Our story
Jeanne's Early Adventures
Jeanne’s love of travel began in childhood. Family holidays meant packing the car and heading across Europe, from summers in northern Spain to an unforgettable campervan adventure all the way to Istanbul.
Travelling with her parents, siblings and extended family, she discovered early on that the journey itself could be just as memorable as the destination.
Where it all began 1977
Our story together began in 1977 at The Park Tavern in Streatham, South London.
Jeanne had just turned 18, and I was 23, preparing for an overland adventure to Australia with my longtime friend, Little Jon.
Australia proved a little ambitious, and by October we were back in Britain, having made it around Europe instead.
Jeanne and I were soon inseparable. We found a flat in Battersea, settled into working life and began saving for our next adventure.
Little did we know just how many journeys lay ahead.
Our First American Adventure 1980
In 1980, we set off on our first American road trip, accompanied by our longtime friend, Little Jon.
We booked flights and a hire car, but everything else was left to chance. Starting in Los Angeles, we explored the West Coast, crossed into Mexico at Tijuana, travelled to Las Vegas and eventually made our way to San Francisco.
Jeanne celebrated her 21st birthday during the trip, finally old enough to enjoy the American bars!
One unforgettable afternoon in San Francisco, we found ourselves trapped by a police operation involving an armed man attempting to rob a newspaper vending machine. An officer eventually directed us away, and we continued our journey.
It was an adventure full of unexpected experiences and helped establish our love of independent travel.
Building a Life Together.
Our American adventure was just the beginning.
As we settled into life together, work and everyday responsibilities became part of our journey, but our enthusiasm for travel never disappeared.
We continued exploring new places, discovering different cultures and collecting memories along the way.
Some adventures were carefully planned, while others developed simply because an opportunity presented itself.
Looking back, it was never just about the destinations. It was about the people we met, the experiences we shared and the unexpected moments that made each journey memorable.
A Lifetime of Adventures.
Marriage in 1983 and the arrival of our first child, Bobbie, in 1985 brought a new dimension to our lives, but certainly didn’t diminish our appetite for adventure.
In 1988, we made the decision to move to Estepona on Spain’s Costa del Sol. The following year, our son Ben was born at the Royal Naval Hospital in Gibraltar.
But we weren’t finished exploring.
During 1989 and 1990, we began planning something much more ambitious — a journey around the world. With the help of Trailfinders K
In May 1990, we set off for India, the first stop on what would become another extraordinary chapter in our lives.
Our family continued to grow with the arrival of Rosie in 1992 and Dudley in 1993, bringing new experiences and adventures of their own.
The Journey Contiues.
Our adventures didn’t stop when we became parents. In May 1990, we set off on a journey around the world with our two young children, Bobbie and Ben, beginning in India.
Over the years, our family grew, and so did our collection of travel experiences, friendships and memories.
Today, nearly five decades after we first met, we’re still planning new adventures, exploring different places and enjoying the unexpected experiences that make travelling so rewarding.
We’ve created wehaveyoucould to share those experiences, revisit some wonderful memories and perhaps inspire others to embark on adventures of their own.
And our next big journey? Australia in 2027, following England through the Rugby World Cup, with plenty of adventures planned along the way.
The journey continues!