Beyond the job titles

Travel has probably shaped my life more than any other interest outside work. I’ve spent years travelling solo and living as a digital nomad (I still cannot use that expression without feeling slightly ridiculous), often staying in places long enough to experience something beyond the usual tourist itinerary. I’ve visited almost every country in Southeast Asia and South America and travelled extensively across Europe and the Far East. Spending that much time in the region has taught me a lot about cultures, from the differences in everyday life and social customs to the ways history, religion and local traditions shape how people see the world. It’s also made me appreciate how misleading it is to talk about Asia as if it were one place with one culture.

I’m generally more interested in going somewhere unfamiliar than revisiting somewhere I already know. I enjoy figuring out the logistics, the occasional unexpected detour, getting around without having everything planned and seeing how everyday life works in a completely different environment.

I’m also quite fond of hitchhiking. I’ve done it in Ireland, Central Asia, Morocco, Belgium, Portugal and Jordan. There’s something liberating about trusting yourself enough to take that first step, get out your thumb and see what happens. It requires a bit of courage, a degree of trust in strangers and the ability to deal with uncertainty. You don’t always know who will stop, where you’ll end up or what the conversation will be like. That’s rather the point.

Of course, not every unexpected situation makes for a nice travel anecdote. I’ve been held at gunpoint in both Lebanon and Myanmar. Those are experiences that certainly change how you look at a situation, although they haven’t made me particularly keen on travelling with a tightly controlled itinerary.

Some of my favourite experiences have come from doing things that are quite different from one another.

Climbing the Ijen volcano in Indonesia was one of those experiences that stays with you. I went up wearing a gas mask, partly because I wanted to see the famous blue flames and the volcanic landscape, but also because I was curious about the sulphur miners working inside the crater. Watching people carry enormous loads of sulphur through those fumes, often without anything resembling proper protective equipment, was difficult to forget and our office jobs are not bad, right?. I wanted to understand what their working conditions actually looked like, rather than just photograph the volcano and move on. It’s an extraordinary place, but the human reality of working there is every bit as striking as the landscape.

Indonesia also introduced me to a rather different kind of wildlife encounter: visiting Komodo National Park to see Komodo dragons. Seeing the world’s largest living lizards in their natural environment is one of those experiences that makes you realise how strange and fascinating the natural world can be.

Riding a motorbike through Vietnam was a completely different kind of adventure. Rather than moving between destinations as a passenger, I got to experience the country on the road, at my own pace. There’s a certain freedom in travelling this way: the journey itself becomes the point, rather than simply getting from A to B. The scenery, the towns, the traffic and the everyday chaos all become part of the experience.

Thailand gave me another experience altogether. I spent months in Bangkok training martial arts and getting a taste of a very different daily routine. But that chapter started before I ever stepped into a gym in Bangkok. I’ve hit rock bottom in 2024. At some point, I had to figure out how to get back on my feet, and going to Thailand to train became part of that process. It wasn’t some perfectly designed personal transformation plan, I needed a change of environment, something physical to focus on and a reason to get up and do the work every day. Combat sports gave me exactly that. It was challenging, unfamiliar and, at times, uncomfortable. Which was probably what I needed.

I was 15 years old when the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicked off in South Africa. I remember watching the opening match on television: South Africa against Mexico. At the time, I obviously had no idea that sixteen years later I’d be in Mexico for three months during the 2026 World Cup, watching the very same two countries open the tournament again, this time in person. Life has a funny way of coming full circle. The kid who watched the World cup every 4 years at home eventually found himself standing in a stadium in Mexico, watching the World Cup opener live. It’s difficult to explain what that moment felt like without making it sound overly sentimental, but it genuinely meant a lot to me. Yepp, I was full of tears.

Spending three months in Mexico also gave me the chance to experience the country beyond the tournament. I even lived in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Mexico City. Ironically, the biggest danger in my everyday life turned out to be the spicy salsa and overeating tacos (shout out to Tacos los Michos!). I love that stuff, but Mexicans are absolutely insane when it comes to chilli.

Visiting Rapa Nui was memorable for a completely different reason. One of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, it feels remarkably far removed from everyday life. Its location, history and distinctive culture make it a place unlike anywhere else I’ve visited. It’s also the kind of distance that makes you think about home. Mom, Dad, I really did go about as far away from you as I possibly could.

Then there’s Patagonia, or what I like to call Earth Pro Max. The scale of the landscape, the mountains and the sheer openness of the region are difficult to compare with much else. I’m drawn to places like this, where you can spend hours surrounded by nature, with very little competing for your attention.

I’m also making my way towards seeing all Seven Wonders of the World, with Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro being the latest addition. Each destination has been a different experience, but the common thread is my interest in seeing these places firsthand rather than just reading about them.

I’m interested in why people behave the way they do, how societies develop and what shapes the world around us. That takes me in quite a few directions: psychology, behavioural economics, history, geopolitics, international relations and the way organisations and economic systems function. I enjoy understanding the context behind things: a political decision, a historical event or a business problem rarely makes much sense when you look at it in isolation. There’s usually a bigger picture, a few competing interests and plenty of details that are easy to overlook.

