The Mysterious Traveller

Well, I finally did it. Whether it was due to the overwhelming anxiety-driven previous 12 months or simply pure instinct telling me to take the plunge into the unknown, I left the studio. It was something I had wanted to do for most of 2023, but the need for routine and stability amongst colleagues and friends overcame my adventurous ambitions. I think it helped me, the structure of daily familiarities; not quite a regular yoga practice but it was something.  But as I continued to work on these small projects, my motivation really waned. I must point out that this was, by no means, the fault of the studio. Whatever is happening with me, it's a personal matter (internally, I would say) and nothing to do with the work of others.   And for me to fully reflect on the mental, spiritual and physical factors of Tommy Grainger's life, I packed up the van and went on a six week road trip around Portugal and Spain.  I originally had the idea of keeping a travel blog filled wit...

 

I BOUGHT A VAN. Yes, I bought a van. A  most regular looking van (from the outside) but when you venture within, my goodness, the beauty and potential. A stove, a sink, a fold out double(ish) bed, lights, additional battery for power and very decent storage space. It just needed a little TLC (hey, I don't want no scrubs) and this baby will become so comfortable that you can shake a gear stick at it.  I was scrolling through Gumtree, as I wanted to keep things relatively cheap, and Autotrader was a little out of my league. And by a stroke of good fortune I managed to whip up a conversation with a local seller - lovely Bernadette - who invited me over for a van viewing.  The van was parked on her drive, a Vauxhall Vivaro, covered in carbon scoring and dust. What a heap of junk , a voice was telling me, but she'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but I bet she's got it where it counts. Bernadette watched as my inner debate clearly showed on my exp...