Whether in a train derailment in the Australian Outback, flying on the world's least customer-friendly airline, or riding shotgun in a massive Scania truck down the Zambezi escarpment, John Burbidge's peripatetic life has been marked by adventure, serendipity and a deep sense of gratitude.

Join John as he finagles a press pass to an international cricket match in Jamaica, narrowly escapes being chased by a wild pig in a Central American rain forest, and makes the sand sing while dancing in Egypt's Western Desert. As you do, you will engage with characters so compelling that you'll swear you've met them too.

More than just titillating and polished travel writing, this collection of insightful and nuanced tales reveals one who dares to risk, trusts the unknown, and celebrates the diversity of the world's cultures and the unique individuals who comprise them.