Individual (46) from Surrey

I'm very much my own person. I do things because I like and enjoy them rather than because they are the "done thing". I have a strong will at times and the drive to make things happen. I'm certainly not one to sit back and bemoan a lack of opportunity or "bad luck". My interests are varied to say the least: I enjoy yachting and although I've done a fair bit of off-shore racing I really prefer cruising with friends. My musical tastes fluctuate, but seldom get beyond the 1960s - from medieval to rock-and-roll would about sum it up, depending on my mood. I love the countryside and the wild wide-open spaces - walking in the Lakes, along the Cornish coast, holidays in the Highlands and Wales, and in all weathers. In between times I lose myself in books rather than sitting in front of the television - there's nothing to beat a good story well-told be it a thriller or a classic. Good food and wine are a must too; I enjoy both cooking and eating out. Then there's all the "silly" things - an appreciation of a clever argument or proof, an enjoyment of things mechanical, particularly older technologies, a passion for Art Deco, a love of cold, crisp, clear, frosty mornings.

Intelligence above all else - the ability to pick up an idea and mentally run with it. A dry sense of humour helps too. Beyond that, the will to make things happen and the tenacity to see them through, a sense of adventure and a "give it a go" attitude to new things, the ability to laugh when it all goes wrong and the strength to start again if needs be, a social chameleon, an enquiring analytical mind.