{"id":131,"date":"2023-03-16T23:32:46","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T23:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/?page_id=131"},"modified":"2023-05-18T13:29:04","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T13:29:04","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"131\" class=\"elementor elementor-131\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c401f6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9c401f6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a0865e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8a0865e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0a70c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"c0a70c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper,.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-container{position:static}.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-container .swiper-slide figure,.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper .swiper-slide figure{line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-image-carousel .swiper-slide{text-align:center}.elementor-image-carousel-wrapper:not(.swiper-container-initialized):not(.swiper-initialized) .swiper-slide{max-width:calc(100% \/ var(--e-image-carousel-slides-to-show, 3))}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/5B.png\" alt=\"5B\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/4b.png\" alt=\"4b\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/3.png\" alt=\"3\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"4 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2.png\" alt=\"2\" \/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"5 of 5\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1.png\" alt=\"1\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58f529e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"58f529e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b7fd16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7b7fd16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<h1>About<\/h1><p>His message: \u201c<strong>Life only comes once. You get one bite at it. So make it a large one and live life to the hilt<\/strong>\u201d. His pursuit of adventure has at times interfered with material gain and as he states \u201cI wasn\u2019t destined to be a successful money shuffler. Life is for living and I have fulfilled my dreams and I thank my forebears, my schooling, and my regiment for giving me a thirst for adventure which has been tempered by moments of extreme danger. I\u2019ve grabbed life with two hands. I may not be a wealthy man in consumer terms but a very rich man in terms of magnificent memories.<\/p><p><strong>Birth and upbringing<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220927144850im_\/https:\/\/www.michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/files\/4013\/9045\/1461\/michael-callender-upbringing.png\" alt=\"michael-callender-upbringing.png\" width=\"400\" height=\"1018\" \/><\/strong><\/p><p>Born January 1939, London. \u201cI recall the blitz from my paternal grandmother\u2019s top floor flat in Kensington, close to Kensington Gardens. When the bombing became too hectic, we were relocated to our maternal grandparents\u2019 home, Pyt House, near Shaftesbury, Dorset\u201d.<\/p><p><em>For the full account refer \u2018Leopard on a razor wire\u2019 Chapter1.<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Marital status<\/strong><\/p><p>Married Vivienne 1966, London. Two children \u2013 MaryAnne and Sean.<\/p><p><em>Refer \u2018Leopard on a razor wire\u2019 Chapter 19 which covers the tragic death of MaryAnne, the adventuress, and Sean\u2019s career as a bush pilot.<\/em><\/p><p><strong>EDUCATION<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Worth preparatory school (1946 \u2013 1952)<\/strong><\/p><p>A large preparatory school in Sussex. The leading feeder school for Downside. \u201cThe Benedictine monks taught one to play rugby &amp; box at a tender age \u2013 a suitable grooming for the big school.\u201d Worth is now a fully-fledged Public School in its own right.<\/p><p><strong>Downside School (1952 \u2013 1956)<\/strong><\/p><p>A leading Catholic school in Britain near Bath, Somerset.\u00a0 &#8220;Acclaimed in my time as one of the indomitable rugby &amp; boxing establishments in the West Country.\u00a0 In addition to its ranking as a legendary sporting school in Britain, the inspirational monks , some intellectually brilliant including Dom Wilfred Passmore (headmaster) and Dom Aelred Watkin ( my housemaster) , made the school a font of great minds that excelled at Oxford |&amp; Cambridge. The Benedictine monks and the laymen at Downside gave their pupils a magnificent grounding for the big world which stood one in good stead to face the vicissitudes of life\u201d.<\/p><p><em>Refer \u2018Leopard on a razor wire&#8217; Chapter 10 for further insight into Downside.<\/em><\/p><p><strong>MILITARY<\/strong><\/p><p>Basic training (1957): Rifle Brigade, Winchester Barracks.<\/p><p><strong>Eaton Hall OCS (1957)<\/strong><\/p><p>This famous military institution produced National Service infantry officers for the British army. The OCS was situated at \u00a0the ancestral home of the Westminster family near Chester and loaned to the British government during WW2 up to the disbandment of National Service 1958. \u201cEaton Hall was an adventure. The majority of us gained a valuable experience through the very fine officer instructors and the respected Guards NCO\u2019s \u2013 most of whom had seen active service in WW2 \u2013 which stood us in good stead as officers and leaders of men at a young age\u201d<\/p><p><strong>The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)\u00a0 1957 \u2013 1959<\/strong><\/p><p>Served as a second lieutenant in this famous Scots Regiment of 300 years history as the 26th Regiment of the Line that recruited primarily from the environs of Glasgow. \u201c I experienced an extremely exciting period of my formative years with the Jocks in Bahrain, Kenya, Aden and Jordan.The Cameronians were a tough lot but they were a \u2018university of life\u2019 \u2013 I only had affection and admiration for this fighting regiment\u201d.<\/p><p><em>Refer \u2018Leopard on a razor wire\u2019 chapter 11 for more on the author\u2019s military experiences.<\/em><\/p><p><strong>BUSINESS CAREER<br \/><br \/><span class=\"H3\">Lonsdale Hands Organisation<\/span><\/strong><br class=\"H3\" \/><strong>1962 &#8211; 65<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Worked in Jamaica for this period primarily on behalf of \u00a0Carreras Rothmans, the tobacco conglomerate.