It’s time for another book review on Don’t Stop Living. As you’ve probably read from my previous book reviews, I love reading REAL LIFE travel books (such as Lisa and George’s “Travelling in Sin”), OK as well as a bit of fiction 😉 – Mike Delwiche’s “The Liar’s Guide to South America“. I recently came across Ben West’s book “The Red Rucksack” and was intrigued. This isn’t your normal backpacking adventure by a young traveller, or even by a long term traveller. The big difference here is that Ben was a burnt out pharmacist and headed out into the world, escaping his mundane job to try the crazy lifestyle of living out of a rucksack. Ben aims to inspire.
Ben West the Red Rucksack Book Review
As the tagline goes, “How a burnt-out pharmacist escaped his stagnant life to search for joy”. This is Ben’s real life story of how he was disillusioned with his life. Ben had a house which he put on the market, he sold his share of a profitable pharmacy and set of to find happiness on a journey.
Along the way, Ben visits some breathtaking natural spots around the world, such is his love of nature. From the mountains of the Himalayas where he saves an ill-balanced Sherpa before he strikes out to touring the Gobi desert in an old school Russian van!
Ben’s journey heads onwards into South America where he falls in love with both paragliding and a very fetching Danish lawyer. Ben heads “off the beaten travel circuit” on his journey which means meeting Peruvian bandits, getting drunk with the Irish and the intriguing “paintball paragliding adventure”. All in all this adventure is an inspiring and a unique one. Ben’s witty and profound character have the story told to you in the most comical yet sincere and down to earth way. You find yourself associating with Ben on his journeys. One thing is for sure – this red rucksack is well travelled and when you think about living life to the fullest, then Ben proves how anyone can do it.
Ben West the Red Rucksack Book Review
There is a bit of a personal link to the story as Ben starts his journey in Tasmania, a beautiful part of Australia where I lived for 6 months in 2010. I thoroughly recommend adding Ben’s inspiring book to your library, and I completely and utterly recommend giving up your repetitive, mundane, routine lifestyle for one of travelling the world.
You can buy Ben’s book The Red Rucksack from Amazon: