It was as simple as having one glass of Chianti to many, whilst sitting in the garden in a leafy Sussex garden that changed everything. On that evening a pregnant Lucy with child number two listened surprisingly as I explained to her my plan to untangle ourselves from a very ordinary, brilliantly ordinary, but nevertheless unremarkable life in the UK.

My Dad once told me that behind every successful man is a startled woman. I’m not sure I have ever seen Lucy startled, she just takes everything in her stride and in true Jerry Maguire style she and I both handed in our resignations to quit our jobs the next morning. Less than four months later (and our team of now four) set off on the long drive from Sussex to Lake Iseo.

Nothing great is easy, and the first few months adjusting to life in Italy was far from easy. Complicated by having a three-month-old and untamed 3-year-old to organise I guess nowhere would have been easy. With family not on hand to help and the barrier of language a clear and present danger, it is only now I look back and think we were utterly mad. At the time I suppose it was survival. Slowly though we managed to overcome the obstacles in front us, and at some point, I can’t really remember when, Italy felt like home.

During the moments of calm, I would cycle, explore and explore some more. I am an average cyclist, but was then and still am, in love with the feeling of adventure and discovery. I was discovering an Italy I hadn’t seen in any of the guidebooks or read about. It was simply too good not to share and encouraged by friends I decided to start Italy Bike Tours. A simple website, some cheap business cards and hopelessly awful Italian, I was away. Avanti.

People who knew more than me said the first years would be the hardest and they were not wrong. Hours spent in the car visiting the best hotels, learning the best routes from local experts, discovering the best places to eat and immersing myself in what I considered to be the real Italy. Slowly a network of what would become great friends allowed me to access places only Italians knew about.

The secret to success isn’t a secret at all: hard work, persistence and the ability to dust yourself down after a rubbish day are all qualities, I guess looking back I had and still do. Having Lucy at home and by now two bilingual kids helped to motivate me if ever I needed it. And then somewhere along the way you need a bit of luck. I have had my fair share for sure. Do you make your own luck? Maybe. What was for sure though is that the harder I worked the luckier I got.

A theme appeared with Italy Bike Tours. Clients would arrive and love the attention to detail, the little touches and the essence of Italy they would be shown. Fabulous staff would impress them with their dedication and in-depth knowledge. So many of those clients returned in the early years, they still do, and word of mouth spread. So much so that we now get bookings from all four corners of the globe.

I am so proud of what Italy Bike Tours has become. A company that is made up of a dedicated team who live and breathe Italy and cycling. Over the years clients have become friends and the undoubted best part of my job is meeting brilliant people. You see the best of people on holiday and it’s a privilege to share moments with clients who are truly relaxed whilst soaking up every ounce of Italy.

So, as I sit here with another glass of Chianti in hand with Lucy and the not so little kids hustling over ice cream, I guess more than anything I feel grateful. Grateful to have had the courage to change direction, grateful to have had met such wonderful people along the way and grateful to call Italy my home. It is truly is a wonderful place, best discovered on two wheels.

How to change a life