Mike Pickup

Mike Pickup is an award-winning freelance journalist and photographer, covering all forms of travel including ocean and river cruising and writing for national newspapers and magazines. His awards include one from the Kazakhstan Minister for Foreign Affairs for the many features he has written about the country. It was presented by their Ambassador in London.

Before turning to travel, Mike was responsible for the launch of Home Banking in the UK, worked in the US with AT&T on applications for the first smart phone, and helped to develop the first smart TV which he demonstrated in London in 1997. He was later involved in the development of pre-paid debit cards, many of which are now used in the travel industry.