Back roads is not a travel guide with lists of hotels and restaurants. Instead, the pages are taken up with historical narratives, personal recollections, reflections on politics, environmental debates, social observation and some practical travel information. The rest is left up to the traveller to organise. Resources for further information are listed in the back of the title. The title is also an attempt to modernise the rather old-fashioned genre of travel writing with an idiosyncratic writing style and a sense of humour. It also aims to share a flavour of the travel experience with the reader and, hopefully, show them a little of the adventure that lies in wait outside the living room.