Anna McNuff

Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richerTravel opens our minds to the world; it helps us to embrace risk and uncertainty, overcome challenges and understand the people we meet and the places we visit. But what happens when we arrive home? How do our experiences shape us? The Kindness of Strangers explores what it means to be vulnerable and to be helped by someone we've never met before. Someone who could have walked past, but chose not to. This is a collection of stories by accomplished travellers and adventurous souls like Sarah Outen, Benedict Allen, Ed Stafford and Al Humphreys, who have completed daring journeys through challenging terrain, adventuring from the Calais Jungle to the Amazon, from Land’s End to the Gobi Desert, from New Guinea to Iran and many other places in between. Each has a story to tell of a time when they were vulnerable, when they were in need and a kind stranger came to their rescue. These are stories that make our hearts grow, stories that will restore our faith in the world and remind us that, despite what the media says, the world isn't a scary place – rather, it is filled with Kind Strangers just like us. All royalties go directly to fund Oxfam’s work with refugees.

Chto, esli vasha zhizn davno stala "pravilnoj", no perestala byt vashej? Anna MakNaff vyrosla v seme olimpijskikh chempionov i vsju zhizn zanimalas sportom. No odnazhdy ponjala: schaste - ne vsegda v medaljakh, stabilnosti i protorennykh marshrutakh. Inogda cheloveku prosto neobkhodimo prolozhit novyj marshrut. I togda, ona reshilas. 3000 kilometrov cherez vsju Novuju Zelandiju. S rjukzakom za spinoj. V odinochku. Vperedi - dikie lesa, gornye perevaly, beskonechnye pljazhi, travmy, strakh zabluditsja i dni, kogda khochetsja vsjo brosit. No eschjo - svoboda, neverojatnye ljudi, oschuschenie ogromnogo mira vokrug i chuvstvo, chto zhizn snova stanovitsja nastojaschej. "Ja rasskazyvala detjam, chto zastavljaet moe serdtse pet, i sprashivala: a oni uzhe nashli svoju pesnju?" Eta kniga rasskazhet ne tolko o sporte i rekordakh, no i o smelosti vybrat sobstvennyj put, byt nesovershennoj, zhivoj, rasterjannoj - i vsjo ravno idti vperjod. Esli vam blizki knigi "Dikaja" i "Est, molitsja, ljubit", istorii o bolshikh puteshestvijakh, vnutrennej svobode i poiske sebja, "Begom za schastem" stanet dlja vas vdokhnovljajuschim napominaniem: samye vazhnye prikljuchenija nachinajutsja s odnogo bezrassudnogo reshenija vsjo-taki sdelat pervyj shag.

Step into an adventure that set the country alight Anna McNuff had never run a mile without shoes on before. And yet, one British summer, she set off to run a (very) wiggly route from the Shetland Islands to London - on a mission to cover the distance of 100 marathons... in bare feet. Fuelled by a desire to push mind and body to the limit (and to drink tea, and eat biscuits), she zigzagged over rugged coastlines, through small villages, across windswept moors, along golden sandy beaches and even down the odd picturesque A-road. As the journey gathered pace, she was joined by thousands of other runners and soon learned that, even though she was (usually) the only one in bare feet, this was far from a solo journey. Barefoot Britain is warm-hearted, funny and painfully honest - featuring remote islands, big cities, kind strangers and setbacks-a-plenty. It's a story which reveals the messy reality of taking on a crazy idea and, above all, shows how one person's will to dig deep and carry on can encourage others to do the same.

Step into an adventure that set the country alight Anna McNuff had never run a mile without shoes on before. And yet, one British summer, she set off to run a (very) wiggly route from the Shetland Islands to London - on a mission to cover the distance of 100 marathons... in bare feet. Fuelled by a desire to push mind and body to the limit (and to drink tea, and eat biscuits), she zigzagged over rugged coastlines, through small villages, across windswept moors, along golden sandy beaches and even down the odd picturesque A-road. As the journey gathered pace, she was joined by thousands of other runners and soon learned that, even though she was (usually) the only one in bare feet, this was far from a solo journey. Barefoot Britain is warm-hearted, funny and painfully honest - featuring remote islands, big cities, kind strangers and setbacks-a-plenty. It's a story which reveals the messy reality of taking on a crazy idea and, above all, shows how one person's will to dig deep and carry on can encourage others to do the same.

