© Copyright Dominic Rhodes 2014-2017

About me...

This has probably proved the most difficult part of the website to write, but I thought it would make sense if I gave you an idea of who I am and why I made this website.

If you hadn’t guessed already I'm Dominic (Dom) Rhodes an English guy with a passion for politics, travel, mountaineering, skiing and food. I'm fortunate enough to have a job that piques a number of these interests, working in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I'm currently working as a communications adviser at the head office in London, United Kingdom. It's important to note that views expressed on this website and on all my social media platforms are entirely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the United Kingdom Government.

During my career, I’ve worked on communications (internal and external), human rights and specialised in Middle East policy, with three years in the British Embassy in Tehran, Iran, followed by three years at the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York.

My job has provided me the opportunity to travel to many interesting places and to meet many interesting people. You'll find a little of that reflected on this website and on my social media pages. This is probably the opportunity to say that I'm writing about journeys I've made in a personal capacity and this travel has been funded from my own pocket rather than the UK taxpayer!

Outside of work I enjoy getting outdoors. Summers are spent hiking and climbing and winters are spent skiing. You'll get the picture as you browse this site.

Should you wish to get in touch with me please drop me an email at hello@domrhodes.com or look me up on Twitter @domrhodes.

 

Five things about me:

 

Top achievement?

This would be a three way tie. Either getting to the top of Mount Elbert, the highest mountain in the North American Rockies (4,401m or 14,440ft), completing the Kort-Loppet on the Olympic course at Lake Placid, NY, USA or playing a leading role in removing Iraq from a number of obligations under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, hailed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as 'the removal of the biggest obstacle to restoring [Iraq's] role in the region and the world'.

 

Favourite places to ski?

Canada has it here. Whistler is unbeatable for its sheer size and the quality and variety of terrain. For sheer quality of scenery and the quirkiness of skiing down to a normally frozen sea, it's hard to beat Le Massif de Charlevoix at the other side of the country in Quebec. No shortage of cross country ski trails either!

 

Favourite beer?

Easily, Cumberland Ale, brewed in the Lake District in the UK. Perfect with Cumberland sausage or indeed anything! I also got my hands on a bottle of Frothingham Best, from my home town of Kingston-upon-Hull, recently. This was also very drinkable. In fact I believe it won 'World's Best Beer' at the World Beer Awards recently.

 

Most memorable moment?

Probably in Spitsbergen, off the northern coast of Norway, when I snowmobiled over the glaciers to the east coast, saw the sun for the first time in a week, lunched on the frozen sea in temperatures of around -40c and then saw two polar bears. Magical!

 

Favourite ice cream?

I was a fan of Friendly's Nuts Over Caramel ice cream whilst living in the US, but I think Jude's Salted Caramel ice cream, which I discovered since moving back to the UK, takes this particular title.