Different Natures

Different Natures takes you on three journeys. Each gives an honest and passionate insight into the evolution of a compulsive traveller. Looking for direction with the wrong eyes spawned Graham’s lust for wandering. The miles cleared his vision and the hunger for longer distances grew with an insatiable appetite for new experiences.

Divulging tales from his diaries spanning a twelve year period of travel from the Arctic Circle to Mexico, Graham Field’s journeys are his life. Inevitably, these experiences increase his awareness as he passes through various natures of both a reluctant maturity and the extreme environments between his destinations.

From midnight sun to darkest nights, there is as much diversity in these tales as common threads.

Taste the addictive exhilaration of inhospitable environments.

I wanted to call this book The Motorcycle Dairies – Milking the Success of the First Two Books; however, I was advised by authors of experience and wisdom to choose a more sensible title. You’d know the people in question, but it would be wrong to start name dropping in the first paragraph. The reason for my original tongue in cheek title was because, instead of riding off in search of new subject matter, I delved into my diaries to recall past trips. However, I ended up totally reliving the journeys (which is why, I suppose, I keep a diary).  As I read and reflected, I saw patterns, insights and events that instigated what was to come; it all made perfect sense. This is a book of three different journeys. Each pave the way to  my other books, filling in gaps and answering questions. They all start in Colorado, where, for a while, I lived my other life, the place I’d run to when I wanted to escape my Essex existence.

The first journey was in 2001, 10 States in 13 days. Reading through that diary, I was slightly disturbed to see how debauched my life was then. Looking back with wiser eyes, it’s no wonder that I struggled to cope with reality, when I put so much effort into avoiding it. However, I found myself both smiling and cringing at those self-indulgent and mostly innocent days.

The second journey was in 2007, a 12,000 mile trip to Alaska, with two friends, at least on the way up. There I found a wilderness I didn’t even know I was missing, and the seed was sown for the search of greener grass.

The third story is from 2012, solo to Mexico by both circumstance and preference. My expectations weren’t great, but the events exceeded them. A motorcycle ride is always remarkable; this one was the precursor to the journey to Iraq that inspired Ureka.

These are, as always, my diaries; they are brutally honest, exposing myself, my thoughts, emotions, observations and ultimately my life on and off the road. The different natures of growing older and reflecting on past experiences as well as the environmental transitions, through the awe of Arctic tundra, high altitude existences, geological phenomena, desolate desert, Pacific Ocean escapism and everything that happened in between. So you see, it’s still a pretty clever title and it has the approval of Mr. Simon and Mr. Manicom.

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And recommended by Grant!