All about the women

It's a good time to be a girl right now. I hope after I mentioned the "This girl can" campaign you have noticed it in at least one strand of the media. I'm definitely seeing more women out exercising, whether that's because I'm on the lookout for them or because there are actually more women enjoying the benefits of physical activity I don't know. All I do know is there's a strong positive vibe that's spreading fast.

Last week I was asked by national radio for my comments on the campaign and the importance of sport in our lives. There had apparently already been negative criticism just days after the launch and most surprisingly it wasn't from men feeling left out but from women themselves. They had branded it patronising. For those who've not seen it, the advert uses normal women to demonstrate that size, shape and appearance don't matter. It's all about the benefit you feel as a result of exercise. Yes the campaign has cost the government millions and yes it's only aimed at half of the population but I don't see what is patronising about addressing the issues that deter so many people from becoming active.

A few days later I was asked for my views on another issue involving women. I must admit that even I broke new personal barriers when I found myself speaking on world radio about the menstrual cycle and its effect on sportswomen. This became an international talking point after tennis player Heather Watson eluded to the fact that period pains caused her poor performance at the Australian Open. These discussions were due to reach world television the following day, that was before the death of the King of Saudi Arabia which understandably filled the airtime instead. It was still a significant break through and I'm pleased to say it was sport that triggered this international debate.

This girl can

Who is still keeping up with their ambitious New Years resolutions? We have just past the half way point of the toughest month and I expect many of you have already forgotten you even made those promises to your self. I wonder how many people wrote off the 'party month' of December and justified it with "it's ok I'll be good in January"? My hand is up, I'm guilty. Actually doubly guilty, I have a confession on top of that. I extended my overindulgence through to the second week of the new year, I was still abroad on holiday so what was I supposed to do.

Coming back to the cold with no surplus in my bank account and a little too much surplus around my waste it was time to sort things out. I've set some realistic goals and dug out a thick wooly jumper, my life is on the up. I'm also delighted to say that we have apparently put the most depressing day of the year behind us (it was officially two Mondays ago).

The government have given the country a couple of weeks to get over the shock of returning to work and are now doing their best to encourage us to get active. The extensive campaign for "this girl can" is doing its upmost to encourage all women to go and do some sport. Admittedly it's helped motivate me and I'm pretty sure it's already helped thousands of others who just needed that extra nudge of encouragement.

Please take it home with you

We are incredibly fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world; I mean the UK as a whole not just the Westcountry. As a result I'm sometimes slow to admit that there are other countries with equally stunning scenery and landscapes. Wherever I am in the world I'm easily upset when I see a lack of respect for nature. The majority of these places are protected but sadly it isn't always seen as a priority or necessity.

Oman, in the Middle East, is a country that can take your breath away with its extensive coastline, thousands of miles of empty desert and dramatic mountain ranges yet even with such attractions it is still relatively new as a tourist destination. When I visited over the holidays I was sold on the aforementioned whilst also being saddened by the state of some of the main tourist attractions.

I made the most of an international friendship from my sailing trip across the Atlantic back in June. One of the crew from the trip has lived in Oman for almost twenty years and kindly invited me out on his boat for a day trip in the Indian Ocean. We headed to the little known Dammanyiat Islands which from our anchorage point resembled a picture from the front page of a travel brochure but as I swam towards the shore I was disappointed to discover bags of rubbish strewn across the beach. Thankfully the sea life doesn't seem to be affected yet and the tropical fish still made snorkelling a beautiful experience.

As a nation we rely heavily on tourism and understand that maintaining our unique scenery is a significant part to attracting visitors. I seriously hope that Oman quickly realises what a beautiful country it is and the importance of preserving itself for future generations to enjoy.

Am I old enough?

I have a distinct memory of one of my mother's birthday cards from many years ago; it accused the birthday girl of being a BBC Radio 2 listener which I then gathered inferred she was old. I didn't really understand this joke especially as we always listened to Steve Wright in the afternoon on the way home from school.

It wasn't until I received my first radio and discovered Radio 1 that I realised the other station was for oldies. As I looked beyond the obvious Radio 1, it became apparent the station you listen to can say a lot about a person and possibly their age. I now love a variety of stations and there are certain presenters I've followed across to other wavelengths. Maybe I'm an exception to the normal or maybe I'm still transitioning from my university days. One thing is for certain - I'm constantly trying to increase my knowledge and become more cultural.

