Trials & Tea Ceremonies: Misadventures in Far Away Places

By: Matsuo, Basho

A love story disguised as a travel memoir-or perhaps the other way around.

"An engaging and compelling travelogue with a vital and strong emphasis on connection and experience over ticking off the bucket list."
- Lovereading.co.uk

"I especially enjoyed your reflections on Zen... on the ways in which we complicated the simple and try to explain the inexplicable."
- Pico Iyer, bestselling author of The Art of Stillness

"A richly written, unexpectedly profound journey. The book highlights how travel can add richly to the meaning of one's life."
- Mike Richards, bestselling author of The Travelling Ape

"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."
- Goran Powell, bestselling author of Waking Dragons

"This book reminded me why we travel: not for the postcard moments, but for the mishaps, characters, and revelations along the way."
- Alastair Humphreys, English adventurer, author and motivational speaker

"A story of perseverance, agility, the happy, the sad, and the tests of faith and belief."
- Akenga Evanson, OnlineBookClub.org (5/5 stars)

Perfect 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?"

What happens when your life feels like "a splinter in the mind"? At thirty, Basho and Cesca quit their jobs, stored their belongings, and embarked on a year-long adventure across 12 countries - from WWOOFing on Kangaroo Island to Zen tea ceremonies in Japan - seeking a better way to live. Expect spitting alpacas, Mumbai's chaos, Varanasi's ghats, and a giant spider in Laos, all testing their relationship amid cultural revelations.

This visual memoir, with Cesca's stunning photography, reveals: Wrestling with privilege and ethical travel in Southeast Asia and India.Hilarious mishaps and raw truths of long-term backpacking.How Zen practices teach living in the present rather than chasing distant rewards.

For anyone questioning career burnout or craving adventure with depth.

About the Authors: Basho, a British travel writer and filmmaker, swapped spreadsheets for stories; Cesca's photography captures travel's transformative essence.

Scroll up and begin your journey today -dive in with "Look Inside". The road is waiting.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FH5PZPPL
• ISBN13: 9798291438206
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"