"One of the best travel books I've ever written!" - Gerard Ward

There are plenty of travel narratives out there that paint beautiful imagery of picturesque views outside of a hotel window.

But there aren't any books out there divulging into the view of red bricks from the tiny window of an almost submerged hostel room. There isn't much information out there about the world of backpacking.

I wanted to know about the crazy parties, and what you really get up to when you have a Eurotrip. Most travel narratives are these romantic views on Vienna, Paris or Madrid. My book is all about stinky hostels, rowdy drinking nights and sexual encounters.

But there is also a massively important journey that most need to go on, both for self-confidence, and self-awareness. Travelling on your own teaches you to be independent. It teaches you to be more interactive and open to people. It also teaches you the importance of experiencing different cultures.

The reason I've written this book is to not only tell people that travelling is accessible, but also a journey one should take to become an adult.

Through interactions with strangers, locals, and being on your own, you learn to live with a more positive outlook. You also have a fantastic time.

Along my travels, I've ended up in some strange and funny situations. For example, I:

* Was given a book of lesbian erotica in San Francisco's Castro area.
* Survived a 60 hour Greyhound trip, including sitting next to a felon who was a little too jumpy for comfort.
* Was a victim of toilet backlash.
* Was almost mugged in Barcelonian train.
* Travelled with a girl with only a promise of a romantic getaway to hold on to.
* Experienced Oktoberfest, which included a United Nations meeting between countries, and ended with me finishing a beer with chicken carcass in it.
* Experienced a Turkish bath on the wrong day.
* Went back to a girl's hotel just so I wouldn't have to sleep in my 20-dorm hostel with no ventilation and 19 pairs of diabolically bad-smelling feet.

Feel free to download a six-page sample from a chapter of my book 'Do it now: While You're Still Alive', which is due to be available by mid-2010.