About
A bucket-list journey, one story at a time
My name is Sam, and I'm 73 years young.
I've spent most of my life chasing a little white ball around golf courses all over the world. Along the way, I've been lucky enough to live in different countries and experience more than I ever imagined.
Life, however, had other plans too. I've faced and overcome five separate battles with cancer — stomach, colon, skin, lymph nodes, and now stage 4 brain cancer. It's been a journey, to say the least.
So I've made a decision.
Rather than slowing down, I'm setting out to explore the parts of the world I've never seen — starting with Vietnam — and to enjoy every moment I've got left doing it.
This blog is simply my way of sharing that journey. No frills, no perfection — just honest stories, photos, and experiences from wherever I happen to land.
If you enjoy following along, tell your friends and join me for the ride.
And go easy on me — I'm a former professional golfer, not a tech wizard or a literary genius.
Just Sam… with a bit of a story, a sense of humour, and a real thirst for adventure.
IF YOU READ THE BLOG, PLEASE COMMENT, AS IT TELLS ME WHAT IM DOING RIGHT OR WRONG, THANKS.
Why this diary exists
This little corner of the internet is part travel diary, part love letter to the people and places that make a life feel full. After five rounds with cancer, Sam learned that "someday" is a promise nobody can keep — so the bucket list became a calendar, and the calendar became a way of living. Every entry here is written from the road, usually the same evening, while the smells of dinner and the day's small mishaps are still fresh.
You'll find honest notes about food worth flying for, the kindness of strangers, the occasional missed train, and quiet mornings where nothing happens at all — which, it turns out, is sometimes the whole point. There are no sponsors, no affiliate links, and no ten-best lists. Just one traveller, a notebook, and a deep belief that the world is more generous than the headlines suggest.
What you'll find here
Slow travel stories, photos from the road, food memories, and the small details that don't make it into guidebooks — train conversations, market mornings, and the long pauses in between.
Get in touch
Have a place Sam should visit, a question, or just want to say hello? The contact page is open, and every message gets a reply — eventually, depending on the wifi.