Patrick, Meg and their family had built a happy, sustainable life in regional Victoria. But in late 2013, they found themselves craving an adventure close to the hearts of many Australians: a road trip. But this was a road trip with a difference. With Zephyr (10), Woody (1) and their Jack Russell Zero, they set off on an epic 6,000km year-long cycling journey along Australia's east coast, from Daylesford to Cape York and back. Their aim was to live as cheaply as possible - guerrilla camping, hunting, foraging and bartering their permaculture skills, and living on a diet of free food, bush tucker, and the occasional fresh road kill. They joined an anti-fracking blockade, spent time in Aboriginal communities, documented edible plants along the way, and braved the country's most hazardous highways. The Art of Free Travel is the remarkable story of a rule-breaking year of ethical living. |