My reading reflects that mix. I don’t follow one particular school of thought or limit myself to a single subject. I prefer exploring different perspectives and making up my own mind. I enjoy a good debate, particularly when people are willing to challenge their own assumptions rather than just defend whatever they already believe. The same goes for what I watch. Historical and political documentaries, psychological thrillers (thanks my love!), character-driven dramas and travel documentaries are usually a safe bet. Football documentaries are another favourite, unsurprisingly.

I’m also a big fan of live music. My taste ranges from techno and drum and bass to more relaxed daytime house and liquid drum and bass parties, as well as the occasional metal gigs. I’ve spent my fair share of time at multi-day music festivals, too. Surviving a few days of music, questionable sleep schedules, diets and rather enthusiastic partying is an experience in itself.

Yes, I enjoy a good party. Not everything needs to be productive, educational or part of some carefully curated lifestyle.

I’ve been a Manchester United fan since childhood. I grew up playing football, and the sport has remained a constant throughout my life. Following United in recent years hasn’t always been particularly rewarding, there have been some great moments, more questionable decisions and quite a lot of football that requires a generous interpretation of the word entertainment. Still, loyalty is loyalty.

I enjoy the tactical side of the game, too: how teams set up, how managers approach different opponents and how individual decisions influence the result, but for me, football has never been just about the ninety minutes. It’s the atmosphere, the fans, the ultras, the barra bravas, the traditions and the sense of belonging to something bigger. Attending a World Cup brought that home in a way that watching football at home never could. Seeing different cultures, national colours and emotions come together in one place is an experience in itself.

The kid who watched the 2010 World Cup opening match on television was standing in the Estadio Azteca for the 2026 opener.

Football isn’t the only sport in my life, strength training and combat sports are all part of my routine. I’ve always enjoyed physical challenges, and I like having something outside work that requires a different kind of focus. Training gives structure to my week, keeps me active and clears my head. There’s also something satisfying about working on a skill and seeing progress over time. Combat sports gave me a completely different appreciation for what physical discipline actually involves. But the most important thing is that I don’t need to turn every workout into a life lesson, most of the time, I just enjoy lifting weights or hitting a bag.

I genuinely enjoy cooking at home. I like experimenting with unfamiliar recipes, trying different ingredients and occasionally attempting to recreate dishes I’ve discovered somewhere along the way. When travelling, food is one of the easiest ways to get closer to local culture. Street food markets, small family-run restaurants and regional dishes often tell you more about everyday life than another sightseeing stop. Some of my favourite food memories come from eating on the street, whether that’s a night market in Asia or a roadside stall somewhere in India.

Hah, India deserves a special mention here. I absolutely loved discovering its street food and for some miraculous reason I was able to do it without having a single diarrhea. Although the country also provided a rather less culinary memory: headbutting a taxi driver who had scammed me and then trapped me inside his car. Not exactly the sort of interaction you expect when ordering a ride, but sometimes travelling throws up situations that don’t fit neatly into a postcard.

I’m always happy to find a good restaurant, but some of the best meals I’ve had have been in places I hadn’t planned to visit.

Coffee deserves its own mention. I enjoy finding good cafés, trying different coffee and taking the time to sit down somewhere rather than treating every cup as fuel for the next task. That said, I sometimes abuse coffee consumption. Quite badly, actually.

I’m quite independent and comfortable spending time on my own, but I value the people close to me. Over the years, my circle has become a lot smaller, and I’m perfectly happy with that. I’d rather have a handful of genuine friendships than maintain a long list of superficial connections. I enjoy long dinners, spontaneous plans, watching football together and conversations that move from one subject to another without anyone checking the time. I also enjoy a good party every now and then. Balance matters.

I’m not someone who needs to be surrounded by people all the time. I value my own space, but I also enjoy having people around with whom I can be completely myself. Spending quality time with my partner is an important part of my life, as is having time to myself. I don’t think those two things contradict each other. I enjoy being around people, but I also need the freedom to disappear into my own interests for a while.

Beside all the travelling, new experiences and occasional adventures, most of life is made up of fairly ordinary days. Mine usually involve some combination of training, reading, cooking, personal projects and spending time with my partner. There will probably be coffee involved, possibly more than there should be. Sometimes I’ll spend an evening watching football or a movie, other times, I’ll just want a quiet night and a bit of time to myself.

I’m also quite comfortable with the idea of taking a break from things. I once deliberately stayed away from alcohol for six months and from any other substances for a year, just to see what it would be like and prove to myself that I could. I enjoy partying, live music and a good night out, but I don’t feel the need to do any of those things all the time. It’s nice to know you can enjoy both sides.

I like having the next trip or project to look forward to, but I’m not constantly chasing the next big experience. A good meal, an interesting book, a proper conversation or a relaxed evening with the right people can be just as enjoyable.

There’s a lot more to life than work. This is some of what fills the space around it.