Back the Trip

On 1st September 2026 I set off overland from the UK towards India and beyond, on foot and on the cheapest buses and trains going, living on a state pension and the occasional questionable decision.

The pension covers the basics. What it doesn't cover is the reserve fund — the one that gets me across the Pakistan-to-India logistics chaos when a border's shut, a bus evaporates, or the sensible option costs money the day-to-day budget doesn't have. That's where this comes in.

This isn't charity and it isn't really about me. It's a way of coming along — of getting the texture, the near-disasters and the honest budget rather than the tidy highlights. The tiers follow the pattern the whole thing runs on:

  • The Fire Starters(£2) — chip in and follow along: early access to blog posts and YouTube videos before they go public, and a shoutout in the monthly roundup.

  • The Earth Movers(£4) — a bit more of the actual texture: a backers-only photo gallery from each leg of the route, and your name on the running thank-you page.

  • The Water Carriers(£6) — the messy middle, not just the highlights: a monthly behind-the-scenes post on the logistics, the near-disasters, and the genuine budget.

  • The Air Benders(£8) — properly travelling along: everything above, plus first look at the writing for the second book as it develops.

No pressure on any of it — the pension gets me down the road either way. But if you'd like a hand in keeping the reserve fund healthy for the inevitable chaos, it’s here, and I'm glad of the company.

Join the Trip
A mystical, parchment-style illustrated diagram with a central figure of a fiery human with arms outstretched, surrounded by flames, a phoenix, and a dragon. Text and symbols relate to alchemy, purification, and the elemental union of male and female energies.
Illustration titled "The Anima Terrae: A Chronicle of Solid Form" depicting a humanoid figure with mechanical and natural features, surrounded by mountains, minerals, ores, and metals. The image includes symbols, a person forging in a furnace, and two others holding the Earth, with text about Earth's stability, transformation, seasons, and eternity.
A vintage-style illustration titled 'The Anima Aquae: A Chronicle of Fluid Form.' It depicts a central female figure symbolizing water, with one arm holding coins and the other holding water. Surrounding her are ocean elements like reefs, currents, and trenches, with symbols like the sun and moon. On the left, two women are extracting water from a well, labeled 'Alchemy of Purification.' On the right, a man and woman hold a glowing orb, titled 'The Union in Reflection.' Additional text explains water's life-giving, eternal, and emotional qualities.
An illustration with a central blue circular image of a woman with flowing hair and smoke around her, representing a divine being. Surrounding the circle are androgynous figures, symbols, and texts about breath and spirit, with decorative borders. There are also sketches of alchemical apparatus and symbols on either side.