15 Years Later, I Got to Illustrate the Story That Started It All

15 years ago, I quit my job as a greenkeeper on a golf course. A role that made no real sense for me as I had zero experience. I was just looking for seasonal work with low responsibility, and I happened to have an in with the head greenkeeper because we drank at the same bar.

What it did give me was cash for my next escape.

This particular trip was to be a 1,413-mile drive from Bournemouth to Taghazout, Morocco. A few friends, my now wife and I loaded up the vans and headed south. Through France, Spain, and eventually into North Africa. No real plan, just a few surfboards and the essentials.

We lived in the vans. Cooked meals on a tiny camping stove. Most nights we found a quiet spot to park up, built a fire, and shared stories over beers. The further we got from our routines and responsibilities, the lighter everything started to feel.

At some point, our phones died and we didn’t bother charging them. Instead, we read, talked, surfed and ate together. No pings, no scroll holes, no pressure to post about it. Just real, honest time together.

It’s actually right around the time I started drawing again.

When we finally returned home, I eventually started working in the creative industry, which led to me becoming a freelance illustrator….

Fast forward to last year, and I had the chance to turn that whole experience into an illustration for Passenger. A brand that’s all about embracing the wild, seeking simplicity, and slowing down. All things that resonated deeply with that trip, and with me.

It felt full circle. To have a personal story become a piece of work. To collaborate with a brand that values the outdoors, storytelling, and purpose.

Who knew that trip would be the start of me becoming the person I am today? Weird.