Based in Belgium where she works as a counsellor for refugees, Els has been regularly taking to the road for the last 25 years.
She travels in a very simple style, carrying just one small bag, using public buses, and often staying with the local people she meets on the way. It’s fascinating to me how she travels with absolutely no fear such an open heart.
This is the final conversation from my trip to Albania a few weeks ago. As I said at the start of the last episode, one of my favourite things about travel, is the people you meet on the way. There's something totally unique about discussing the shared experiences you’ve both had when you meet someone in a country that isn’t your own – I love it.
Meeting Els was totally like this. Perry and I were waiting for the bus to Kruja, as was Els, we got talking and ended up spending the day together exploring a new place and drinking a couple of beers in the sunshine.
Travel tends to bring out conversations like this, and I love it.
Have you read Kathmandu?
When young backpackers go missing on the trail through Nepal, no one bats an eyelid. After-all, high in the Himalayan mountains, Kathmandu’s a haven for those who want to “get lost.”
Back in England, Leo’s down on his luck. He’s jobless, crippled by anxiety and obsessed with an ex-girlfriend he hasn’t seen in years. Asked to track down a wealthy politician’s daughter in Kathmandu, Leo thinks his fortunes are on the turn.
Escaped from her family and travelling the world, all Allissa wants is to be left alone. Running a hostel for the victims of people traffickers, she hopes the surrounding mountains will keep the world away.
In a bid to prove himself, Leo sets off on a twisting train through Kathmandu’s labyrinthine streets. But, when the investigation leads to a sinister backstreet restaurant and a storm makes escape impossible, he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
KATHMANDU is the first of Luke Richardson’s international thriller series. If you like fast-paced mysteries, then you’ll love this explosive debut.