About

I have several nicknames, and I can usually tell where I know people from by what they call me. If you know me from England, you would likely call me Gooner. If you had met me after I moved to Spain, it is more likely that you would call me Sharky.

Why am I called Gooner?

I am a big supporter of Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal’s nickname is the Gunners, and its supporters are called Gooners. Many years ago, a friend I was talking with called me Gooner and was overheard by other people who started to call me Gooner. This continued to the point where everyone called me Gooner, and people who didn’t know my name used this nickname. People in the UK generally use this nickname.

These photos are all of me travelling the world in my beloved Arsenal colours. Click on any image to see a larger version and a description of the photo.

Why am I called Sharky?

In 2014, whilst having a break in Spain, I was taken ill, and because of my illness, I had a large part of my right leg removed. The resulting scar looks like a giant shark has attacked me. A few friends in Spain told people that a shark had attacked me, and the nickname has again stuck. People in Spain generally use this nickname.

A little history.

In brief, I was born in Walthamstow in London and moved to Fareham in Hampshire at the age of four. I grew up in Fareham, I went to school there, I had my first girlfriend there, and I had my first job there. I have also lived in Orlando, Florida, USA and Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain. I love getting out, meeting new people and trying new things.

In September 1990, I had a life-changing car accident, which left me in intensive care for three months and visiting the hospital rehab unit for a year. I still have some problems related to the accident now. The loss of sight in one eye and poor memory due to brain damage are a couple of them. Since then, I have been trying to do some of the many things on my Bucket List. My big passion is travelling, and now I have discovered escorted coach tours and the joy of cruising. I spend lots of my time planning new trips and how to spend my money when I eventually win the lottery.

After my mum became ill in 2007, I became her full-time carer. While taking a break from looking after my mum in 2014, I went to Spain for a week’s holiday. Unfortunately, I became very ill, contracting Necrotising Fasciitis and Sepsis. While I was in intensive care in Madrid, my mum passed away in the UK. I am still recovering from the effects of both illnesses and have now left England.

I now live in Los Alcázares in Murcia and am a permanent resident of Spain. My doctor in England agreed it would be the best thing I could do for my health. The warmer weather makes it easier for me to breathe, and the fact that the boardwalk along the beachfront is very flat and has plenty of rest stops means I can get some light exercise. Most days between the end of April and the start of November, I go for a morning swim in the Mar Menor.

Unfortunately, in 2018, I spent 12 days in a hospital in Murcia being treated for Deep Vein Thrombosis, which has meant I find it challenging to exercise. I swim when I can, and I get over longer distances, mainly on a disabled scooter, rather than walking.

In 2021, I went under the knife again, having a hernia operation in the hospital. Unfortunately, after being released from the hospital too early, I had to go back to the hospital for a further 11 days to clear an infection.

Work experience.

I have had many jobs since I was a teenager. At fourteen, I was doing a paper round, working part-time in the local paper shop, cleaning the shop and stocking shelves, and doing football pools round. At fifteen, I stopped working in the shop and doing the pools round and began working weekends in a local garden centre. At first, I worked in the yard as a yard boy, helping customers find what they wanted and carrying goods to people’s cars for them. After being there for a while, I began working inside on the tills as a cashier. I left the garden centre the week I finished school. When I left school, I got a 3-year apprenticeship with British Gas. After completing my apprenticeship, I became a Gas Service Engineer until I had a severe car accident in 1990. After this, I worked for British Gas and Transco as a clerk in the offices.

After taking redundancy from Transco, I moved to and lived in Orlando, Florida, where I worked cleaning swimming pools and as a taxi driver. On returning to the UK, I worked as a website designer for some big companies, including The Dixon Group, Wandsworth Borough Council and several smaller clients. I worked for British Telecom, trying to break their website and notifying developers of how I did it. I also worked at Alton Sixth Form College as a Senior IT Technician. Between these more extensive jobs, I have worked in Asda as a customer service assistant, at Travelex as a Travel Money Advisor, and at various pubs working behind the bar. I also gave computer lessons in the local library.

What am I doing now?

It’s 2025, and I am in my 10th year of living in Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain. In 2024, I continued travelling, but it was starting to get more difficult for me. I went on a cruise to Hawaii and Alaska in April and May. I went to Marrakech in Morocco with my friend Lisa in June, and in October, I went on an escorted tour of Japan.

My health is starting to deteriorate slowly, and I am finding walking more difficult as my legs and breathing get worse. This has spurred me on to do as much travelling as I can while I still can. I booked an escorted tour of India for this year and plan to book a massive trip in 2026 when I want to visit Australia and New Zealand in one big trip.

