Backpacking adventures: real stories

Whether you're thinking of a year out, need a career break or just an adventurous holiday, find inspiration with these extraordinary gap-year tales
Cycling to India

When I was 11, during a junior school leavers' assembly in front of all the mums and dads, my headmistress asked my class what they wanted to do when they left school. Footballer, doctor, film star, politician, came the replies. My answer? "I want to cycle round the world and raise money for charity." A big "ahhhhh" resounded around the school hall. "So sweet."

Little did they know that 20 years later I would be setting off on a 9,000-mile journey to India. On my own. Carrying everything I needed on my steel-framed bicycle, affectionately known as "Shirley".

I would like to say it was planned to the nth degree and that everything ran like clockwork. In reality, I was arrested twice, chased by wild dogs, beaten (and wined and dined) by the mafia, attacked by bandits …

On my last day I was cycling through the Bandipur wildlife park in southern India. My flowery bike wasn't great camouflage and startled a number of elephants as I passed. They decided to charge.

The advice is "if an elephant charges you, stand your ground, and bow your head to show respect". What tosh! With 30 tonnes of muscle and bone crashing towards me, destroying small trees and making the ground vibrate under my feet, there was no way I was standing firm. I dropped my bike into third gear and floored it.

Another time I ran out of food and water in the desert and was woken one morning to find maggots in my hair and beard.

Yet the greatest memories are of so many wonderful people I met in every country, who invited me into their homes to celebrate local festivals, play music, dance, sing, eat, and share each other's cultures, beliefs, history and way of life.

After six months' cycling, I rolled into Chembakolli, a tiny village, my final destination. It was my 31st birthday – 20 years since I had first dreamed up the idea. I was greeted by a carnival of people playing drums, singing, cheering, and waving banners saying "Happy birthday". All I could do was crouch down and cry tears of joy. I'd cycled 9,000 miles from England to India. I'd lived my dream.
Daniel Bent, 31, teacher, Essex. See his blog at mrbent.blogspot.com
Conservation protest camp in Tasmania

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Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer: A 'True Blood' wedding in Malibu, CA (photos)

True blood may not have been exchanged, but nevertheless, co-stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer married today in Malibu, one of the most enchanting places on earth.

The wedding took place in one of those magnificent homes you often see as you drive along Pacific Coast Highway (every visitor has this ride on their must do list).

The newly wed couple enjoyed a lot of famous guests on hand to wish them well. There was Carrie Preston, her husband Michael Emerson, and Elijah Wood -- to name three.

A tent was set up with the beach as the background -- an amazing place for Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer to kiss as the waves crashed in Malibu.

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True Blood Rolling Stone Cover Shocking

The True Blood Rolling Stone cover is sure to be talked about for a while. On the True Blood Rolling Stone cover, three of the shows stars are depicted in the nude, dripping with blood. The pictures might be thought
to be both sexy and disturbing all at the same time, but one thing that they will not be called is tame. The True Blood Rolling Stone cover (linked here) depicts Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse), Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton), and Alexander Skarsgard (Eric Northman) standing together, in what appears to be no clothing at all. Paquin stands with her back to husband Moyer as he holds her tight, and faces Skarsgard who elevates her leg to his side.

This is definitely one of those magazines that will be sold in stores with the black placard in front of it on shelves, and there are some who might be offended if they see it without knowing the context. True Blood is a show centered around vampires that airs on HBO, and this magazine cover really shows how popular it has become these past few years.

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Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka expecting twins

There are two more trophies in Neil Patrick Harris' future -- he and partner David Burtka are expecting twins.

The actor took to Twitter on Saturday to reveal the happy news for him and Burtka, the chef and sometimes-thespian he's been with for about six years.

"So, get this: David and I are expecting twins this fall. We're super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy," he said.

The pair have already started planning their baby shower, according to E! News, who first reported the twins were en route, via a surrogate.

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