Shoestring Traveler

In TRIP, the new mixed media book release from Lulu Press, author Mick MacO describes what happened to his head while travelling through 28 cities and 15 countries in 31 days, alone. This book illustrates, in an intimate and fun way, how somebody can go out of their mind when they've nobody to share their thoughts with. Though experiencing all the joys of touring Europe, MacO found that the solitude of the journey caused him to see the world in an altered state, not unlike a psychedelic trip. Free form writing, handwritten notebook entries and photographs from each of the cities help convey the emotion of the ride. "I was determined to see as much of Europe as possible, and wanted to find some truth. It was a physical and mental expedition, and definitely threw me off kilter," says MacO about his trip of a lifetime.

TRIP documents, with modern slang and an Irish twang, a whirlwind tour of places as varied as Amsterdam to Auschwitz. The journey took place in 1995, before the Euro had arrived, when former communist countries were changing fast, and the internet hadn't yet kicked in. MacO gives us a glimpse of what it must have been like to live a month full of daily culture shocks. The languages, currencies and national traits fly by, but the trek gradually takes its toll on the storyteller.

"At various times during the trip I felt in turn, alone, euphoric, afraid, and triumphant. Sometimes I was glad I was on my own. I think that solitude can be a good thing - you can get to know yourself.

"The culmination came after two weeks, in my seventh country and twelfth city in fourteen days. I still had two weeks to go, and could go to whatever countries I wanted. That was when I broke down and cracked up! But I continued on the trip with a head full of craziness. Other people might have liked to relax somewhere for a few days. But because I was alone, it spurred me on to keep going - a new place everyday for a month."

MacO's words tell the story in a lighthearted way of what must have been a mind-blowing experience. The reader sees not only how the author himself was affected by the solitude of the journey, but also how even complete strangers can shape your view of the world when your social interaction is limited.

"If you had even just brief contact with someone, whether it was positive or negative, it would stand out in your head longer because you were alone," says MacO, who made the trip when he was 24 years old and single for the first time in five years. "You could be in a good mood for hours after a smile from somebody in a ticket office. Or if someone was fleetingly grumpy to you, it could turn your day."

The whole adventure covers the full gamut of emotions, and details the author's questioning of what he believed and why he believed it. One notebook entry says that all the people wanting you to believe in them seemed like they needed it too much.

"The impressions and ideas that I was having were totally overwhelming. I was conversing with my notebook, simply because I had to get it all off my chest and out of my system. The end result was that the journey changed the way I looked at the world and myself. I wouldn't want to do that trip again, but I am glad that I did it. And I'm happy now that I've finally put things into words."

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On an American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation, you visit stunning backcountry locations to construct or rebuild footpaths, cabins and shelters. In the process, you meet new people, explore canyons, peaks and valleys, enjoy quiet evenings around a fire and come home refreshed and rejuvenated. Volunteer Vacations are more fun than work! And best of all, the trips are only $275.

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