Inspiring Travel Writing from Rory Spowers

Rory Spowers, 39, has been living near Galle in Sri Lanka, with his wife and two sons, since March 2004. His book, A Year of Green Tea and Tuk-Tuks was published by Harper Collins in January 2007, and follows the creation of ‘Samakanda’, the transformation of an abandoned tea estate into a tropical ‘forest garden’, ecological learning centre and eco-tourism destination.

Rory is a writer and broadcaster whose last book, Rising Tides, a history of ecological thought, was critically acclaimed by The Sunday Times, The Observer and a variety of magazines. Rory also has a background as a travel writer and has presented various BBC R4 programmes. His first book, Three Men on a Bike, was a bizarre tale of cycling through Africa with friends on the original three-seater ‘’trandem’ used by The Goodies on BBC TV. This trip inspired Rory to walk the length of India in 96, making a pilgrimage from Kanyakumari, the southern tip of the country, up to Calcutta.

In 2002, Rory co-founded The Web of Hope (WoH) (www.thewebofhope.com), a UK registered charity compiling an expanding on-line database of role models for sustainability, social justice and positive change. This database provides the basis for an educational roadshow performed in schools.