I drifted back into market research telling myself that I would just do more interesting social survey work. I started with a company who only did social surveys and was told there was plenty of work available. I think I had about 3 jobs from them over 6 months. When I was doing a sex survey for them in Perth I bumped into another interviewer. She told me that company she worked for were about to start a big social survey where same families would be interviewed every year for next 3 years. I phoned area manager next day, we hit it off and things seemed to be going well. After a few months area manager asked me to apply for position of deputy. Believe it or not, as deputy manager I was still paid by hour. I actually had more hassle, made less money and had less flexibility than working as an interviewer. I still had to go out interviewing and would get home in evening to a pile of faxes and phone messages, when I just wanted to relax.

I lasted around 6 months as deputy. I rationalised that I had tried studying, tried a promoted post, I wasn't that ambitious and no employer seemed prepared to offer me a decent job, so I would have to be realistic and just plod on as an interviewer. Well that lasted for around a year then area manger was forced to retire at 65 and new manager wanted to greatly reduce my work on annual social survey and force me to do all other sorts of surveys I wasn't interested in.

I was wracking my brain about what on earth I was going to do to earn a crust. I had started thinking that I would like to start a travel business. It was a growth market, I wouldn't need any employees, and I could work from home. The Internet was really catching on (this was 2002) and I thought that it would allow me, to gain some market exposure, even as a small fish. I also thought it would be wonderful to work in a field in which I had a great personal interest. I signed up with a flight supplier as a travel broker in August 2002.

That was almost two years ago. I am still working as a market research interviewer and business is slowly growing. It's been an ongoing dilemma to me, whether to give up interviewing and just concentrate on business. At some points I have been doing market research six days a week, so really have not had much time or energy to devoteto business. However I have been loathed to give up steady income. By same token if I don't focus on business then it will never really take off.

My initial business was Europe a la Carte. I thought that there was a niche in market to assist people who were looking for something different to traditional package holiday, put together a tailor made trip to Europe. It is possible to do this yourself on Internet but it's pretty time consuming. I reckoned that there was a significant minority of people who would value some assistance with planning and booking their trip.

From enquiries I received I began to realise that there was demand for cultural and activity holidays in Europe. The sister site, European Cultural & Activity Tours, was started in January 2003. May aim was to build up a good selection of holidays offered by small specialist suppliers throughout Europe.

I have to say that I am extremely lucky that one of my sons is really good on computer. He has designed my sites and databases. My other son has also helped me with newsletters and photos.

I have begun to get more bookings and last week I had my first repeat customer. I have learnt a lot in last two years about IT, Internet and marketing. I have tried my hand at writing articles for websites.

I have had some interesting trips to meet up with suppliers and visits to areas that I promote. I have worked really hard but I haven't really minded that as I have, on whole, enjoyed work. I am working toward my dream of having a profitable business in a field I find fascinating. I believe that I have found what I want to do now that I am grown up!

Today, many wild excursions later, nostalgia relives golden memories of that first trip. Like herd of gaur, calves and all, which grazed on unconcernedly letting us approach close. The glory of evening light on their backs as they ambled away followed by a flock of cattle egrets. The unexpected sighting of a lone old bull foraging down at a waterhole, magnificent even in past of his prime.

On our last evening in Kanha we waited by a stream, praying for tiger our guide suspected was around, to appear. After a certain point it did not matter any longer and we simply surrendered to electrifying atmosphere, jungle silence broken only by repeated calling of a jungle fowl, as darkness quickly descended and our driver rushed to get back before gates closed. The next morning Kanha saw an unexpected drizzle of rain. The temperature dropped sharply and an uncanny hush pervaded in jungle. Few animals were about and on this last safari we saw a different side of forest, eerie almost forbidding.

Later at gate we met with question again, “Any tigers?” “No, tough luck”, I said, “But what hell!”

For those interested, www.traveljini.com extensively covers destinations in India including wildlife.

Roozbeh Gazdar