I followed last year's Netjetters. If it's possible to read something through gritted teeth then that is what I have been doing. You see, the thing is, I wanted to travel this year. I turned 30 and, being a smoker, I reckon this constitutes a reasonable age to have a mid-life crisis. I went from school to college to work without a break, and now I NEED to travel.

Of course there are reasons against it, and God knows I have blown these way out of proportion as I have wimped out of setting a date to start travelling. I am ashamed to say that Newcastle United have been one the main reasons that I have stayed on Tyneside. Yes, I'm an addict. Yes, a trip around the world could be just the kind of cold turkey I need.

I am very, very proud of Newcastle upon Tyne. Except for two years away at college, the north-east has always been my base. I was born 25 miles away but the city is my spiritual home. I'm so attached to the place that even the sentimental god-awful tacky crap that is Jimmy Nail's "Big River" brings a lump to my throat.

In recent years, though, I have had the chance to travel. St Kitts two years ago, Trinidad and Tobago last year - would it sound sad to admit that this was simply because the Toon were touring there? Either way, I have the bug.

I work in marketing, but you could say that my faith in my profession has been somewhat rocked since I read Naomi Klein's brilliant No Logo. However, I can write, I can be witty and I would love the chance to write something a little more challenging and enjoyable than the press releases I churn out on a daily basis.

In all honesty I don't want to work for the next 30 years without a break. I have worked the last 10 and now I'm fed up. If I had a break and had my horizons extended then perhaps the new, improved me would return with fresh ambitions in the world of work. I want to see if my beloved Newcastle really is the greatest city on earth, or whether I love it simply because I have limited experience of the rest of the world.

I've been buying books on south-east Asia and I guess top of my list of places to go would be Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, but I would also like to travel south America and the Caribbean. Mind you, I wouldn't mind taking in eastern Europe too.

Anyway, if you pick me I'll be good value. My emails will be required reading and I'll make sure I seek out the unusual for the readers' enjoyment...