TV : On the Road

Just in case you think Road Junky is a bit too cynical at times, deep down we’re bright-eyed hippies and support free hugs for everyone…

Can one person really change the world?

Sure, by changing the world of everyone around them, a little at a time. I knew, for instance, one sadhu who lived in the desert of Gujurat – everyday when he went to the toilet he dug a hole in the ground and planted a tree at the same time. In 40 years he had created a forest…

And now one Australian man started the Free Hugs Campaign. Feeling a bit depressed and lonely, Juan Mann went out into the street in Sydney with a placard and started offering free hugs to everyone he met. The idea was picked up by the cult band The Sick Puppies (a winner of the coolest name for a band of the 21st century) and since then people all around the world have started going out there to offer their embrace to all-comers.

So the next time you’ve seen all the sights and your train doesn’t leave until the next day, grab a sign, open up your arms and go hug the world.

Tom has been traveling non-stop since the age of 18 and co-founded Road Junky in 2004. Follow him @tomglaister

He’s the author of Hand to Mouth to India, an account of hitchhiking from England to India with no money and which will soon be rereleased by Road Junky Books.

Tales of a Road Junky featuring tales of breaking people out of jail in Delhi, selling fake Rolexes in Japan and other adventures in Israel and Brazil will be out later this year.

He also writes fiction for anyone who never really grew up and his latest novel is Bozo and the Storyteller – download the audio book for free or even buy a copy…

Back to Top - More On the Road Articles - Print this page