\u201cJamaica was in my time a piratical haven \u2013 a reflection of its rich history and an eminently suitable environment for a wild spirited young fellow which was reminiscent of that buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan, the seventeenth century pirate leader of the Caribbean and the first Governor of Jamaica&#8221;. 1965 \u2013 1967. London, working primarily on the Carreras Rothmans account.<\/p><p><strong><span class=\"H3\">Cantrell &amp; Cochrane\u00a01967 \u2013 1969<\/span><br \/><\/strong>Sunbury, near London.Gained useful experience in marketing beverages with this well known Irish soft drinks company that was ultimately purchased by Coca Cola.<strong><br \/><br \/><span class=\"H3\">South Africa 1969 \u2013 2008<\/span><br \/><\/strong>After a short period in advertising, founded Vinuchi Pty Ltd that ultimately became the market leader in South Africa for corporate ties and scarves with sales offices in Sydney, London, Greenwich ( Connecticut), and Toronto.<\/p><p><em>Refer first paragraph of \u2018Background\u2019 and Chapter 12 for extra detail on the author\u2019s business career.<\/em><\/p><p><strong>SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS<\/strong><\/p><p>Comrades 1978 ( 8hrs8min);1982(7hrs38min);1985(8hrs20min).\u00a0 Iron Man 1983 Inaugural (beaten by cut-off with 10 minutes to finish line);1984(10hrs38min);1985(10hrs22min Silver medal);1987(10hrs7min silver medal \u2013 14th Master to cross line). Midmar Mile swim 1979(43min);New York marathon1983(3hhrs 20min). Two Oceans marathon (1997 &amp; 1998). Duzi canoe marathon 1989 double with Tony Beith;1990 double with Tony Beith but retired injured;1991 double with Tony Lightfoot;2000 double with L Benham \u2013 1st Grandmasters;2002 double with A Lightfoot \u2013 1st Grandmasters. Also competed in Breede, Vaal, Fish River, 50 Miler Umzinyathi canoe marathons.<strong><br \/><\/strong><br \/><em>Note: Comrades is run over 90 km of hills between Pietermaritzburg \u2013 Durban; Two Oceans marathon staged around Cape Peninsular 56 kms; Duzi three day canoe marathon 120 kms in the Valley of a Thousand Hills finishing in Durban; Iron Man involving 22 km of canoeing in Hartbeestpoort dam(NW of Johannesburg) \u2013 110 km of cycling \u2013 standard marathon 42 kms finishing in Sandton, Johannesburg.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Refer \u2018Leopard\u2026.\u2019 chapters 6\/9\/13\/17 for graphic descriptions of the aforementioned races and events.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a19b688 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a19b688\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0fe82a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c0fe82a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"53\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/michael-callender-author-order-online-1024x68.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-83\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/michael-callender-author-order-online-1024x68.png 1024w, https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/michael-callender-author-order-online-300x20.png 300w, https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/michael-callender-author-order-online-768x51.png 768w, https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/michael-callender-author-order-online.png 1064w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26727a8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"26727a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0371b3d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0371b3d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db54e7f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"db54e7f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Leopard On A RazorWire<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee43b66 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ee43b66\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Available for purchase on Amazon for \u00a318.00 (Hardback) &#8211; \u00a316.59 (Paperback)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ecd507b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ecd507b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Leopard-Razor-Wire-Michael-Callender\/dp\/1907722653\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"140\" height=\"57\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/amazon-kalahari-icons-e1681308837728.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-88\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b220f96 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b220f96\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3574ead elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3574ead\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"210\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/leopard-on-a-razor-wire-michael-callender.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-89\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f323b9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4f323b9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f5c660 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7f5c660\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"210\" height=\"275\" src=\"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/roaming-with-a-rifle-michael-callender.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-90\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3600440 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3600440\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17a6ecb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"17a6ecb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Roaming With A Rifle<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f91bd7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f91bd7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Buy your signed copy from the author for \u00a360.00 per copy. Note this book is limited to 1000 copies.<\/p><p>Phone: 07977 195940<\/p><p>Email: michael.callender39@gmail.com<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About His message: \u201cLife only comes once. You get one bite at it. So make it a large one and live life to the hilt\u201d. His pursuit of adventure has at times interfered with material gain and as he states \u201cI wasn\u2019t destined to be a successful money shuffler. Life is for living and I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":831,"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131\/revisions\/831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelcallenderadventurewriter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}