Childhood was one big adventure. We experienced diverse cultures, met incredible people and learnt valuable lessons. In actual fact, despite the locations, in some ways my childhood was ordinary. I attended dance and swimming lessons, explored beaches and jungles, leaped off boats into deep seas. I had a selection of friends, girls and boys. We spent our days wearing hand-me-downs getting up to mischief. There is a certain happiness in being silly and ridiculous. But in other ways, we lead a fascinating enjoyable childhood brimming with music, discovery and intrigue.
Our parents gave us buckets of self esteem, so much so that the rest of the world couldn't poke enough holes to drain them dry. There was no fear for the future as we were never short on strength and dignity.
I briefly forgot all those lessons when I was an adolescent teenager. As if my life before age thirteen had evaporated, all I had was the excitement of alcohol, drugs and the prospect of true love. I am glad that I have come out the other side of that dark tunnel, it would have been a great shame to have wasted such a magical start to my life.