Travels with Meera Patni: What Happens When You Take the Road Less Travelled

"The time for daydreaming was over. One thing was for sure: nothing could have prepared us for what lay ahead. Without knowing it, our lives were going to change forever."

When Marios, a young construction worker in Cape Town with a bright but predictable future, met his girlfriend Zoe, an unsettling feeling came over him. What next?

Zoe had another approach to life: don't plan too much, rather follow your gut. Hesitatingly, and to great discomfort, the two decided to follow this notion all the way to India, with only one night booked at the Delhi Darshan and only one rule - no flying. Without knowing it, before them lay a 30 000km overland journey backpacking across nine countries in the remotest and busiest corners of Asia. Slipping into an ancient world, they were captivated and carried away by the curious people living in or passing through these mythical lands.

It was while searching for glaciers in the mighty peaks of the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan that they found another treasure - and one which would alter both of their lives forever.

Travels with Meera Patni is a reminder of what can happen if we walk into the unknown, replacing fear with faith, and of the old truths still lurking in the remote corners of this world. And while travelling is not always as glamorous as it is sometimes made out to be, if we follow our hearts and allow ourselves to dream, we may find something so much more than money could ever buy, let alone what we could even have imagined possible.

This is a true modern-day travel and adventure story with a fairy tale ending - and one that is as inspiring as it is enlightening and educational.