Why am I here?

Hi to anyone that has stumbled across my first foray into the world of the blog.
Why am I here? Why is my blog called When I grow up I want to be a zoo keeper?
Those two phrases pretty much sum up my life so far. We're all born into this world as a supposed blank canvas and then we spend the rest of our life trying to establish an identity and find a way to pass the time and work out why we are here.
I was born in 1968 as child number 4 in Ashtead, Surrey. The geographical location of my birth had an impact on what makes me happy now. Four miles in one direction was the place that would develop my interest in a leisure pursuit that I hold dear, four miles in the other direction was the place that must have stimulated my psyche and laid the foundations for my identity and future career.

Epsom was the actual location of my birth, in Epsom District Hospital. Up the road from the hospital is the hallowed turf of Epsom Downs. This beautiful windswept place is known worldwide as the location of the racecourse that hosts the Epsom Derby, the most challenging of all of the flat racing classics. Epsom Downs means so much more to me than that, and I will return to that in another blog I'm sure.
Horse racing was a pastime shared by me and my dad. I have memories of being told to sit on a ledge by the door in the betting shop in Ashtead on a Saturday morning, doodling on betting slips while dad put his bets on. Saturday afternoons were spent watching the ITV 7 races on tv with dad and my little brother Nick. We would all pick a horse in each race and whoever finished in front of the others would be rewarded with 2p - well, it was the 1970's! Dad and Nick are no longer with us, and it is a real comfort and time of quiet relaxation for me to sit down with the newspaper at the ready and watch the racing on the telly.

Chessington became the place of  discovery for me, a place that always felt like home and still does. I'm not talking about the town but the zoo. I have no idea how old I was on my first visit to Chessington Zoo, but I'm pretty sure that much of my formative years was spent waiting for Ben the hippo to move out of his mud wallow, holding out my hand to be licked by the giraffes, and standing by the old ape house trying to make sense of the relationship between myself as a human and the great apes in front of me.

My constant companion as a child was my dog Wicker. Whatever happened in life, however I was feeling about things, Wicker was there. The connection between myself and other animals was always one of mutual respect and communication. Humans were challenging and difficult to understand for me, whereas animals were so much more straightforward and honest.

I am sitting writing this blog as much for myself as for anyone that takes the time to read it. My life so far has been a whirlwind of different amazing experiences. Sitting here writing this helps me to remember everything that has made me who I am. It gives me a time of reflection, and hopefully will give you an interesting read and shed some light on how to make the most of life by taking chances and following your dreams :)