The Call of the World

Book excerpt: Two years after earning a business degree with honors from the University of Colorado, Trent Newcomer decides to abandon his corporate job, sell his car, and travel around the globe with nothing more than what he can fit in a small backpack. His goal is simple: experience all that the world has to offer so he can then be satisfied with settling down to a normal life. Over the next year and a half, the adventures that find Newcomer and the people he encounters teach him more about the world and his own place in it than he could have ever imagined. From having a gun pulled on him in Vietnam and being jumped by a gang of men while trying to change money on Kenyas black market to experiencing more near-death bus rides than he can count, Newcomer soon discovers that the journey itself is much more meaningful than checking items off a to-do list. Part travelogue and part memoir, The Call of the World is a candid and insightful account of the challenges and joys of backpacking solo around the globe, as well as one young mans journey of personal discovery. The Call of the World has been recognized as a Medalist (Travel Essay) in the 2009 Independent Publisher Book Awards, as well as a Finalist (Travel/Travel Guide) in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.