I am but a humble web developer from South Africa embarking on a journey to leave the rat race (or rat walk, in a small city) and discover more of life.

Thus far it has been growing up in a close community, enduring 4 years of university so I can get a ‘real job’, coming out with a computer programming diploma, then working for 2 years and discovering I hate (or strongly dislike) it and all I wanna do is buy more guitars. Don’t get me wrong, I love the tech industry but not the office job and lifestyle that comes with it. Before that I had a tech support student job working in schools and the local museum.

I have always first been a drummer, since I was kid. I did concert band through out school. In high school I taught myself guitar and have been playing ever since. I play both instruments and do sound at my local church. Had a 3 piece band in uni called The Unhepcats, playing funk and blues.
My late grampa introduced me to jazz thru all the original greats like Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald. I love that. He also had (now I have) the original Star Wars episode 4 soundtrack on Vinyl. Probably the greatest thing I have ever heard.

I left my full time job and am visiting the USA on a guitar tour, starting in New York in January. People ask me what a guitar tour is. I’m not in a band. I usually answer with: I’m going to America to look at guitars. Lots of guitars. Look at them. Play them. Smell them. Because that is what excites me. I am single, carefree and that’s what I want to be doing.

The internet has told me that there are other people who feel like this, and I hope to meet them in my travels.

I am easygoing and willing to live with very little - I come from Africa :P and I have seen places and people groups there that live with far less than me. I taking on this journey with only my hand-luggage sized backpack. I am also leaving sunny South Africa for what sounds like snow-blizzard-like New York.

If all goes well, Europe is next!
Got to go find a certain group of pommies that I have been following for a few years on youtube, something to do with Andertons UK ;)

I have a guitar blog: asbigasitgets.com
I make guitar videos on youtube: gray.pedersen
I post pretty guitars on instagram: @grapea50

Interests

• guitar
• drums
• star wars
• web development
• musical instruments

Music, Movies, and Books

Latest music: Intervals, Plini, Polyphia, Chon, Dorje + Tosca

Books: 4hr Work Week (I was late to this party), Elon Musk Bio, 80/20 Principle, The Lean Startup

Movies: I love fantasy movies where they create a new universe. Star Wars. LOTR. Hobbit. Marvel. Not a huge Potter fan.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I was in high school I did a 3 day hike with friends that turned into a 5 day hike. We got lost. No signal. Helicopters came searching. Not great for my parents. But truly an amazing experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I could teach you guitar basics.

Countries I’ve Visited

Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Norway, Sweden, United States, Zambia