I have booked to see a few concerts in June when I will travel to Murcia to see Journey, Simple Minds and Lionel Richie on three separate nights. On the trip to see Simple Minds, I will be going with my old friend Dave Hardy, whom I haven't seen in ages. There are so many good things to look forward to this year. I hope my health stays good enough for me to be able to see all my plans come to fruition.

Social Media.

When I was in the hospital in 2025, a friend posted on my Farcebook Page and asked me how I was doing and if I was in a lot of pain. I replied that I was getting good drugs and that they were helping with the pain, and I promptly got banned from Farcebook. Apparently, I broke their Gun and Drug policies. It seems strange that I could get banned for this whilst I was tagged in a hospital bed, along with a photo of me in the hospital. Still, thousands of criminals who use Farcebook every day are continually allowed to clone people's profiles, and nothing is done about it.

Because of this, I have lost contact with hundreds of people. I have set up new accounts on other social media websites called Mastodon, Minds and Bluesky, which are similar to Farcebook but have no advertising and seem a lot better. It will take me time to build up my contacts again, but if you are one of these, please get in touch with me by Email, Mastodon, Minds, or Bluesky.

Details: Written by: Alan Morris; Created: 23 January 1967; Last Updated: 01 May 2025; Hits: 99688

2024 ended cold and dark, with thoughts of people who had departed from this beautiful world we live in. 2025 started with plans for the New Year and thoughts of people we would see again and new people that we would meet.

Details: Written by: Alan Morris; Created: 30 December 2024; Last Updated: 15 April 2025; Hits: 543

Subcategories

Journals. Article Count: 209

My Journals.

This section of my website contains my journal entries. They are about the people I see, the places I visit or anything I have done during the week. I have a terrible memory, and I find writing these helps me to remember things, and I have a place to return to for reference if I forget something.

I started writing these journals in 2021 during COVID. I stopped for a few months at the start of 2022, but I soon realised that just writing my memories down somewhere helped me to remember them, and I continued writing them in May 2022.

My 2025 Journals. Article Count: 18

These are my journal entries for the year 2025.

My 2024 Journals. Article Count: 52

These are my journal entries for the year 2024. I was able to manage two long-haul travel adventures, one on a cruise around Hawaii and Alaska and the second on an escorted coach trip around Japan. I was also lucky enough to go to Marrakech in Morocco for a short break. I crossed a few things off my bucket list, such as visiting Japan, visiting Hawaii, and going whale watching.

I saw singer Tom Jones live in Murcia. I spent time with good friends, and I ate out many times. I went to England to see my sister get married and spent time with a few old friends in England while there. I did all of this while managing to continue to research my family tree.

There were some sad times when friends or relatives passed away, but I guess as I get older, this will happen more often. I was ill a few times but recovered by resting and doing as the doctor told me. I have finally realised that I can no longer keep pushing myself to do as much as I used to or want to without having to rest for more prolonged periods afterwards. With age comes wisdom, but also with age comes a lousy memory, which makes me forget what wisdom has taught me, and my body keeps reminding me.

My 2023 Journals. Article Count: 52

During 2023, I had some sad times when I lost a few friends and members of my family when they passed away, but I also had great times to balance those out. I was lucky to attend many musical events, fiestas, shows, and travel. I visited three different continents when I went to Africa, South America and Europe on various cruises. I went to five countries and many cities. I saw many fantastic things, crossed off a few things from my bucket list and made many new friends.

The year overall was a good one where the good outweighed the bad, and it gave me the courage to continue travelling and enjoying the world and all it can show me.

My 2022 Journals. Article Count: 35

These journals don’t start until week 18 because I hadn’t intended to do them this year, but because I got bored during COVID, I began to write them again.

The older we get, the more sad times we have, and I lost a few friends and members of my family when they passed away in 2022. To balance those sad times out, I had many great times. I went to some musical events and fiestas, and I went on my first-ever cruise.

I think in 2022, when I look back at it, there were more good times than bad times and I hope that my memory will dwell more on the happy times than the sad times.

My 2021 Journals. Article Count: 52

Welcome to Alan Morris's 2021 Journals. Here, you'll find a collection of weekly entries that capture the highs and lows of my year. From personal reflections and travel experiences to everyday moments and challenges, these journals offer a glimpse into my life in 2021. Whether you're here for inspiration, curiosity, or just a good read, dive in and explore the journey of a year well-lived.

My Memories. Article Count: 17

These stories are all just general memories of things I have done, people I have met, and places I have been to. Many of these memories just come back to me at different times, and I like to record them for when I can no longer remember them.

I hope some of them make you chuckle or maybe remind you of things from your past that you have enjoyed.

My Celebrity Encounters. Article Count: 21

These articles are all about celebrities that I have met at various times throughout my life. I have never gone out of my way to meet these people; I have just bumped into them throughout my day.

All these people were very nice, and I thank them all for their company, their conversation and the stories they allowed me to remember.

