I’m delighted to present an exclusive sneak peek book excerpt for my new travel memoir ‘Backpacker to Nomad’
Backpacker to Nomad overview:
Through the thrills and spills of his early calamitous struggles with solo travel to the crazy adventures and misadventures he encounters with travel companions, from Australia to Southeast Asia comfort zones are smashed, crippling fears are faced, there’s the odd brush with death, and the realities of long-term travel hit hard. While despair is never far away this remarkable journey feels like living in an alternate reality — But it isn’t, It’s British backpacker Amit’s new nomadic life.
Amit shares a collection of candid thought provoking yet humorous travel stories from a ‘take the rough with the smooth five-year journey. He provides a unique perspective on life, shows the transformation he undertakes from backpacker to nomad, and reveals just why he cannot return to ‘normal’ life in this travel memoir sure to fill you wanderlust and laughs
If you love travel adventures, discovery, escaping reality to drift off to lands far and wide this is the book you need to pick up.
Book Launched: July 27th, 2022
Buy the book now
Or sit back, grab a snack and enjoy …..
Great barrier reef highs & lows overview
Just a few days ago Amit experienced the greatest natural high of his life but what goes up must come down — with a huge thud! His bad news from Sydney was eating away at him but that wasn’t all — a fear needed to be conquered!
The Great barrier reef
The giant ball of fire high in the sky reflected a fusion of turquoise and emerald off the swaying ocean all the way to the horizon. The soft lapping of the waves was all that could be heard. It had been an incredible couple of days, from jumping out of the plane over it to floating on the Great Barrier Reef.
My sense of smell was lost due to the sea salt filling every particle in the air, clinging to my clothes, attached to my skin and every nose hair. Even the coffee fumes lifting from the mug smelt like salt by the time it reached my nose. There was no sign of land, there hadn’t been for two days since we left the coast behind. We were in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef — everything should be perfect right now, but as is the case when there is a soaring high, there is the inevitable crash. What goes up, must come down.
While everybody else — including my friends — were sizzling like sausages desperate to tan on the front deck, the small upper area to the back was where I’d been hiding since morning, alone with nothing but the sound of the waves and my thoughts.
Why can’t I just be like everybody else on this boat, just enjoying it without having that fucking dark cloud get darker by the minute? I hate feeling this shitty when I should be in a perfect state of serenity. I’m on the Great Barrier Reef for fuck’s sake!
Swimming in my thoughts
The boat rocked a little, spilling my remaining coffee into the sea. My free hand clutched the metal rail, which was all the protection there was from falling overboard. And with my luck, that wasn’t as far-fetched as it seemed. As the boat settled back to just softly bobbing from side to side — and before my thoughts could start spinning once again — Tom’s voice sprang up from behind.
‘Geeza, here you are. Not seen you all morning; thought we’d lost you. What are you doing back here?”
“Nothing, mate, just taking in the view. What’s up?”
“Lies! You’re all in your feelings, aren’t you? What happened to the guy from the other day, Mr. I’m-not-going-to-think-about-it-any-more? Look where you are. Did you ever think in your life you would be floating around on the Great Barrier Reef?”
“Yeah, I know. I want to just enjoy it but I can’t. It’s just fucking there!”
“Because you’re letting it. Geeza, sometimes it’s like you enjoy feeling like crap. Come on, there are some islands that only appear at certain times of the day. We’re heading out to them. Let’s go, no more feeling sorry for yourself.”
In the middle of the great barrier reef
Finally, I detached myself from the rails, turning to see Tom standing on the ladder — his bright-red face matching his red cap.
“Seriously, mate, you need to get some shade. You’re going to burn your face off.”
“I’ll get shade when you stop feeling sorry for yourself,” he laughed back, disappearing from sight.
I left my thoughts behind on the back deck, joining back up with the other two and a number of strange faces and voices who were also on the boat. This wasn’t a party boat like we opted for on the Whitsundays. Everybody on this one was here to dive, snorkel, and experience the majestic Great Barrier Reef sober.
