“… Van Maasdyk’s diary is more than just a one-woman treatise on how to forsake the pleasures of silk, Prada and — at times — running water, and travel lightly; she’s also a funny raconteur.” - Paul Ash, Sunday Times

never go trekking is about trading Prada for Karrimor to go backpacking and was born of a physical and emotional journey that was as unsettling as it was liberating.

Penelope found karma in Nepal; bang lassis in India; a monumental language barrier in China; paradise, eventually, in Vietnam; bedbugs in Australia, and a longing for home in South Africa.

Your Prada shoes might find comfort under the bright city lights and your hiking boots can leave footprints all over the world, only to find that your feet will inevitably lead you back home. The theme will capture the hearts of travellers the world over, as well as women who have always felt more comfortable behind a mask of designer labels - those who will either want to substitute the grime for a bit of armchair travel, or use it as a prompt to live it themselves.

Drink in this life-changing experience with pure envy or horror and vow to either live it or leave it.