THEY say travel
broadens the mind but anyone who is or has teenagers who are about to
set off on their first round the world backpacking adventure may feel
a sense of trepidation if they read the debut novel by a South London
writer.
Backpackers by Paul
Bellamy is set in and around Thailand, its islands and India during
the late 1980s.
It charts the exploits
of Andrew and Kirsten, friends who have met whilst travelling and who
become embroiled in a series of deadly goings on.
They are an unlikely
couple - Andrew is a backpacker seeking adventure and fun, and
besotted with Kirsten. Kirsten is a mystery, escaping her past and
seeking a revenge which gradually becomes clear as the story
progresses.
Unfortunately their
holiday is marred by the appearance of Carlo, a smuggler, who is
hunting his nemesis, Maurice, a killer with a grudge and a taste for
backpackers.
The journey into fear takes them across the
backpacking trails of Asia from Indonesia to Nepal and features
plenty of sex, drugs and gruesome deaths.
It is the first novel
for Paul and was partly inspired by his own travels over the past 20
years.
However, the
54-year-old who was born and grew up in Lewisham says he got the
writing bug at school.
"I wasn't a
particularly academic child but I absolutely loved writing," he
explains. "I went to Stillness Primary and then to St Joseph's
in Blackheath and spent a lot of time writing stories.
"Unfortunately I
got fed up with school and when knew I wasn't going to get through my
A Levels I dropped out and ended up working in a bank in Jamaica
Road.
"One day some of
my colleagues announced they were going travelling and asked if I'd
like to come along. It sounded fun so I did.
"Two years later I
was still going even though they'd come home!"
Since then he's been to
94 countries "and counting", left the bank, been kicked out
of Iran, had guns stuck in his face in Nigeria, worked in a variety
of jobs including as a toilet cleaner in the Falklands, sailed across
the Atlantic, was in Tienanmen Square during the student riots of
1989 and is now a civil servant for the Home Office sorting out
peoples' visa applications.
But it's the travelling
which he really enjoys and inspired the storyline for Backpackers
although he admits it was originally intended to be a comedy.
"When I first went
off in 1988 I wrote about 600 pages of a travel diary and when I got
back I thought it would be good to put something together that was a
bit more fun," he says.
"However, it
didn't work as a comedy so I set about writing something more serious
- I don't know where I got the idea of putting a serial killer in
though!" he jokes.
And although he insists
it is in no way autobiographical, he admits some of the characters
are based on those he has met on his travels and all the places he
describes are those he has visited.
"It follows my own
travels around Asia but the only people I based specific characters
on were a young English couple I met once who were smuggling
cameras," he says.
"They did that
because it was something to do and you could make a bit of money out
of it. Obviously there are incidents with drug smuggling and I saw
lots of backpackers off their heads. In the book, Andrew and Kirsten
become involved in drugs and drug trading and it helped fund their
travels. But it's not the norm for most backpackers - it's too
dangerous.
"However, when you
are relaxed, away from home and having a good time, that's when you
let your guard down, things can happen and some people do get caught
up in situations they wouldn't normally.
"I remember once I
was getting a new passport in Delhi once and on the wall were a huge
number of pictures of people who were missing," he adds.
"I was young, and
at that age you think you are invincible but it is quite a shocking
and sobering thing to see when you are feeling free and adventurous
and miles from home.
"In the end though
you do what you can to trust the right people - the book is a
cautionary tale."
So, is there a sequel I
ask.
He laughs before
adding: "Yes I think so, but I am focusing on a screenplay first
because some people have said it could be good as a film."
And he says far from
discouraging people, he would recommend travelling to anyone.
"Travel broadens
the mind," he says. "The last thing I would do is suggest
backpacking is a bad thing to do. It isn't.
"It breaks down
barriers, you grow as a person and make so many friends. I have
friends all over the world - it opens your life up.
"I worked in a job
centre in South London once and thought people should spend their
benefits on going to live in India to learn about life. Some people
might come back really changed.
"I didn't bother
with the career thing and I've never married so I've enjoyed a stress
free life," he adds chuckling.
"Besides there are
still places I want to visit. I have been to 94 countries and am
working my way towards 100.
"Malta is one of
them, I would like to be posted to Africa so I can go to Kenya and
Tanzania and I want to do a safari in Zambia.
"As long as you
are careful and have your wits about you it can be the most amazing
and fantastic adventure."
Backpackers by Paul
Bellamy is published by Troubadour and costs £7.99. It is available
from all good bookshops.
