h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

On Saturday I'm flying to Kerala in Southern India. No hotel, just a rucksack , passport and money.

I've never been to Asia, so I'm really looking forward to it...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/02/10/nosplit/etkerala110.xml

The backwaters look wonderful, we'll go there...

Traveller in Time at w**k
"Happy hiking

Do not forget to take Mark with you "

Erm... Is the headline of that Telegraph story supposed to be telling us something?

Hope you have a wonderful time Peta.

Hi Traveller,

Yep will do. He's in charge, I'm just tailing on behind him!

Hi Whisky

Oops, didn't spot that - what a giveaway..... not!

Thanks angelicweeyin,

I'll leave you in charge while I'm away then?

My colleague Paul should be popping onto POV, so say hi to him when you see him and get them to treat him gently!

India should be nice - I've never been, I'm getting really excited now!

I'm always nice can't be sure about the other posters though.

Lucky you (I was going to say old but thought better against it).

I wouldn't want your job Peta, I would be banning them left right and centre and there would be only a posters left when you got back. Now there is one poster that is doing my nut in and thats Alf and his flipping song.

Again have a good holiday and behave!

I know, that song thing is weird isn't it? It must be a really obscure song for no one to be able to find it. It's rather nice too!

Fantastic, I hope you have a great time! I've been around the north, but never the south of India, so I can't wait to hear how you get on.

I know all about travelling light, having flown to Amsterdam last weekend with nothing but a cigar and a pair of underpants a la Arthur Smith

Hi Skankyrich,

Now that *is* travelling light! I'm taking a bit more than that but I am going to have to ensure that I can carry my rucksack!

My partner Mark has been kind of around that area before, there's a link to his site on my space if you're interested, so I'm kind of following his lead on this one. I'm kind of nervous but intrigued, he says that it's very weird, but very wonderful. I can't wait!

Maybe Mark could post some photos up on his website? They would be lovely to see (maybe a hint of a white dress).

I've read a lot of his work already, Peta. His site was my chief source of information on The Gambia beyond the guidebook - a very talented and witty chap, if saying that won't make his head swell too much! I had a few similar experiences while travelling myself, and reading someone else's experiences does make me yearn for the road myself. Life does have a habit of throwing up 'proper' jobs, unfortunately

I'm sure Mark will write it up and put it on his site. We're taking loads of cameras!

And pah to the white dress!

Hi Skankyrich

Oh great, I'll tell him, he'll be really pleased, I'm glad you like his writing. He's got a guest book on his site so if you have any questions, comments or anything do post there, he always replies.

Did you go to The Gambia? He liked that, Mali I think was a lot harder going. He's finding the same thing re the proper jobs problem, he's actually working at the BBC at the moment (last day tomorrow!), but not in the same division as me.

He'd love to go travelling again, but we'd prefer to go together and my small(ish) people are still keeping me a bit tied to the UK - but one day in the not too distant future we hope to go away for six months or so, maybe South America, or Russia - both sound great.

Where did you travel to? I've done reasonably little myself, really just a couple of holidays with Mark and a bit around Europe on my own - years and years ago.

What's wrong with white dresses Peta ? I've only worn one once many many moons ago - 21 years in fact, that long ago and I'm still a youngster .

Anyway I will look forward to seeing the photos when they get put on the site, that's the only way I get to see far off places nowadays, too many little cherubs.

I do promise to be nice to the new host I'll treat him how I've treated you.

Ooooooh! RL hitchhikers!
Yes, Skankyrich has been to The Gambia Peta, he's keeping me busy adding his photos to his entries about it!
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Please give my regards to Mark

*poises finger over "update" button on the h2g2 Romances page*

I started off as a young teenager who couldn't afford to get to Exeter and back, so I used to hitch there with a friend. When I was about 16/17, I went to London and found a copy of 'The Hitchhikers Guide To Europe' - probably makes me a bit of a niche market round here - which really set me off. I hitched as far as Bristol, then Wales, then lived in Manchester for a little while and hitched anywhere to get away from the damn place I went round Ireland, France and Spain, just saving a little money at home for the next trip.

I watched a lot of Palin's 'Around The World In Eighty Days' as a kid, and it stuck with me. I even went to meet the Thai shadow puppet master, Suchard Subsin, in homage to the guy! I flew to Singapore in 2000 and overlanded to Bombay (flying over Burma); trekked the Inca trail and Annapurnas; hiked the Camino de Santiago in Spain; hitched yet again to Tenerife to work. I still have a dream that one day I'll fly to Cape Town and overland back.

For a while, I thought I'd make a decent travel writer/photographer, but I ran out of time and money to make it pay. Now I run a hotel in Torquay, and never mention the war. I still trouble the Eds with geographical Entries and hope that GB will accept the odd snap, and fortunately she does (for which I'm hugely grateful) So you can maybe see why I look at Mark and guys like Richard l'Anson and get the odd yearning now and then

Hi Skankyrich.

You are too kind! I'm glad you like the site... I'll pass your kind words on to the guy I steal all my ideas from.

As Peta mentioned, I'm taking my trusty Palm and foldout keyboard to India, so if I get inspired, there should be the odd article when I get back. In fact, I've already written one - my visit two weeks ago to get an Indian tourist visa from the High Commission in Holborn was so comical, I just had to document it!

Besides, Peta said the other night that she rather enjoys having a written account of her holidays, so I guess that's a hint. Watch this space.

And now, I must go and pack...

All the best,

Mark

Have a great time! Hope you have plenty of memory sticks for your camera ....