Book excerpt: This fast-paced, often-humorous travel book tells the truly ridiculous story of how two British friends, Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes, became the first people to circumnavigate the globe on a scooter with a sidecar. Their world-record-breaking 34,000-mile-long journey took them through thirty-five countries and across five continents. With no experience of mechanics, overlanding, or even riding motorbikes, the pair took their Honda scooter and barn-built sidecar through some of the world's toughest environments, including a scorching Sahara Desert and the frozen wilds of a Siberian winter.This heartwarming story will restore your faith in humanity as strangers all over the world save the pair from the life-threatening and downright idiotic situations in which they find themselves. At the same time, the book lifts the curtain on the issue of modern slavery, which still plagues every country on earth. Matt and Reece meet survivors of modern slavery and organisations fighting it all over the world, and the hard-hitting stories they share will leave you questioning your role in the issue-and asking how you can help. "Reading this refreshing book is easy-time just slips by-but that's the only easy thing about the whole affair. So my advice is: Think of something you'd love to do that's really quite ridiculously impossible. Then read the book. Then go and do it. I must say, it really takes me back . . ." - Ted Simon, author of Jupiter's Travels "The many threads of this gripping adventure unfold as a powerful, at times opinionated, heart-tweaking, fast-flowing journey of surprises. Woven into the stories are top tips, quirky facts about the lands traversed, and a wonderfully self-depreciating sense of humour. This story is proof that a positive attitude, determination, respect towards others, and wide-open minds can change the world. Adventurists are going to love the challenges and, at times, readers are going to have to put this book down so they can really think about the images attached to the words they have just read." - Sam Manicom, author of Into Africa."A powerfully-written tale about travelling with purpose. But what a daft machine to use!" - Paddy Tyson, Overland MagazineYou can also get a signed copy of this book with colour pictures at www.armchairadventurefestival.com/shop.