With no previous experience as a long-distance cyclist, Anna decides to clamber atop a beautiful pink bicycle (named Boudica) and set out on an 11,000-mile journey on her own, through each and every state of the USA.

What readers are saying about The United States of Adventure: ★★★★★ "Such a refreshingly entertaining and honest style. A fantastic read "★★★★★ "Brilliant, funny and inspiring."★★★★★ "I had so many late nights because I couldn't put this book down "★★★★★ "I felt as though I was cycling along side Anna the whole way."★★★★★ "What a terrific story What an incredible woman I devoured it."★★★★★ "This is one of those truly unputdownable books." BOOK DESCRIPTIONDisillusioned with corporate London life and with no previous experience as a long-distance cyclist, Anna decides to clamber atop a beautiful pink bicycle (named Boudica) and set out on an 11,000-mile journey on her own, through each and every state of the USA. Dodging floods, blizzards and electrical storms, she pedals side by side with mustangs of the Wild West, through towering redwood forests, past the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains and on to the volcanos of Hawaii. Along the way, she meets record-breaking grandmas, sings with Al Green at a gospel service and does her best to avoid becoming a grizzly bear's dinner. The United States of Adventure is a down-to-earth, heartfelt and hilarious account of an adventure through a country well-known, but far less well-understood. It is a stunning tale of self-discovery told through the eyes of a woman who couldn't help but wonder if there was more to life, and more to America too

Have you ever wanted to kayak down a gorge in New Zealand? Or run night-time marathons through the Californian desert? How about rollerblading 100 miles around Amsterdam? You have? Then pour yourself a cup of cocoa, get those jim-jams on and prepare to escape into a world of adventure with this collection of life-affirming short stories from award-winning adventurer Anna McNuff. Go road trippin' through the Canadian winter. Bivvy out on a mountaintop in Wales. Explore pockets of wilderness around the city of London or take a journey by bike across Europe. Always upbeat and often insightful, Bedtime Adventure Stories is the antidote to adult life. It'll have you drifting off into the land of nod, dreaming up journeys of your very own - and it's proof that the only thing standing between you and the next wild adventure is a willingness to step beyond your front door. Because grown-ups need bedtime stories too.

"When I ran, I ran for pleasure. I didn't run for times, to win, to impress: I ran for me. When I ran my bum cheeks rubbed together, so much so that if I was going on a long run I'd have to 'lube up'. I maintained that I was not a 'real' runner - I just liked to run so that I could eat cake." Anna was never anything like those 'real' runners on telly - all spindly limbs, tiny shorts and split times - but when she read about New Zealand's 3,000-kilometre-long Te Araroa Trail, she began to wonder... perhaps being a 'real' runner was overrated. Maybe she could just run it anyway? Travelling alone through New Zealand's backcountry for 148 days, she scrambled through forests, along ridge-lines, over mountain passes, along beaches and across swollen rivers. Running up to 52 kilometres in a day, she slept wild most nights, and was taken into the homes and hearts of the kiwi people in between. The Pants of Perspective is a witty, colourful and at times painfully raw account of a journey to the edge of what a woman believes herself to be capable of. It is a coming-of-age story which will lead you on a roller coaster ride through fear, vulnerability courage and failure. For anyone who has ever dreamt of taking on a great challenge, but felt too afraid to begin - this story is for you.

