Tony McManus was born in Manchester, England. He has worked in many jobs to serve his passion for travel such as English teacher, bar tender, taxi driver, and in southern Africa, construction work in the Transvaal goldmines and the copper mines of Zambia. He fought as a Special Forces mercenary soldier in Central Africa for a year.

Tony pursues and advocates good health, via diet and exercise. An outdoorsman, sailor, kayaker and canoeist, he also loves hiking, back-country skiing and snowshoeing.