Meet Guy!

From sailing in Scotland to hiking in the Himalayas, Guy shares how he is using his retirement to explore more and keep his love of adventure travel very much alive.

What got you passionate about travel?  

Life is a precious gift and I want to make the most of it. I’ve always loved active ‘adventure’ travel. Since retiring, I realise there is so much more I want to see and do before old age prevents me from doing it. I’ll save passive travel (cruises and the like) for later years when my body tells me to slow down.   

Where's your favourite place that you've been since retiring and why?  

Sailing in the Western Islands of Scotland. It is the most beautiful place in the world and cruising in a sailing yacht is both active and immersive. You feel part of nature and far from the crowds and the aggravation of modern life. If you are lucky enough to be able to cruise for an extensive period, you can really immerse yourself in nature and leave the crazy world behind you.  

And what’s your most memorable moment you can share from the trip?  

Sailing to the Outer Hebrides in glorious sunshine with the spinnaker up and accompanied by a large pod of dolphins - magical. 

Do you have any tips for anyone thinking about travelling further afield, who might be a bit apprehensive about it?  

Take your time to plan well - if possible find local support (from recommendations). It’s a lot easier to find than you may think. Using locals can help you stay off the beaten track and meet the people who live and breathe the area you have chosen to travel to. You learn so much more.   

Also, don’t immediately feel that you have to go far to have the best adventures. This year I completed an absolutely wonderful 16 day trek in Nepal in the high Himalayas - the hiking was superb, the views amazing and the culture and local people fascinating and yet I put the Western Isles as my favourite place. Further is not necessarily better.   

⁠What do you have planned for your next trip?  

Sailing to the Orkney and Shetland Islands (6 weeks) and later a grand tour of Europe in an open top car (with a greater focus on Italy).

🙏 Thank you, Guy for sharing your insight and stories with us!