Why take the shortest, most direct route through life, when you could choose the wiggliest, most mountainous one possible? Armed with a limited grasp of Spanish and determined to meet as many llamas as possible, Anna and her friend Faye set off on a 6-month journey along the spine of the largest mountain range in the world - the Andes. Beginning in the bustling city of La Paz, the duo pedal south - through dense jungle, across pristine white salt flats and past towering volcanoes, following the path of thundering glacial rivers to the snow-tipped peaks of Patagonia. Sleeping wild in their tents most nights, they endure 50-mph crosswinds and catastrophic crashes, and go head to head with one very determined saddle sore called Sally. By the time they make it to the southernmost tip of the continent, they have cycled 5,500 miles and ascended over 100,000 metres through the mighty Andes - equivalent to 11 times the height of Everest. Told from the seat of Anna's bicycle, Llama Drama is a witty and compelling account of life at its rawest and most rich. For anyone who has ever wanted to journey through the stunning natural landscapes of South America - this story is for you.

Why take the shortest, most direct route through life, when you could choose the wiggliest, most mountainous one possible? Armed with a limited grasp of Spanish and determined to meet as many llamas as possible, Anna and her friend Faye set off on a 6-month journey along the spine of the largest mountain range in the world - the Andes. Beginning in the bustling city of La Paz, the duo pedal south - through dense jungle, across pristine white salt flats and past towering volcanoes, following the path of thundering glacial rivers to the snow-tipped peaks of Patagonia. Sleeping wild in their tents most nights, they endure 50-mph crosswinds and catastrophic crashes, and go head to head with one very determined saddle sore called Sally. By the time they make it to the southernmost tip of the continent, they have cycled 5,500 miles and ascended over 100,000 metres through the mighty Andes - equivalent to 11 times the height of Everest. Told from the seat of Anna's bicycle, Llama Drama is a witty and compelling account of life at its rawest and most rich. For anyone who has ever wanted to journey through the stunning natural landscapes of South America - this story is for you.

Discover a life outdoors with this exuberant guide packed with 100 different big and small adventures. From building a den, to going on a skateboard journey, visiting a lighthouse and telling midnight ghost stories, every adventure will inspire you to get outdoors and go exploring. Created by adventurer Anna McNuff, this book will encourage everyone to fly by the seat of their adventure pants, no matter where they live!

Disillusioned with corporate London life and with no previous experience as a long-distance cyclist, Anna decides to clamber atop a beautiful pink bicycle (named Boudica) and set out on an 11,000-mile journey on her own, through each and every state of the USA. Dodging floods, blizzards and electrical storms, she pedals side by side with mustangs of the Wild West, through towering redwood forests, past the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains and on to the volcanos of Hawaii. Along the way, she meets record-breaking grandmas, sings with Al Green at a gospel service and does her best to avoid becoming a grizzly bear's dinner.50 Shades of the USA is a down-to-earth, heartfelt and hilarious account of an adventure through a country well-known, but far less well-understood. It is a stunning tale of self-discovery told through the eyes of a woman who couldn't help but wonder if there was more to life, and more to America too.

"When I ran, I ran for pleasure. I didn't run for times, to win, to impress: I ran for me. When I ran my bum cheeks rubbed together, so much so that if I was going on a long run I'd have to 'lube up'. I maintained that I was not a 'real' runner - I just liked to run so that I could eat cake." Anna was never anything like those 'real' runners on telly - all spindly limbs, tiny shorts and split times - but when she read about New Zealand's 3,000-kilometre-long Te Araroa Trail, she began to wonder... perhaps being a 'real' runner was overrated. Maybe she could just run it anyway? Travelling alone through New Zealand's backcountry for 148 days, she scrambled through forests, along ridge-lines, over mountain passes, along beaches and across swollen rivers. Running up to 52 kilometres in a day, she slept wild most nights, and was taken into the homes and hearts of the kiwi people in between. The Pants of Perspective is a witty, colourful and at times painfully raw account of a journey to the edge of what a woman believes herself to be capable of. It is a coming-of-age story which will lead you on a roller coaster ride through fear, vulnerability, courage and failure. For anyone who has ever dreamt of taking on a great challenge, but felt too afraid to begin - this story is for you.