{"product_id":"trials-tea-ceremonies-misadventures-in-far-away-places-9798291438206","title":"Trials \u0026 Tea Ceremonies: Misadventures in Far Away Places","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Basho Matsuo\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Essays \u0026amp; Travelogues\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eA love story disguised as a travel memoir-or perhaps the other way around.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"I especially enjoyed your reflections on Zen... on the ways in which we complicated the simple and try to explain the inexplicable.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003cb\u003ePico Iyer\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Stillness\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"A richly written, unexpectedly profound journey. The book highlights how travel can add richly to the meaning of one's life.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003cb\u003eMike Richards\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Travelling Ape\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"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.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003cb\u003eGoran Powell\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eWaking Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"This book reminded me why we travel: not for the postcard moments, but for the mishaps, characters, and revelations along the way.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003cb\u003eAlastair Humphreys\u003c\/b\u003e, English adventurer, author and motivational speaker \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerfect 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?\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat happens when the life you've built no longer feels like your own?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Basho, turning thirty felt less like a milestone and more like \u003ci\u003e\"a splinter in the mind.\"\u003c\/i\u003e A series of personal crises-a friend battling cancer, unexpected loss, career burnout-convinced him and his partner, Cesca, to make \u003cb\u003ea radical choice\u003c\/b\u003e. They walked away from their jobs, put their lives in storage, and set off on \u003cb\u003ea year-long, unscripted adventure\u003c\/b\u003e across twelve countries to answer one question: \u003cb\u003eIs there a better way to live?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTheir journey begins with WWOOFing on rugged \u003cb\u003eKangaroo Island\u003c\/b\u003e, where spitting alpacas and backbreaking labour test their resolve. They navigate the chaos of \u003cb\u003eSoutheast Asia\u003c\/b\u003e-from tubing mayhem in \u003cb\u003eLaos \u003c\/b\u003eto 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003cb\u003eIndia\u003c\/b\u003e, the couple confronts the sensory overload of \u003cb\u003eMumbai's \u003c\/b\u003ethird-class trains, the spiritual intensity of \u003cb\u003eVaranasi's \u003c\/b\u003eghats, and the profound silence beneath the Bodhi Tree in \u003cb\u003eBodh Gaya\u003c\/b\u003e. Finally, in \u003cb\u003eJapan\u003c\/b\u003e, they discover the serene beauty of Zen gardens and tea ceremonies, learning to stop chasing destinations and instead embrace the present moment.\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis is a couple's travel memoir about: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWrestling with privilege, purpose, and what it means to travel ethically.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe hilarious mishaps and uncomfortable truths that only long-term backpacking reveals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eRelationship dynamics are tested by chaos, exhaustion, and constant cultural dislocation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eLearning to live life as music rather than a pilgrimage toward some distant reward.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten with \u003cb\u003erelentless honesty and dry British wit\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTrials \u0026amp; Tea Ceremonies\u003c\/i\u003e is both a visual memoir and a philosophical journey. \u003cb\u003eFeaturing stunning travel photography by Cesca\u003c\/b\u003e, each chapter brings vivid life to the raw beauty, chaos, and humanity of a year on the road.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis book is for you if you've ever: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuestioned whether your career defines you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWondered what would happen if you pressed pause on \"normal\" life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eCraved adventure stories that balance humour with depth and beauty with discomfort.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Authors: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBasho \u003c\/b\u003eis a British travel writer and filmmaker who traded spreadsheets for backpacks. \u003cb\u003eCesca \u003c\/b\u003eis a photographer whose eye captures the moments between the postcards-the real, raw, transformative experiences that make travel unforgettable. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eScroll up and begin your journey today. The road is waiting.\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Independently Published","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47576953127063,"sku":"9798291438206","price":1645.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9798291438206.webp?v=1774902171","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/trials-tea-ceremonies-misadventures-in-far-away-places-9798291438206","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}