The publishers, Anova, have done an amazing job of bringing the book to life (a format like Adrian Mole in the woods, without the geeky teenage angst!). I have always thought that, although descriptiveness is a wonderful thing, a picture paints a thousand words and I have insisted that this whole escapade is heavily plastered with day-to-day images of life in the woods. Why not give it a try?

If any of you are in London on Tuesday the 25th May (this tuesday coming), do please pop into the Prince Albert Pub in Battersea (upstairs)  from 6.30pm onwards (just by Prince Albert Bridge) have a shot or two of my nettle beer and pick up a signed copy of the book from me, myself and I. Apologies for the shameless plugging, but I have since learn’t that as an author…it IS part of the job description!

Hope to see you there!

Europe.. it was so lovely / Photo by Tom Allen

I had two days off during those 5 weeks of voluntary sleep-deprivation. On the first, I got up at 5am and went for an epic mountain-bike ride in the foggy Pentland hills. On the second, I wandered into Blackwells’ bookshop, bought the Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook and spend the afternoon reading it on the grass in the Meadows

It was the first time I’d heard of people travelling across entire countries – continents even! – by bicycle. Until that day, I’d thought that my idea to cycle to Croatia to visit a mate was seriously far-out!

Continue reading this article @ Ride Earth – Tom’s World Bicycle Travel Blog



Enlightenment / Photo by Stephen Chapman

One of the reasons I favour independent travel over travelling with a group, or as part of a pre-arranged tour is that personal and spiritual growth both have room to occur without conciously being sought. Having unstructured time on your hands affords you the freedom to move on a whim, to spare a thought for happiness and to philosophise about your life. Untying ourselves from the restraints of conventional routine that hold us prisoner to ourselves in our daily lives requires us to dig deep within ourselves for confidence and wisdom. Independent travel is an opportunity for growth and by its very nature feeds the soul with new experiences, new thoughts, and new attitudes that eat away at the tight grip we once thought we had on the world, expanding our understanding of existence.

This list may once have seemed like a bunch of new-age books of no practical use, substance or interest to you, but may in fact contain the inspiration necessary to awaken your soul and get you out into the world in a way you’ve been dreaming about for far too long. Allow these six books to connect with your inner self and add their messages to your curriculum of life’s lessons.

1. Jonathan Livingstone Seagul by Richard Bach – A story for people who follow their dreams and make their own rules. Through the metaphor of flight, Jonathan’s story shows us that if we follow our dreams we too can soar.
2. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield – A story of adventure and discovery that draws on the ancient wisdom found in a Peruvian manuscript.
3. The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton – Stop asking where should we go? What should we see? and start asking yourself why do we travel and how can we become more fulfilled by doing so? These questions are addressed here with the help of a selection of writers, artists and thinkers.
4. Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho – An odyssey of self-discovery for a young Brazilian girl who ends up working as a prostitute in Geneva.  The book is a sensitive exploration of the sacred nature of sex and love and invites us to confront our own prejudices and demons.
5. Zen and The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenence by Robert M. Pirsig – Based on actual occurrences and celebrated internationally for its enlightening effect on the mind.  The author embarks on a 17-day motorcycle adventure across the U.S.A. with his son Chris exploring various elements of philosophy along the way.
6. Watching The Tree by Adeline Yen Mah – A personal interpretation of Chinese wisdom and beliefs that shows us how those in the west can benefit from the teachings of the east.

Foreign cells / Photo by Stephen Chapman

Britons are notorious for their alcohol fuelled trips abroad. Not content with binge drinking their way through the working week at home, they take their business abroad, patronising local tavernas, bars, clubs and often jail cells in the name of ‘having a good time’.

Alcohol abuse may be a monstrous problem amongst Britons abroad but so too are drugs.  Countless heartbreaking stories tell of young travellers caught smuggling drugs, using drugs, or possessing drugs.  The dangers and consequences involved for anyone partaking in such activities cannot be more heavily emphasised.  These six books all tell harrowing tales of how one bad choice can impact your entire lifetime.

1. Forget You Had A Daughter by Sandra Gregory – Sandra Gregory agreed to smuggle an addict’s personal supply of heroin out of Thailand.  She didn’t make it onto the plane and was imprisoned in Bangkok’s Lard Yao prison.  She was eventually pardoned by the King of Thailand and released in 2000.
2. The Damage Done by Warren Fellows - This book frequently appears in second-hand bookshops throughout Thailand. Warren Fellows was convicted of heroin trafficking in Thailand in 1978 and sentenced to life imprisonment, Thai style.
   
3. Midnight Express by Billy Hayes - In 1970 Billy Hayes tried to smuggle four pounds of hashish from Istanbul to the U.S..  He was arrested at Istanbul airport and sentenced to thirty years in a Turkish jail.
   
4. Mr. Nice by Howard Marks - At the height of his career Howard Marks was smuggling consignments of up to thirty tons of marijuana.  Following a worldwide operation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, he was busted and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison at Terre Haute Penitentiary, Indiana.  He was released in April 1995.
   
5. Grass by Phil Sparrowhawk - Phil became involved in many large-scale cannabis deals in Thailand. He spent four years in two of Thailand’s most notorius jails before being extradited to the U.S., where he spent further time in a series of penitentiaries.
6. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey - James Frey destroyed his body and mind almost beyond repair through drug use before entering a rehabilitation centre to try and reclaim his life.
   

The growing popularity of Colombia amongst backpackers will undoubtedly bring us more stories from those who fail to learn by other peoples’ mistakes.  Tourism has the ability to help transform Colombia, but with ‘the rise of the cocaine tourist‘ change may still be a long way off, and tourism may not be the vehicle to lift its cocaine curse.