A FORMER Royal Marine is heading to Mongolia and Siberia to live among nomads and learn about their way of life.

Simon Ramsay, who grew up in Callow End, near Worcester, has been roaming the world for 15 years, and says that while a nomadic existence is tough, sometimes cruel and rarely easy, it has unimaginable rewards.

The 36-year-old, who also spent 18 months working for the Metropolitan Police, is taking part in the Nomad Project, an international adventure which will see him and five others honour their traditions of nomadic peoples, learn their wisdom, and tell the world about their way of living.

Mr Ramsey said: "It's pretty important for me if I can get a chance to involve anyone from Worcester, which played a big part in my growing up, even if it's just sharing some of the adventure through our live website. If I can give something back to the community in any form by sharing a little of the limelight of this adventure, I will gladly do so."

The team - Mr Ramsey, a Spanish film-maker, a Dutch photographer, an Australian navigator and two Dutch filmmakers - will drive more than 10,000km (6,213 miles) to Mongolia, leaving Amsterdam on Sunday, June 15.

The first stage of the trip will see them travel with reindeer and camel herders in Mongolia and horse herders in Russia and Kazakhstan.

"We will travel through the Altai Mountains, the Siberian forests, tundra and the Gobi desert, returning to Holland in November 2008," said Mr Ramsey, who went to The Chase High School and Worcester Sixth Form College.

"In April 2009, stage two will take us from Mongolia to India overland, once again travelling with nomads, from countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kirghistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and India.

"It is my belief that the places we visit and the people we meet will hold precious knowledge that those of us in the modern world have forgotten."

The life-changing journey will end in October 2009. Daily blogs, video and photos will be uploaded to www.nomadslife.

tv throughout the epic journey.