This book was partly inspired by Hilary Bradt, founder of Bradt Travel Guides, who describes her solo travels as 'certainly reluctant’. She made her first trip through South America alone when her travel companion dropped out at the last moment; the subsequent journey through the Andes was unfortgettable and set her up for the solo trip of a lifetime, described in this book, of riding a pony a thousand miles through Ireland. The anxiety of planning the journey was offset by the serendipity of being able to take each day as it came and the intensity of the experience. Of travelling alone, Hilary Bradt says 'there's no doubt that it's more fun to plan a trip with a like-minded companion, but I have learnt to confront my fears and indulge my passion for travel, knowing that the solo traveller will be richly rewarded, from meeting the locals to discovering a new inner confidence.' Jennifer Barclay is an editor and writer who has enjoyed travelling alone in many countries. She has written three travel books about travelling alone: Meeting Mr Kim, which details her adventures travelling solo around South Korea, and Falling in Honey and An Octopus in my Ouzo, both of which describe her move - on her own - to a Greek island.