Have you ever looked back at certain points in your life and thought, "What the hell was I thinking?"

Well, I certainly have, none more so than in 2019 when I decided to trek 2,567 miles across the entire length of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Looking back, it was clear I was having a midlife crisis. I had just turned 40, and for the first time in my life, it struck me that I wasn't a young man anymore. My thoughts turned to my next milestone birthday: my 50th. Shit, I'm getting old, and it was a huge wake-up call.

All I could think about was the things I hadn't done in life, which, to be fair, isn't much, as I've lived a pretty epic life full of adventure and travel. But in my mind, there was so much I hadn't done, and I guess those are the underlying thoughts so many people going through a midlife crisis focus on.

After a few weeks of sulking and feeling sorry for myself, I decided I needed to get my head out of my arse and embark on a challenge, raising some money for charity in the process.

• Tough Mudda

• London Marathon

• Iron Man

Nothing really appealed to me. Many of my friends had completed such events, and I wanted to do something unique that hadn't been done before.

What was I thinking

So old, clever bollocks here thought it would be a good idea to embark on a ridiculous adventure across India in the middle of the Indian summer with no fixer or guide and only a tent for accommodation.

Be careful what you wish for

So off I went, envisioning myself as some kind of Pied Piper embarking on a sacred pilgrimage, trekking from village to village, taking in the scenery and filming the entire process for a documentary I'd planned to shoot about the expedition while raising awareness of men's mental health and suicide prevention.

Things didn't quite go according to plan.

In fact, absolutely nothing went to plan right from the get-go.

• A terrorist attack along my route killed 38 people in Kashmir.

• I got caught up in the riots in Pulwama.

• I was robbed at knifepoint by a street gang.

• Then I got robbed by corrupt police.

• I suffered from Rhabdomyolysis and nearly died.

• I also got run over by a drunk driver.

6 months later, 30 kilos lighter and looking like I'd aged 10 years, I had finally completed the mission, albeit mentally and physically broken.

India to Hell and Back - a foolish man's journey trekking across the entire length of India.