I first visited the theatre at a very young age. I remember attending productions at the Theatre Royal with my grandparents, what a treat it was. That hasn't really changed, I still love to dress up and always look forward to the ice cream in the interval. One thing that has now changed is my appreciation of the performance.

During my time out here in Oman I was invited to see a live orchestra at the Royal Opera House. I love live performances and going out for the evening although wasn't sure I was actually old enough to go to such a sophisticated event. That said, I'd never say no to such a generous offer. I found myself sat next to a girl of primary school age who reassured me that we should never restrict ourselves with imaginary age limits.

No turkey

My Christmas destination wasn't chosen for the guaranteed sunshine, the champagne brunches or the cultural experience - although those did help sway my decision. It was to see my friends. I'm a strong believer in staying with locals to get a true flavour of a city or country but the challenge is ensuring their schedule fits yours.

First I headed to Dubai to see my heavily pregnant pentathlon friend before it was too late and thankfully she still had the energy to show me the sights. I enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the UAE but welcomed the change when I arrived in neighbouring Oman in time for Christmas.

I ensured I kept to one of my Christmas day traditions and got out for some exercise. Usually a run wakes me whilst increasing my appetite before a hearty meal. This year I felt the buzz but the heat had suppressed my appetite - thankfully I didn't have to worry about roast turkey with all the trimmings. To spare anyone the worry of cooking or indeed washing up we headed to a hotel for a Christmas buffet. All the traditional cuisine was on offer yet I found myself choosing the local and incredibly fresh seafood over the imported options of turkey and lamb.

I was not only astounded by the fine quality of local produce on offer but also the wide variety of nationalities who had come together to celebrate the occasion with their families, irrespective of their religious background. There were western expatriates, Asians and Omanis all making the most of the splendid food, weather and hospitality. Whilst the setting and weather may have been very different to what I am used to; the family atmosphere was reassuringly familiar.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas. I hope by now you're sitting back and relaxing with a glass of your favourite tipple ready to tuck into a festive feast. The closest I've got to a traditional Christmas is sitting in Santa's sleigh underneath a giant fake tree in an air conditioned hotel lobby. I'm not seeking any sympathy as that giant hotel was next to the beach restaurant where I'd just enjoyed a delicious champagne brunch and that was only a warm up.

I love Christmas at home, seeing my friends, family, great food and beautiful walks on Dartmoor but I also love variety. Last year I decided I fancied a foreign holiday, so here I am - still seeing my friends, eating amazing food and I only had to swap walks on the moor for walks on the beach.

My first stop was a country that doesn't do anything by halves. Dubai is home to the Burj Al-Arab (the worlds first only 7 star hotel), the Burj Al-Khalifa (the worlds tallest building at 829m) but of the most interest to me, the world's largest shopping mall. On my first evening visiting my friends I was taken for dinner underneath a building that is almost three times the height of the Eiffel Tower. That in itself isn't enough for the people of Dubai; whilst dining we were treated to a water fountain show set to music, similar to a fireworks display, every thirty minutes.

I only appreciated the impressive buildings from the outside and didn't even venture into the shops. Fortunately I completed my present buying before I left home as otherwise I would probably still be lost in the worlds largest mall.

Personality or popularity?

Last year Andy Murray won the trophy. He thanked the nation for all of their support and he spoke in his usual understated manor as he accepted the 2013 Sports Personality Award. I wouldn't for one moment question his achievements as a tennis player but I was left wondering what part of his personality had contributed to his win? In Andy's case it was clear he was going to take the award after securing that elusive Wimbledon title and he had my vote purely due to his sporting results.

I've been honoured to be on the panel for a smaller sports personality award and the debate comes up time and time again: which is more important, the personality or the results? Is it the background story, the press coverage they've had or the popularity of their sport that sways the vote? I've always argued that it should only be the results for that particular year that do the talking but it is hard to ignore the other influencing factors. With a public vote the personality is naturally a stronger factor so instead should we have a sportsperson of the year award where the results are somehow fairly compared?

This year it was the more popular sports that took the top slots. Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton won the SPOTY title followed by golfer Rory Mclllroy in second. It was, however, refreshing and brilliant to see the lovely Jo Pavey take third place. It's great to see the smaller sport of athletics represented, have a girl in the top three and most importantly to have a down to earth Devonian prove that sheer determination does pay off.