20 questions with Theo Osborne, founder of Parnassus Travel Group
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Treating others how I would like to be treated.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
The race is not always to the swiftest, nor the battle to the strongest, but that is the way to bet.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
Pay day loan companies.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
The original Chicago Rib Shack in London.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
An illness free life for all my family and friends.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
With cheap credit sloshing around like it was it was always bound to happen at some point. As a result I think the younger generation has received the raw end of deal in terms of mortgages, unemployment, etc even though they were not the ones behind it.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“Chillaxing”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I think all charities are amazing. I personally give to smaller charities where I know the money actually goes to the causes and is not spent on the admin of running the charities. I support a water filtration charity in Africa, A children’s charity in Lebanon, The Museum of London and a charity that enables prisoners to sell hand-stitched cushions and earn money that can be sent back to their families.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Since I made the switch form Blackberry to iPhone it has become a part of me. Apps have revolutionised my life.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Larry David, The Victoria Secret’s Angels, Jose Mourinho, Richard Wagner, Charles Darwin, JFK and Quentin Tarantino.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
An In-N-Out burger with a bottle of 82 Petrus. I would at least like to be tipsy when I go to the gallows.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Anytime as it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A cup of tea: It’s what the Empire was built on
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
My own as I tend to invite one other person, they get bored because no one else is there, they bugger off home and I’m left in peace to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm or play GTA 5.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My cat who has not a care in the world.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
A flutter on Derby Day.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I would like the one I have to be removed first.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
A Mercedes G55. Like me it’s large, but deceptively quick and sporty.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I secretly quite enjoy Keeping Up with the Kardashians. It’s the most watchable out of those shows.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Invitations, a gilded animal skull by a young Irish artist, a silver box given to me at my christening and a squash tournament trophy I won.
Theo Osborne is the London based founder of the Parnassus Travel Group.
Follow him on Twitter @theogosborne and Parnassus Travel at @ParnassusTravel.
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