Currently...

50% of time: Lecturing about expeditions, planning new expeditions, promoting my book.

Other 50% of time: Along with my wife, Christine Lilwall (also on Escape the City), we have volunteered for two years to set up a mobilization/fundraising office in Hong Kong for the amazing children-at-risk charity http://www.viva.org/" rel="nofollow">Viva.

Before I escaped...

Prior to all this, I was on an expedition called http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0340979860/?tag=wwwescthecity-21" rel="nofollow">“Cycling Home From Siberia” for three years - so some of the answers below are about this, as this was when I really 'escaped'.

It’s easy enough to go off cycling/exploring for a while, but what to do after that is important too…

Prior to the http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0340979860/?tag=wwwescthecity-21" rel="nofollow">'Cycling Home From Siberia' expedition, I was a geography teacher. Prior to that I was a door-to-door salesman in Kent and California.

My moment of truth...

There was no one moment of truth, just a growing sense of vocation that I didn’t want to get stuck in a conventional box… And I also received an email from a friend http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/" rel="nofollow">Alastair Humphreys inviting me to cycle across Asia.

Planning for it...

Networking with lots of people and internet research for places…

The worst and best bits...

Worst: unpredictable and unsettled life.

Best: during the cycling I met my wife to be; meeting lots of nice people; and enjoying life as an adventure

Best advice...

Life’s an adventure – live a great one.

Useful resources and information...

• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa" rel="nofollow">Lonely Planet Thorn Tree is a good place to research trips.
• Donald Miller's book http://www.amazon.co.uk/MILLION-MILES-THOUSAND-YEARS-MILLER/dp/1400202663/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291809742&sr=8-1%20%20" rel="nofollow">"A million miles in a thousand years" is amazing - it's about living a good story with your life