to me when I was in my late 20's, when I decided to explore the world. Within the next few years I trekked through the Sinai desert, canoed through the Amazon Rainforest, bartered for goods in Marrakesh, wandered along the railway platform in Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland, fell over the edge of a quarry in Wales, and many other life enhancing experiences along the way.

So here I am, 10 years later... ...time for another set of challenges. And that is where this blog begins, in the middle of April 2010 the gauntlet was thrown and I came up with a list of 40 things that I wanted to experience and enjoy before I hit the big "40"!

40 challenges, 26 months, one man. I hope you join me along the way!

So, without further ado I officially announce the list of 40 challenges:



40 things to do before I'm 40

1. Visit all 48 ceremonial counties of England


2. Climb a mountain (without falling off this time...lol!)



3. Improve my cooking skills with a culinary course


4. Publish a book of photographs


5. Sample wine at vineyard in France



6. Learn 3 new crafts


7. Watch a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre, London


8. Meet somebody really famous


9. ‘Do lunch’ in Paris


10. Dine in Bruges



11. Party in Barcelona


12. Watch ‘Cirque De Soleil’ live.



13. Photograph the ‘Big Five’ whilst on Safari in Africa



14. Do a good deed for a complete stranger (Pay it forward...)


15. Master the art of Sushi making, sausage making and pasta making


16. Read 25 best selling novels that I haven't read before


17. Replace the bathroom in my house


18. Eat in 25 restaurants recommended by the good food guide.


19. Have afternoon tea at the Ritz



20. Walk along the F1 road race circuit in Monaco


21. Do an evening class in something fun (not work related!)


22. Take a ride in a hot air balloon



23. Go to a music festival


24. Learn to juggle 3 balls (at the same time...lol!)


25. Sleep in a haunted house/castle



26. Invest in the Stock market


27. Have a BBQ on the beach


28. Enjoy a day at the races in style



29. Be a member of the audience in a TV show


30. Drink a pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin


31. Host a Murder Mystery dinner party



32. Take a ride on an open top bus tour through London


33. Sample 100 different single malts


34. Enjoy a boat trip whilst drinking champagne


35. Ride a rollercoaster at a theme park (my worst nightmare!)


36. Gamble in a casino



37. Visit all the squares of the Monopoly Board in London on one day (with a pub crawl thrown in)



38. Walk along Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England


39. Build and light a camp fire without matches, then cook sausages and marshmallows on it.


40. Take a journey on a Steam train

So that is my list. Each item has its own little challenge. Some requiring travel; some requiring varying levels of ingenuity, dexterity and/or creativity, some requiring rather a lot of food and alcohol; and some simply requiring a sense of humour and sense of adventure. I am writing this first blog post at the beginning of the challenge. I will write plenty of posts as I work my way through the list, sharing plenty of the trials and tribulations, the laughter and the horror (I'm still having second thoughts about the roller coaster and the haunted house!!!), and there will be plenty of photographic evidence on the way too!

Where ever you are, I do hope you can join me on my journey! Oh, and if you already have your own list or you decide to start your own list of things you are challenging yourself to achieve, then please let me know.

Best wishes and see you on the way!!!

A big shout out and thank you to Design Bug for designing this blog site for me!