My family

My mother

Brought us up by herself and did a great job - thanks. In her youth she did the cresta run but she's slowed down a little now. Morally correct on everything (lord knows what she saw in my father!) and rarely backs down. My favourite story was when a horse threw her into ditch and then landed on top of her. Luckily a nearby farmer was able to get the horse off her before getting my mother out - luckily she only had a few broken ribs. She then got back on the horse and rode it home. She was in her 60's at the time.

Clare

Clare has heroically put up with me over the years. We first met at a party where I was asleep on the floor, I'd bought a new pair of jeans that day and it seemed everyone was commenting on them - well actually they were commenting on the fact I'd forgotten to remove the big shop labels attached to the back. I proposed in a hospital in the Petan jungle while getting over yellow fever (I figure it was the drugs I was pumped with !). The marriage was nearlly cut short by divorce when I revealed we were going on honeymoon to the outer hebrides by motorbike and tent.

She certainly gets things done when she wants to - we were living in a house with a bunch of my friends in London when she woke up suddenly one morning "Mike I want a house of our own!" - I'd never even thought of owning a house but suggested she look into it. 3 days later she phoned me at work and told me she'd seen 23 places and that could I pick from the 2 she thought I'd like that evening ! We moved in shortly afterwards.

She was once travelling years ago through Asia by train and, it being hot and humid she decided on a shower. She headed off to the next carriage with her towel and scrubbing brush. When she came out she found that the carriage had been disconnected from the rest of the train leaving her to run after her train in just her towel and waving her scrubbing brush!

Daniel

Daniel is as mad as a hatter - imagine a noisy 4 foot tall tarzan with an overly developed sense of humour and that's him. Outside he loves swiming, rugby and football while inside he's good at maths and plays chess, backgammon and connect four very well. He's done his own web page now.

Miles

Miles thinks a lot - he also likes to draw (he does well in competitions). All the girls follow him around and he, of course, follows his older brother. For a 5 year old he comes out with some remarkably deep comments on life.

Martin and Mati out in spain

My brother couldn't be more english if he tried. He's bright, ammusing and never seems to age (I imagine some Dorian Gray painting in his loft). I remember his first holiday abroad ending in sun stroke, his second resulting in twisted knees (while learning to ski) and him vowing that foriegn climbs weren't for him. The next thing I know he's met a lovely Spanish girl, Mati, and is living out in Spain trying to nurture an orchard of orange and lemon trees.

My father

Bryan left home when I was 2. He pursued a succesfull hippy lifestyle through Europe, the US and Africa before settling on the Greek island of Agistri (an hour by boat from Athens) where he's been running the Agistri Club for the past 20 years. I met him again in London when I was 34 though curiously I'd passed within a few miles of his place while touring the Polopenese. I'm shooting for free holidays for ever more for me and the family as fair comp ! It's an excellent place to stay.