In the English town of Chesterfield John was born into a time of war. He was a child in the 50s when society began to change, and a youth in the swinging 60s. Often: to the annoyance of the following generations, the baby boomers like to point out how great the 60s were: but the reality is that they did change the world, people suddenly realised they did have a say in their lives. Not that Johns life needed changing; his was a life that he enjoyed living, but change was happening. From middle age John can look back and clearly see his life in two parts: before and after 'The Trip'.