My name is Malinka and I am Rural Strides. If you’ve walked with me before, or follow Rural Strides on social media, you’ll probably have noticed that I rarely go out walking without a baseball cap. Delve deep into my psychology and there will be a link to me being an introvert: the cap providing a means to hide away. Somewhat strange, I know, for someone who puts themselves out there leading walks, but true. As a glasses wearer the cap is also essential wear, enabling me to navigate in both wet and sunny weather. Sadly, despite the AI revolution, no-one has yet invented windscreen wipers for glasses.
Quest for adventure
Adventure and exploration have always been a big part of my life. Growing up in rural Devon that meant ponies, endurance events on Dartmoor, and a level of freedom that probably shouldn’t be written down for fear of word getting back to the local farmers. At university, that restlessness turned into a travel bug. I’ve never been one to follow the crowd, so while friends chose European Studies and languages, I picked SE Asian Studies & Malay. That decision opened the door to studying and working in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam – experiences that shaped how I see the world and my place in it.
In the early 2000s, adventure took another turn when my husband’s career took our family overseas. Life became a series of new landscapes and rhythms: desert camping, beach riding, swimming with turtles and hikes through hidden canyons. What felt extraordinary at first soon became normal. I was also fortunate to work with Outward Bound Oman, one of the most respected schools in the global Outward Bound network, which cemented by belief in the power of challenge, place and shared experience.
From Geopolitics to Petersfield
Strangely enough, it was the combination of my Asian experience and Master’s degree in Strategic Studies that brought me to Petersfield. This was strategy in the military sense, and fun fact: I was the only female on my course. At the time there was a Crisis and Security Management consultancy on the High Street. I worked there as a Political Risk Analyst – a role that led to some unlikely moments, including dining at the Special Forces Club alongside decorated veterans and lecturing at the RAF Club in Piccadilly. I am not quite sure how I had the nerve back then, as these days I can feel nervous giving a pre-walk briefing to twenty people! The irony is that during my career, the Middle East was the one area of the world I avoided like the plague. After close to 20 years divided between Azerbaijan, Egypt and Oman I think it’s fair to say that that knowledge gap has now been filled.
Necessity is the mother of invention
Giving up my career to become an ‘expat wife’ initially filled me with dread. I have never been the sit-in-the-sun type or the lady-who-lunches. What I did discover, though, was purpose, setting up and running community groups and programmes. These included a nursery, junior rugby club and UNESCO-recognised Connecting Cultures programme. The phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” ran through all of it. With no nursery for my children to attend in Baku, nor rugby club in Muscat, there was only one thing for it. I had to roll up my sleeves and make them happen. Those experiences taught me something important: community doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built. In many ways, Rural Strides – and the Petersfield Walking Festival which came before – are simply the latest expression of that instinct.
Baku Toddler Klub logo drawn by Azeri Artist Yusif Mirza
Finding Adventure Closer to Home
If I’m completely honest, I’m not sure I would have ever chosen to return to the UK. I love the vibrancy of a multi-cultural community. That said, I’m very grateful to the pandemic for forcing my hand. With just 36 hours’ notice before Muscat airport closed, I returned to the UK with our children, fully expecting it to be temporary. Well, we all know how that story unfolded.
However, it is thanks to the pandemic that I got to explore the beauty of the Western Weald. The serenity and wonder of warm, spring walks exploring the countryside during lockdown, will be forever imprinted into my memory. For all the horror the pandemic brought, that time was also extraordinarily special.
Coming back to the UK felt, in many ways, like another overseas posting. I didn’t know the area well, and I didn’t know many people. However, those same challenges had never stoped me making the most of my time elsewhere. My instinct was the same as always: get the lay of the land, ask questions and connect. Walking became the key. There really is no better way to understand a place than by pulling on a pair of boots and walking it, end to end. Those are all things I relish…..and arguably am still doing today through my walking.
Thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration. As with all my adventures, it is never just about where my feet take me – it’s about the people I meet along the way.
If you’ve enjoyed this post you may also like: Why Use a Walking Guide or West is Best
