Pondo's 40 before 40

Who is Pondo?

My name is Danny, but known to many as Pondo.  Being known as Pondo started a few years ago when I was searching for an online name/avatar and cast my memory back to one of the first Star Wars figures I remember, Ponda Baba also known as Walrus Man...you know, the guy from the Mos Eisley Cantina that gets his arm cut off?  He is a lesser known character in the Star Wars Universe and I knew that not many people would choose that name, as oppose to all the Darth's and Skywalkers out there.

The name stuck, and people came to know me as Pondo.

I am a 30 something year old who, whilst sat on a beach in the Dominican Republic on my honeymoon, was given the idea to create a bucket list.  40 things that I have been putting off or never thought I could do.  40 challenges to push myself to see, do and experience what the world has to offer, and subsequently this blog was created to log all the tasks I complete.

My main goal is to complete all of the challenges on the list and on my 40th birthday (2019) look back through all the fun things and crazy things both myself, friends and family have done over the last few years.

There have been some absolute highs and absolute lows, and I know the 40 before 40 holds more challenges ahead, but I am ready for what life throws at me, ready to take each challenge and prove that if you set your mind to something, you can do it.

Join me on this journey

All the challenges I partake in will be logged on this blog.  If you fancy a little smile once in a while, or even to shed a little tear with me along the way, please follow, share and comment as much as possible (anything is appreciated)

You can click the links on the right hand side of this blog for individual stories or click the tabs above for the completed, yet to do, fun stuff, year in review or #Running4Spud (our charity to raise money for the maternity unit at Royal Bolton Hospital)

You can contact me on twitter @Pondobaba

Or via Email: mrpondo@gmail.com

One of my main goals on this journey is to inspire people to get up off the couch and seek out what life has to offer instead of complaining that life is boring and nothing much happens.  The more people that see this blog, the more chance it has of inspiring someone.

On the left are links to recent updates from my other blogs and blogs I am following.  Link me to your blog and I will be happy to do the same.

My Other Blogs

Pondo and Clare's Travel Blog

As part of my 40 before 40, I have set myself the challenge of seeing at least one new country every year as this world is far too big to keep returning to the same holiday destination.  I am always willing to try new cultures, cuisines and destinations.

Our holidays are logged here: Pondo and Clare's Travel Blog

Pondo's Year of Cinema

As an avid film watcher, I decided to create a film review blog to keep track of all the films I have watched at the cinema and my thoughts on them.  It is like a film review site, but not as flashy and full of big words.  I am currently on our 3rd year with the Cineworld Unlimited Member card and clocking up the viewings.  For the latest cinema visit, Pondo's Year of Cinema

Diary of a New Dad

Clare and I have had a tumultuous journey over the last few years, but on February 17th 2016 our prayers were answered and we were blessed with Isabella.  There are so many sites on the t'interweb with the female perspective, I wanted to log stages of development from a Daddy's point of view. The posts on this will be sporadic and not without tears, but there will be lots of laughs to be had over the next few years.  Diary of a New Dad