| Shots Over the Water

Aged 22, Patrick Nash left his parents’ home in South London with a small rucksack, two UK passports and £250 in cash. His plan was to visit a friend in Swaziland (now Eswatini). Ten months later he returned, having walked and hitchhiked on an extraordinary and often dangerous trip from Egypt south through Sudan and Uganda to Kenya, then through Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and back north across the Sahara Desert through Algeria and Morocco.

Along the way Patrick experienced sandstorms, famine, drought, a refugee crisis, a military coup, imprisonment and shots from angry border guards. The resulting book is part travelogue, part adventure story, part cultural history and part self-reflection .

Features of this book include

A thrilling travel narrative by Patrick about his journey largely on foot through north and central Africa
The route was mostly through countries where today travel is not advised by the UK government
It was a journey of a lifetime encompassing adventure, danger and personal learning
Fuses experiences and encounters, personal stories and those of the people Patrick met
Despite the dangers and difficulties, he was overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers
A book for intrepid travellers, backpackers, travel buffs and anybody who has ever experienced a young adult’s wanderlust

SHOTS ACROSS THE WATER

Published in March 2025

Features of this book include