Sunday Sessions: On the Road with William Thomson

Sunday Sessions: On the Road with William Thomson
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This week we sat down with author and adventurer William Thomson. After converting a van, William, Naomi (his partner) Ottie (their new born baby) and Alfie (their dog) did an epic trip around the coast of Britain. Soon after William released The Book of Tides, its a hugely insightful and interesting guide to the tides around our island. 

They have since spent time travelling in Europe and beyond and have just launched the new book - The World Book of Tides. They have also added to the family with new baby Arva. 

 
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Heres a little insight into some of their best roads... 

  What's the most importing thing to take with you on a Roadtrip.. this can be a few items... 

1] My custom built camper-van equipped with an armoury of waterspouts gear!

2] My partner, dog and kids - they're a constant source of entertainment.

3] My new Coastal Adventure Journal, so I can take notes of all the new things I discover.

Best moments / Worst moments that spring to mind. 

Best moment - leaving a wet, windy, cold & grey England in November and driving solidly for two days to North Spain, then spending a week surfing uncrowded waves in sunny blue skies. I probably shouldn't mention the topless Spanish surfer babes...

Worst moment - Any one of the near death experiences. The most recent was almost crashing over the side a huge bridge in Galicia [over a hundred metres high] because I was busy observing the tides below and not concentrating on the sudden pile up ahead.

Do you plan your trips or just take them as they come? 

Most of my trips provide research for books so involves travelling to tidal bores, rapids and whirlpools around the world. Because these only happen at specific times of the day/month/year you have to plan exactly when you're going to get there or you'll miss it! I usually plan to see just one of these highlights a day, which leaves plenty of time for aimless exploring, discovering random places I would never have gone to if I wasn't in the area to study the tides. It's these places in between that provide some of my most memorable travel experiences.

Best road you've ridden?

New Zealand's Surf Highway, overlooked by the epic Mount Taranaki, ridden on my Black and Chrome Suzuki GN250 motorcycle back when I was in my early 20's.

You can catch all The Tidal Travellers adventures here, and be sure to check out their new book available in any good book stores across the UK ;) 

 
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