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Why this title? It is a story which, I realise only now, I have been living for quite some time.  It is really very simple. While ladies have handbags which contain everything, men only have their pockets. Two trouser pockets were not enough especially when travelling. Tickets here, passport there, wallet ? Oh yes back pockets come in useful, but iPhone screens were not designed to bend.

I graduated to travelling with a backpack, but that was inconvenient when something was needed quickly, and, being of a forgetful nature, I would often leave the pockets open…

I needed more accessible pockets.

The only solution for me was to wear a jacket, and use the (inside)*pockets. My jacket of choice was my blue blazer.  IAfter a while, I began to hear references to “..that man in the blue blazer…”. I realised I had become my own cliché. Well – and why not?

So that is my story. Travels with a backpack and a jacket – a blue blazer.

I am not one of the great travellers of whom there are many. I cannot aspire to the likes of Hanning, Speke, Perouse, Cook or Livingstone,  of old. Nor can I emulate the likes of Theroux, Wainwright and Palin of today’s era. I simply want to see as much of this great planet that all of us call home. I will use this site to record what I do and what I see. Whom I meet, and where I stay.

I have few regrets. One that I do have is that I did not start sooner. Alas – families to raise and appointments to keep – and naturally – everything was mortgage related in my younger years. So I started  as I am came to the end of 46 years of continuous employment. I have to get going before my personal time is up.

If you feel tempted to see the same things, then I thank you for valuing my judgement,  and I sincerely wish you God’s speed. Hurry up – the clock is ticking…

If you see a grey-haired guy fumbling through the pockets of his blazer to find his tickets – it may be me – so please be kind and say ‘Hi’.

I like my jacket to keep its shape, so I never undo the stitching on the outside pockets. I use only the inside pockets, and so keep everything close to my heart.