Welcome to the pages of my blog about Preston, Lancashire, and I hope you like my place! My name is Mark, and I have undertaken the task to tell you everything you need to know about my hometown and the vicinity. I will be your virtual guide across the lush natural landscape, the abundant historical monuments and landmarks, and the busy modern life. Preston also boasts a rich history and many important local traditions, which I will highlight throughout the pages of this website. Of course, we will also talk about the blooming economics and the ever-expanding business connections with the rest of the UK and beyond its borders.
However, before we embark on this fascinating journey of unearthing the hidden treasures of one of Lancashire’s true gems, let me first introduce myself.
Who Is Mark?
Born and raised in Preston, I always wanted to explore the world, travel far, and possibly settle in a faraway, exotic tropical destination. I am lucky and proud to say that I actually achieved many of my dreams in this regard.
My UK Experience
Once I finished school, I packed my bags and set off to live like a modern-day vagabond. Initially, I would travel around the UK, and work here and there to support myself. I really enjoyed this dynamic lifestyle, which allowed me to meet tons of new people and have all sorts of unexpected and thrilling experiences.
Eventually, I picked photography and videography as my trade. I bought myself the necessary equipment and started doing freelance work for travel magazines, different YouTube channels, TV shows, and documentary productions. As my experience advanced, so did my desire to see more of what lies outside the country.
Touring the World
As the days passed, the idea to leave everything behind and take on the life of a digital nomad grew stronger. Until finally, one day, I just packed my laptop, camera, and a few personal belongings and bought a ticket to a random destination, which happened to be El Salvador. More cities and countries followed shortly, and I was feeling on top of the world.
Coming Back Home
Years passed as I gained more travelling experience and professional skills. However, slowly but steadily, a yearning to belong somewhere started to grow inside of me. It was strange, as I had never felt anything like it before.
I decided I wanted to settle or at least slow down a bit and pick a place to stay for longer than usual. I tried different destinations – both new and already visited – but without much success. Wherever I went, I felt the imminent urge to leave and move on to the next location hoping it would be my safe haven at least for a little while. However, I repeatedly failed to find “my place.”
Eventually, the feeling became so overwhelming that I did not know what to do and just kept on moving frantically from one city to the other. However, fate favours the brave, and while shooting a documentary in Andora, I accidentally met my future wife. We quickly got married and – as she shared the same passion for adventure as me – soon hit the road again.
We did a lot of family travelling and at some point, my wife asked to see my home country and birthplace specifically. So, we bought a pair of tickets and jumped on a plane back to the UK. As soon as we arrived in Preston, I felt like I was relieved from a heavy burden. Finally, the sense of belonging that I had craved for so long was satisfied. I felt happy, whole, and fulfilled.
As luck would have it, my wife actually found Preston, and Lancashire in general, quite charming and decided she would love to stay. Thus, we ended up buying a small house and living a quiet, yet full and exciting life.
I decided I wanted to use the knowledge and experience I gained while travelling around the world to create this blog and help showcase all the great things about Preston. My goal is to create a comprehensive, stirring online platform that will present our city and district in front of the world and will invite adventurers from all over the world to come and visit it.