A love story disguised as a travel memoir-or perhaps the other way around.
"I especially enjoyed your reflections on Zen... on the ways in which we complicated the simple and try to explain the inexplicable."-
Pico Iyer, bestselling author of
The Art of Stillness "A richly written, unexpectedly profound journey. The book highlights how travel can add richly to the meaning of one's life."-
Mike Richards, bestselling author of
The Travelling Ape "For a hearty dose of mind, body, spirit, travel, and Zen in remarkable places, pick up Basho's musings and take yourself somewhere magical-wherever you are."-
Goran Powell, bestselling author of
Waking Dragons "This book reminded me why we travel: not for the postcard moments, but for the mishaps, characters, and revelations along the way."-
Alastair Humphreys, English adventurer, author and motivational speaker
Perfect for readers who loved Wild, Eat Pray Love, and Notes from a Small Island-this is more than a travelogue. It's a hilarious and heartfelt memoir for anyone who has ever wondered: "Is this it?"What happens when the life you've built no longer feels like your own?
For Basho, turning thirty felt less like a milestone and more like "a splinter in the mind." A series of personal crises-a friend battling cancer, unexpected loss, career burnout-convinced him and his partner, Cesca, to make a radical choice. They walked away from their jobs, put their lives in storage, and set off on a year-long, unscripted adventure across twelve countries to answer one question: Is there a better way to live?
Their journey begins with WWOOFing on rugged
Kangaroo Island, where spitting alpacas and backbreaking labour test their resolve. They navigate the chaos of
Southeast Asia-from tubing mayhem in
Laos to a terrifying encounter with the world's largest spider in a toilet shack, all while trying to escape the "backpacker bubble" and forge genuine connections.
In
India, the couple confronts the sensory overload of
Mumbai's third-class trains, the spiritual intensity of
Varanasi's ghats, and the profound silence beneath the Bodhi Tree in
Bodh Gaya. Finally, in
Japan, they discover the serene beauty of Zen gardens and tea ceremonies, learning to stop chasing destinations and instead embrace the present moment.
This is a couple's travel memoir about:
Wrestling with privilege, purpose, and what it means to travel ethically.
The hilarious mishaps and uncomfortable truths that only long-term backpacking reveals.
Relationship dynamics are tested by chaos, exhaustion, and constant cultural dislocation.
Learning to live life as music rather than a pilgrimage toward some distant reward.
Written with relentless honesty and dry British wit, Trials & Tea Ceremonies is both a visual memoir and a philosophical journey. Featuring stunning travel photography by Cesca, each chapter brings vivid life to the raw beauty, chaos, and humanity of a year on the road.
This book is for you if you've ever:
Questioned whether your career defines you.
Wondered what would happen if you pressed pause on "normal" life.
Craved adventure stories that balance humour with depth and beauty with discomfort.
About the Authors:
Basho is a British travel writer and filmmaker who traded spreadsheets for backpacks. Cesca is a photographer whose eye captures the moments between the postcards-the real, raw, transformative experiences that make travel unforgettable.
Scroll up and begin your journey today. The road is waiting.
