An Interview with Kris Mole, Skint In Europe (2/3) By Steve Rudd

(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).

All in all, how many countries do you aspire to visit and which places are you looking forward to seeing the most? To complete the challenge I have to visit the Capital City of every single EU country that isn't an island, so basically all except Cyprus and Ireland. Apart from that there are a few others that I may try to squeeze in, for example I already got Oslo onto my tour and it was an amazing place that I'm glad to have seen. I think it's like 27 countries.

Have you ever undertaken any travel adventures of this calibre before? Not like this, no. I moved to Rome as an 18-year old with a couple of mates, but that was basically just to get drunk and meet women whilst working in a youth hostel. After that I moved to Slovenia where I worked as an English teacher, and it was while I was there that I got the taste for travelling.

So many countries were easily accessible from there, so I started to enjoy the opportunities to see the different cultures of Europe. Nothing like this though. It's only a shame that on this trip I don't really have time to see much of the places, as I'm on the move as soon as I've arrived, trying to complete the challenge before the elements make it 200 times tougher.

What was the reaction of your friends and family when you first told them about what you intended to do? There were a few raised eyebrows from mates, but people who know me know that if anyone can pull it off then I'm the fella. I'm a bit of a blagger as it is, so this is just putting my skills to the test. As for family, they're really supporting it, they know I get itchy feet if I'm in the same place too long, and as it's for charity every one wants to see me succeed.

You cite Michael Palin as a traveller who has inspired you to get out and see the world. What is it about what he does and where he goes that so appeals to you? I mean, he's real. You know, he's someone who has lived quite a privileged life, a life which he earned I might add. And now he travels to these places to show us what they're like, and he's not afraid to embarrass himself or get his hands dirty.

If there's one traveller who inspires me more than anyone else on the planet, it's Ian Wright (not the footballer!) He works for the Travel Channel and does shows like Globetrekker. I relate to him more. We're both working-class, down to earth Southern guys with that cheeky chappy personality that means it's rare to find someone that we don't get along with. I might have gone to school in Brighton, but my routes and origins and family around me don't change, so I'm always going to be a bit of a bo, a true South-Londoner.

Continued .... Next Page (3/3)

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