My fathers family were travelers or travellers since they were British. Were they Pikeys? Well, my father was born in a caravan in a farmers field. When the second world war ended and folks were allowed to travel more or less freely, he was on a boat to Canada.

In Canada he married and my Mother and little Keith got to travel as well. By the time I graduated from primary school I had attended 13 schools.  The next five years were spent in the same school and address but the die was cast. In High school my favorite subjects were social studies and later geography and history.

I was interested in the world outside my own and I hoped to travel. The guidance counselors and student analyzers of the day said my aptitude and interests showed me to be suited for a career as a camera man, or photographer for a publication like National Geographic. Yeah, that, or a Forest Ranger.

What the hell had I written on that profile? My first name means woodland, a forest dweller or guardian of the forest. So maybe that explains a part of my life. I come from a traveling heritage and I am interested in and somehow responsible for forest protection? My career as a helicopter firefighting pilot that travels extensively all over the world to primarily protect forest lands seems appropriate.

So did I pick my occupation, or did I just wander around ’till it found me?