2-Mile Open Water Swim with Hurdles

This book tells of the trials and tribulations of an English expatriate who set himself an endurance sporting goal just for the hell of it. Living in Bulgaria made the challenge even more demanding and was seen by many as a quintessential eccentric English quirk, pointless and mingled with madness. The goal was to complete a 2-mile open water swimming event based some 3000 kilometres away in London's Hyde Park. The biggest hurdle was not being able to swim with an acute fear of water. Not to be ignored here is age. It was perhaps getting old that motivated him more than anything as opposed to just limp and fade away into the lethargy of old age. The challenge seemed an impossible feat initially with many hurdles that had to be overcome. This was not just from starting out as a non-swimmer fearful of water, but from other logistic issues over the 6-month journey. Getting through the challenge needed lots of determination, strong resolve not least bloody-mindedness.

Martin Miller-Yianni was born in Erith, England in 1958. When approaching 50 years of age, the former Primary classroom teacher decided to move away from his UK homeland and seek a new life. A simple, free and calm lifestyle returning to old values would have always remained a dream without that move.
A new life in foreign lands began in October 2005 taking on a smallholding enterprise. This project, located in an outback village called Skalitsa some 37 kilometres south of the City of Yambol based in the southwest region of Bulgaria. He subsequently met his Bulgarian partner, Galia in 2006.
The recently retired English expatriate now finds himself busier than ever managing a smallholding and living off the land. He started up a new farming project in another village closer to Yambol in the spring of 2019.
Having been immersed in Bulgarian life and culture, this inspired him to write books. To date, Martin has written and published a variety of books about life, history and culinary delights of Bulgaria. The writing continues here with the turn of a new and different water-based adventure.