Author Description

In June 2012, as the rest of the UK prepares for the London Olympics, Mark and Laura embark on the trip of a lifetime. 350 Days Away… tells their tale: the result of two years of savings and planning, Mark gleefully quitting his job and Laura drunkenly asking for a year of unpaid leave. What follows is a journey of epic proportions. Over their 350 days they travel their way through three continents, 20 countries, 26 border crossings, 10 time zones and £40,000. How do they do it? With nine aeroplanes, 23 trains, 63 buses, two overland trucks, 55 taxis, 29 rickshaws, 15 boats, five private cars, five 4x4 jeeps, four motorbikes, three campervans and a handful of credit cards.In the second part of their story, Mark and Laura adjust to city life in Hong Kong with its sky-scraper shopping malls and seemingly endless markets. Tall, fair and freckly, they’re forced to become celebrities in China despite their anonymity, as they try to come to terms with their hosts’ ability to stare unflinchingly. Food varies considerably and our backpackers are irrevocably scarred by a chicken head hot pot… But China also delivers stunning rice paddies, Tibetan landscapes, big Buddhas and memorable journeys, including 24 hours on a train following a night of horrendous food poisoning. Nepal brings the Himalayas and the irresistible opportunity to expel some adrenalin through paragliding. Following a ride on top of a bus, a backwards elephant ride brings rhino sightings for one of our couple, before a challenging border crossing gets India off to a difficult start.Mark and Laura are soon convinced by India’s charms though and spend a blissful ten days in India’s Little Tibet learning to meditate and exploring Buddhist philosophy. Calmed and mindful, our backpackers head to an organic farm to try out WWOOFing near the pink city of Jaipur, before ending their time in chaotic and colourful India in a deserted Mumbai.