My Bucket List. Article Count: 31

A bucket list is a wish list of things to do before you die or ‘kick the bucket’. I have no intention of departing from this mortal life until I have crossed everything off my bucket list, which seems to be growing longer daily.

This section of my website contains details of my bucket list. Some of the things I have managed to do and some of the things I still have to do before I die. The things I have managed to cross off my bucket list have a tick ´´ at the start of the blog.

Whenever I see something new that I want to do, I add it to this list. I have recently started cruising and have found it an excellent way to enjoy a holiday and to be able to cross off some of the things on my bucket list. It does seem that a lot of the things on my bucket list are travel-related, and I could make a separate travel bucket list. Others are things I have now experienced or want to do, and could be included in a separate experience bucket list.

The term Bucket List has been around for a long time, but has maybe become a lot more popular since one of my favourite films, The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, was released in 2007. If you have never seen this film, I highly recommend you watch it. If you haven’t already got one, it will make you start your bucket list.

Los Alcazares. Article Count: 0

Los Alcazares.

These are all general articles about where I now live, Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain. They may be about my life here, helpful tips, reviews of places I have been or my views on things that have happened here, but they all have a link to Los Alcázares.

You can see my photographs from Los Alcazares here.

My Health. Article Count: 6

The articles in this category are all about different health conditions. I have suffered from most of these conditions which is why I have an interest in them.

My Genealogy. Article Count: 133

My interest in Genealogy and my family tree started when I was young, with the tales my dad told me about his family. I enjoyed going to Wales, meeting family I had never met, and listening to stories and tales of past and present relatives. My interest was further ignited after we discovered that my grandfather on my maternal line was, in fact, from an Italian family but had hidden this fact from his wife and children until he was old and in failing health.

It amazes me how addictive genealogy is, and I often spend hours and sometimes days glued to my research, searching out new relatives. I have been lucky enough to discover cousins living in many different countries around the world, and thanks to having my DNA tested, I have been able to prove links to cousins that paper records could not prove.

Parents. Article Count: 2

Brian Llewelyn Morris and Jean Clark were my wonderful parents. Having known them all my life, they were the most accessible people in my family tree to research, but I have only entered the fundamental details of their lives. If you have any good photos of my parents or know any good stories about either of them, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Grandparents. Article Count: 4

Every person has four Grandparents. The people listed here are my Grandparents. Two of them were English, and two of them were Welsh. I am still trying to find more details about them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details or stories for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Great Grandparents. Article Count: 8

Every person has eight great-grandparents. The people here are my great-grandparents. Four of them were English, and four of them were Welsh. I am still trying to find more details about them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details or stories for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Great, Great Grandparents. Article Count: 16

Every person has sixteen great-great-grandparents. These people are my great-great-grandparents. Nine of my great-great-grandparents were English, Six were Welsh, and one was Italian. I am still trying to find more details about them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details or stories for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Great, Great, Great Grandparents. Article Count: 32

Everybody has 32 great, great, great grandparents. These people are my great-great-great grandparents. I am still trying to get more details for some of them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Grand Uncles and Aunties. Article Count: 19

I have discovered nearly 20 Grand Uncles and Aunties. These people are all the Grand Uncles and Grand Aunties that I have been able to find some details for I am still trying to get more details for some of them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Great, Grand Uncles and Aunties. Article Count: 20

I have discovered many great-granduncles and great-grandaunts. The people here are all either great-granduncles or great-grandaunts for whom I have been able to find some details. I am still trying to get more details for some of them. I have found some details of their lives, the places they lived, married, had children and passed away. If you have any details for any of these people, don't hesitate to get in touch with me with the details.

Places. Article Count: 21

While I was researching my family tree, the census records, in particular, were problematic for me. They listed parishes, hamlets, villages, towns, cities, and counties that people lived in. Some of the Counties had borders that moved or names that changed from year to year. I have listed the places my family lived in to provide more information about these places.

I have listed everything alphabetically, but each place will have a picture depicting which country it is in. To begin with, these will all be Welsh or English, as that is where my ancestors were from or were living.

Churches. Article Count: 7

While I was researching my family tree, I came across the names of many Churches, some of which no longer exist and some that do. I decided to investigate these places and record what I discovered here. Where possible, I will include any photos of the Churches I find or have taken.

Newspaper Clips. Article Count: 4

These clips are all from newspaper articles with stories about people in my family tree. Most of these will contain marriage or death notices, obituaries, criminal acts or bad news. I hope to find other types of stories, but I'm guessing that good news stories will be harder to find in newspapers.

As I find stories, I will add them here. I will list them in date order, by the date of the newspaper clip, with the oldest clip first.

Thoughts and Ponderings. Article Count: 0

This section of my website will have my thoughts and ponderings about many of the things that happen in our daily lives.