I stuffed a tenner in my pocket and walked north...

Adventure lovers, thanks for once again stopping by... This was a pretty chill adventure compared to some of my offerings. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace, but for those craving the more hardcore stuff, do not fear: There are ambitious missions set firmly in the calendar this winter, so make sure you're subscribed and belled up so you don't miss the big stuff. Part 2 of this adventure will be out in 10 days time - Wednesday the 20th of December (or Tuesday the 19th on Patreon)

tom is the embodiment of a grandma saying 'why would you want to go to Australia when there are parts of Birmingham you haven't seen yet?'

A friend and I were wandering the west coast of Sweden. We started in the Region of Skåne, from there we went north. We walked across cities and tiny villages, over rural roads and fields filled with cattle, through quiet woods and over stoney beaches. We slept in small tents or in bivouacs that had a fireplace. Every morning and evening we made coffee with an espresso maker, which was hanging on the side of my backpack, making rhythmic noises while wandering. Right from the beginning of our journey we set ourselves the mission to spread love and be as open as possible during our journey. We smiled, laughed, talked and hugged our way through Sweden! Every time we met people we greeted them or waved at them if they were across the street. And every time they reacted with joy and warmth. On a cloudy day we came across this tiny village right on the coast. This man was biking through the village, we smiled at him, he returned the smile and we continued to find a place to pee :D He must have overheard us speaking german, cause he approached us when we came back from the bushes. Turned out he was german too. He went to live in Sweden a couple of decades ago. We had a nice conversation and asked him where we could get some coffee. He told us that there is a cafe in the next village, a few kilometers up the coast. "But" he said "it is really expensive and I make a really good espresso at my place". So we did the only right thing in this situation. We went home with a stranger. At his place we were greeted by his lovely wife, she insisted, despite our stench from wandering in the same clothes for days and with the prospect of rain, that we would stay for dinner. She made pasta with mushrooms she picked from their garden. We stayed for a few hours, had good conversations and even were invited for a shower. The stench must have been really bad :D Before we were leaving they facetimed their daughter and connected us. At first she was like "Mom who are those strange random people you want to invite to my place!?" The mother gave us her phone so we could talk to her. Our excellent charm must have convinced her daughter or maybe the fact that we are two handsome young men (I don't want to be boastful, just quoting my mother). So she invited us to stay at her place in Göteborg for the weekend. After a good meal, a warm shower and this lovely company we went out into the cold again. Happy and confident that our journey would supply us with many more great memories. I could write about what happened in Göteborg but I think this text would be twice as long. Long story short: we had a blast. I don't know if anybody will read or enjoy this. I just wanted to share a story of complete strangers helping each other out, without expecting anything back. It is one of my favorite memories and it marks a great turning point in my life. Since this adventure I always try to be my best self, to radiate positivity and warmth and to be kind and helpful towards strangers. And I must say, it is really beautiful what the world and people around return to you ♥️

"Packed lunch consisting of ham, cheese and pickle sandwiches, a scotch egg and a pork pie" Thats the most English thing I've ever heard

One thing you could try is walking in Sweden during the summer. We have something called "Allemansrätten" here which basically means that you are allowed to walk pretty much everywhere as long as you're not disruptive or destructive. This even goes for private properties so you can cross someones yard for example as long as you don't mess up their flowers.

Americans: Lemonade is clear and bubbly in the UK (similar to sprite but nicer). We call your Lemonade “Cloudy lemonade”

Can I just say, I find the aspect ratio for your adventure videos so oddly comforting and I'm not sure why.

"Just walking south to north" as he walks straight into the sun... Someone give that man a compass.

Losing the lemonade feels like the universe telling you that you needed water 😂😂

Massive shout out to the Shrewsbury Arms. I hope at least some of the people watching this video will seek out that pub and bring their custom as a thank you for that lady’s kindness.

As an American, there is something incredibly healing and euphoric about exploring videos. The fact he can just walk 20 paces and be in a new field is so nice. Just the idea of there being somewhere new to walk to and its not just more houses seems so serene.

You arent going to believe this, but January 2023 i embarked on an almost identical adventure to you mate. I was staying with my uncle in Lichfield ( up the road from the cathedral) when i was bored watching TV day after day, so 8am i put on hiking boots, packed a lunch, water and 20 quid and headed somewhere id alwyas wanted to go - Wales. I didnt have a map and my phone went flat couple hours in so i relied on public maps in parks and locals giving me directions. I went north-west to cannock, through the cannock chase (lovely views but bloody creepy forests) to Rugeley where i had a few pints in weatherspoons, charged my phone and then walked west to Telford follolwing the A5. I slept under a random rail bridge for a few hours until i coudlnt bear the cold any longer and headed to Shrewsbury. I gave up from exhaustion after walking for more than 24 hours and took two trains back to Lichfield. Your video hit me in a time where a year later, im yearning for adventure again. Honestly would have loved to make it to Wales. Someday soon i'll make that adventure again and maybe we'll cross paths on our journeys. Good luck to you mate!

26:45 nah that bird just opened so much childhood memories

You deserve all the credit for having the ability to captivate a viewer for 40 minutes just by walking through the beautiful countryside and narrating it. True adventure. Good stuff as always Tom!

One tip that might help in future adventures. Churchyard and graveyards almost always have an outdoor tap for public use. Intended for those tending to graves but anyone can use them.

Never thought a dude walking through country for 40 minutes could be so entertaining Good job man :)

I love the attitude of walk across "Private" woodland that should definitely be open land for all. I live near Knowsley Hall in Prescot, a beautiful estate with a large lake BUT it's private and owned by one family. No public access!

I once tried cycling from birmingham to newcastle in a day but ended up cold and wet at 11pm with no sleeping equipment. I ended up finding an empty stable near Kendal and managed to get a few hours sleep whilst being so paranoid I thought there was a horse staring at me. 10/10 would do again

I love how popular Tom's videos are because he doesn't put on a fake persona or overdo it. It's just pure adventure, exploration and joyful content and I really appreciate it! Keep being an awesome guy Tom.

Hitting me hard with that nostalgia right from the start. I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one who has felt this inexplicable urge to head off into the great unknown, with no destination in mind except for perhaps something on the horizon that looks interesting, and just see wherever the path takes me... I call it wanderlust but even though it can be described with words, I don't think it can be truly understood unless you've experienced this feeling yourself. It may be boring to watch by some people's standards but there is something truly magical about the joy of exploration.