Traveller Profile: Poet Duncan Filer

An incredible chance meeting with Duncan in Jodhpur will lead to a lifelong friendship. Duncan was on his first extensive trip when we met in India and I was honoured to be part of his journey. He wrote the beautiful poem Mehrangarh as an ode to our wonderful meeting in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.

Read Duncan’s journey and his loves of the UK, his home country.

 

1. Name; Duncan Filer

 

2. Occupation; Poet

 

3. Country of Residence; UK

 

4. Country of Origin; Germany

6. Why do you love Travel? I love to be free and to feel the spirit of adventure flowing through my veins.

 

7. Favourite place in your home country and why? This is difficult as there are some of the world’s greatest outdoor spaces in Great Britain. I think for pure wild beauty then I would have to pick the Dartmoor National Park and for poetic inspiration the Lake District National Park

 

8. Best place for tourists to visit in your country? For a tourist then I would say London is the place to go, it’s best explored on foot and away from the tourist attractions. For example walk from Nottinghill Gate to The Portobello Road or Embankment to The Tower

 

9. What other country would you live in if you had to leave your country? That’s too easy; I’d live in India… (with Emma of course at her guest house when see opens it)

 

10. Best travelling experience anecdote in your own country? I walked a National trail called the pennine way, it’s about 270 miles end to end. I walked a few days with a postman call Nick, his challenge was not to walk past an open pub without stopping for a beer. He drank 100 pints in 16 days; we walked the last 30 miles in 7 hours and then drank a gallon of beer!! Google 100 pints pennine way and see if you can find him…

 

11. Favourite activity when around your city? I love walking in English cities, in fact any city. Really I find it’s the best way to get to know a people and their culture.

 

12. Do you feel you know your country well, or is more exploring of your homeland needed? There’s lots more to explore here, so many small towns and villages with lots of ancient myth and tradition

 

13. Any warnings for travellers visiting in your country? Don’t drive in London, bring rain gear and be careful English people will recommend things out of pure politeness…

 

14. Must see movie featuring your country and Why? Nottinghill for its shear Englishness, it is everything romantic about being in England.

 

15. The best book to read before visiting your country? Secret London

 

16. The must eat dish or delicacy of your country? Toad in the Hole, even better if you can get Roast Beef Toad in the Hole…. awesome bliss x

 

17. The top three sayings to make travellers stay in your country easier?
    A pint of beer not larger please landlord?
    Can you tell me where the nearest nice toilet is?
    Do you know when the rain will stop?

 

18. Best time of year to visit? The Summer after Wimbledon

 

19. The 4 words that best describe your country: Polite, historic, wet and romantic

 

Thank you to Duncan for his wonderful information about the UK and beautiful words.