Hi, I’m James, welcome to my travel blog. I have always been interested in travelling because I like the idea of going to a different place and experiencing new cultures. I find that travel allows me to take a step out of my comfort zone and give me new challenges to overcome. it gives a sense of freedom and fulfillment.

So where did it all start? Back in 2002 when I was just 9 years old I boarded my first ever plane. it was a family holiday to Disneyland Florida. The whole experience was amazing, everything from taking off the runway to seeing Micky Mouse. Then it got me thinking “ I want to be on holiday all the time”. A few years went by and quite a few holidays turned into memories. By this point, the teenage me know that there was a big world to explore with so much to offer.

Being a teenager you are easily influenced by people and TV. So one day I was flicking through TV channels and came across a series called Long Way Round. The series documents the adventures of Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars) and Charley Boorman on their extraordinary journey around the world. From London to New York via Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia, USA, and Canada. The two friends traveled on their motorbikes to seek adventure. I was completely blown away by the series. I got so much enjoyment and inspiration out of it that I ended up researching other travelers experiences. I couldn’t believe that people would travel for months or sometimes even years on end at a time. After seeing this TV series I was always on the lookout for travel programs. A few years later Ewan and Charley went on another adventure on their motorbikes from John o”Groats to Cape Town. The series was called Long Way Down. Immediately I was excited to see what kind of incredible journey laid before them. Charley Boorman went on to do more travel programs like the By Any Means and Extreme Frontiers series. Both of which are a great watch.

So you’re probably thinking that I couldn't possibly have more inspiration from traveling and TV. However, back in 2009, I had the fantastic opportunity to travel to Namibia with a small group of people from my school. The trip involved us renovating a rural school for the local children. I found the experience challenging in that the way of life is very different from what I am used to in the UK. For example one evening the local people offered our group a goat to say thank you for all our hard work. We ended up witnessing this goat being butchered. This experience gave me a clear understanding of how meat is prepared. The trip opened my eyes to different people you encounter whiles you travel from place to place. From the stories, they share the different ways of thinking they have. Overall the trip showed me that there is so much to learn about the world we live in. As the old saying goes “ travel broadens the mind”.

Why did I choose the name Pooka for my travel website? When I first started I had no idea what to call it. I found that a lot of travel website names were a reference to the blogger's name and I didn't want that. So I spent ages trying to think of something clever but got nowhere. Then I thought It needed to be short and simple. The word Pooka was the first thing that came into my head. Pooka comes from the 1950's film Harvey (starring James Stewart). The films message is simple however, I believe the simolest things in life are the best. The films message is saying no matter what people think of you, you should just be yourself (even if you're a littel bit crazy). My point is you should have the courage to live a life true to yourself, not the life others expect of you.