About

Four months. For four months I travelled the world relying purely on the kindness of people who had proved to not particularly like me. I stayed on couches, floors, air-mattresses, hammocks, and, occasionally, beds, in 14 different countries for my first book, Five Ways to Carry a Goat.

How did I get in touch with my generous/fool-hardy hosts? I write The Backpacker blog for the Fairfax newspapers, so back in January 2009, I put out a cry for help, asking overseas-based readers to drop me an email me if they were prepared to let me stay with them. I didn’t care where they were – if they were up for it, I’d find them.

I got an incredible 400 replies, and chose my itinerary based purely around where the most interesting-sounding people lived. I managed a full lap of the globe and, mild bout of alcohol poisoning aside, had one amazing time.

I’ve since distilled that four months of craziness into the 360 pages that make up Five Ways to Carry a Goat – which hits shelves on May 3rd. I can’t wait.

But first, given this is supposed to be my bio page, here’s a bit about me. I’m an Australian travel writer, blogger, journalist and former men’s mag hack. I began my writing career at age eight by penning a fake soccer magazine to impress my English teacher. It was a work that, 20 years later, I’m still yet to surpass.

In my last 10 years as a “proper” writer I’ve penned travel stories and features for various newspapers and magazines around the country, and I like to pretentiously tell guests at dinner parties that I’ve been to more than 60 countries. I’m currently living in Australia, which is not exotic, but does have the added benefit of ridiculous public holidays like the Queen’s Birthday.