Bear

There's a little story that goes with this picture, and why I have that look on my face when I had it done...

I was born out of wedlock, my mum married a few months later. So I was born as Jaime Goodbrand, then re-registered as Jaime Cheeney a few months later. My mum and father split up when I was about 4, and my mum decided I should take my step-dads name, Winch. They also split up when I was about 14, and my mum, my brother and I all reverted to the name Goodbrand.

Thing is, my mum was a bit lazy on both of my previous name changes and hadn't bothered to tell anyone about it. As far as the Law is concerned, my name is still Jaime Cheeney. All my school records are now inaccessible, and I'd booked a holiday in the name Jaime Goodbrand, which was non-refundable and non-transferable.

When I went to the post office to get my photo taken I had just spent the previous 5 hours trying to deal with this, and it was the last chance I had to get the passport sent off before there was no chance of me getting it in time for the holiday. So I wasn't in the best of moods. Added to this is the fact that I am rather a tall chap, and I had to slouch in my seat to get even that much of my head in the frame. Therefore, the worst photo of me ever known is the one I use to enter new countries...

Still, it runs out in another 3 years, so not long to go now eh?

On the plus side, I do have a passport in one name and a birth certificate in another...