GLOBETROTTING West Bromwich Albion fan Chris Morrall from Kidderminister, who has spent almost three years travelling in Latin America, is now attempting a new epic adventure – writing a book about his exploits.

Chris, aged 34, has visited a total of 15 Central and South American countries in the past two years and 11 months – from Argentina up throught the western countries to Central America and the north of the continent.

He sent the Worcester News details of his travels two years ago and in particular his feat of reaching the summit of Ecuador’s highest mountain Mount Chimborazo where he donned his Albion supporter’s shirt.

He believes he became the highest Albion fan in the world as Chimborazo is 6,310 metres high and has the title of being the world’s highest mountain when measured from the centre of the earth due to its location near the equator where the planet bulges.

In the past two years his fascinating journey has continued and Chris said he’s developed from being a casual traveller and adventurer – as he was already well-travelled – to becoming a photographer, climber, ornithologist and anthropologist.

Apart from witnessing the natural beauty of these countries and benefitting from the warm hospitality of native people across the continent, Chris said he also saw poverty and homelessness as well as being close to violent crimes, extreme weather events and terrible accidents.

He has concluded that travel, no matter how short, is a valuable experience for everyone and can expand a person’s perspective on life and create a better understanding other people. He stressed that people should not let age or time restrictions deter them.

He believes it would be invaluable for all politicians and could, over time, improve the country and the rest of the world.

He said: “My ethos is that everyone should travel, at least a little bit, if they can. If all politicians travelled abroad, alone and on a budget and got to meet people in at least a handful of less developed countries - staying where normal people live - I’m sure over time it would help to improve our country and that of the rest of the world.

“More politicians would realise how fortunate we are to have what we have such as our state healthcare system – only Ecuador offers free healthcare in Latin America and many in Latin America sadly go untreated walking around with open wounds, unable to afford medical care.”

Chris hadn’t originally planned to explore Central and South America for nearly three years but he was able to extend his adventures because he manages a recruitment business and can work anywhere in the world as long as he has a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection.

“Most travellers if they want to earn money they have to stop and go home and earn money and go back travelling again. All I need is a laptop and Wi-Fi.

“It would take someone, who takes two weeks holiday a year, 65 years to see as much as me. A lot of people wanted me to do a blog but I just thought I would try to put my resources into a book.”

Chris said his book – written in English and Spanish – will aim to highlight all the best that the Latin American continent has to offer, covering birds and wildlife, native people, colonial towns, cathedrals and churches, museums and culture, carnivals, beaches, food, football, baseball and landmarks. He also plans to include some little known quirky facts.

Chris took in the region of 30,000 photographs on his trip, including a range of birdlife ranging from macaws, toucans, hawks and eagles to manakins and warblers, and plans to use hundreds of them in the book to show what Latin America has to offer. He wants it to be a practical guide for any traveller to that area.

“I plan to document - through first-hand experience, photos, notes and personal insight - what I’ve seen and what I feel would appeal to a would-be traveller or holiday goer.

“The book will be driven by the numerous photos I’ve taken on the various aspects of the continent as well as my notes with a map of Latin America to show where the attraction can be found on the continent.”

He said it would appeal to anyone planning a trip either for a relaxing beach break, exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu or Chichen Itza, partying, bird watching, climbing and much more. He is planning to create a special section on Venezuela which he visited for six week from October to December last year.

“Venezuela is a beautiful natural wonder, abundant with nature and history, and famous also for being the birthplace of Simon Bolivar the liberator of Latin America from Spanish colonial rule,” said Chris.

He stressed that it is a very unstable country at the moment where inflation is very high and tourism had ground to a halt. “There were areas that had not witnesses any tourism in more than two years because of the crime levels and security situation. During my entire time there I didn’t see any western tourists.

“I went to Venezuela because I wanted to do something unique but I knew someone who had an apartment and I could stay there. It is a bit lawless. I was really relieved when I got out of the country unscathed.”

He said Honduras in Central America was a bit scary at times too. “I heard someone getting killed in Honduras and it shook me up a bit. Someone had been murdered right outside the hotel.”

He was also a little alarmed by a string of occurrences in Nicaragua where he nearly trod on a snake, experienced a hurricane and an earthquake, and saw a tarantula.

But his overwhelming impression of Central and South America is one of breath-taking natural beauty, an array of fascinating cultures, a wealth of colourful history and a traveller’s haven.

After this epic adventure, Chris returned to Worcestershire in January. “I came back in January. I just felt it was time. I wanted to go back home and have some home cooked food, get the business running and see friends and family.”

He said he plans to go travelling again in the future. “I will definitely travel in the future but I do not know if it will be for three years continuously. There are large parts of the world I have not visited such as the Middle East, Russia and Africa. They are my next objectives.”

But in the meantime he has his eye on a relaxing journey on some of Britain’s waterways. “I would like to go on a canal boat and see the nature. All you see is trees and nature and wildlife. It is a tranquil way to see England.”

Anyone who would like to find out more about Chris’s grand adventure in Central and South America can go onto his Facebook page - Chris Morrall Travels - or visit https://www.facebook.com/Chris-Morrall-Travels-1940812549564008/