Fearless Footsteps

Setting out somewhere new can thrill you and unsettle you in the same breath. Language gaps, border crossings, the unfamiliar sensation of the first flight, and the simple unknown of a foreign place can make a trip feel out of reach, even for someone who longs to go. This anthology of true travel accounts argues that the most rewarding journeys often begin with fear that the traveller decides to act on anyway.

The stories range widely. One writer is a nervous passenger boarding a plane for the first time. Another is a woman travelling alone through the Middle East. Others describe a dangerous climb up an Indonesian volcano, and the unsettling but liberating experience of being alone on the far side of the globe. The collection was assembled from entries to an international writing competition run by the travel website Intrepid Times, and the submissions came from all over the world. The pieces cover every continent, from Africa to Antarctica.

Taken together, the accounts examine what it takes to be a traveller: the courage to start, an openness to strangers and customs, and a steady curiosity about the world. The book suits readers who love travel writing, whether they are seasoned globetrotters or people still working up the nerve to book a ticket.