About

Everything you need to know about The Longest Way Home

A Little About.

A single continues journey began many years ago across the world on a search. David Ways took the idea of going out into the world to look for a place to live and documented every step of the way.

Forever Curious.

Each country and culture is unique. Exploring them is a passion and writing about them a desire to tell people about who and what is out there. Young at heart or Forever Curious.

An Impossible Journey.

Bound by a desire to do what everyone else said wasn't possible The Longest Way Home is about accomplishing ones dreams no matter what others say is possible or not.

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Photographs taken
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Articles & Guides Written
No. of Books Written
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Days on the road
The Story

The Longest Way home

Having grown up in a fairly extreme family environment. In other words not so nice. I spent the greater portion of my life trying to leave a place I always knew was never my home. Working, saving, surviving and dreaming.

Long before this journey I made a much shorter similar one. It turned into a travel adventure for the pure enjoyment of travel. After that it was back to work on the bigger task ahead.

Then in 2005 I began the overland part of this current journey thinking it would only take a year or so. That was 16+ years ago and yes I'm still going.

This solo migration has been a much greater task than I ever expected.

It's not so easy to find a home as I am finding out. Read my article on "The Definition of Home". Many people say home is a state of mind not a place. Well, I disagree. Why? Not having the security of a home - meaning no family or no residence - means you're truly on your own. Nothing to fall back on. If I don't find something, I am toast.

I am not the only one

People throughout the ages have done similar things. Look at the millions clawing their way out of developing countries in search of a better place to live. And also the countless people sitting in offices around the world today dreaming of a better life elsewhere. Well I went through the same thing and now I'm making that dream come true.

Wanting to find a new country to live in this manner can either fall into the category of idiot with no sense or a wandering nomad. I would prefer neither stereotypes. I am quite honestly simply looking for the best place to live!

Some of your Questions.

Where do you write everything?

For each country I visit there is a mini guide with several unique sections pertaining to this journey. Over the years this website has become a vast travel resource that helps many people. Check out the travel resources section for things from up to date travel guides to in depth features.

The travel blog is my journal. Starting as a private diary of sorts it's developed into a modern day explorers journal which includes helpful guides and insights into local food. This world is constantly changing and I am documenting it like no one else out there.

I also founded The Digital Archaeology Foundation and Missing Trekker.

In 2014 I rewrote the standard format for guidebooks and began publishing digital guidebooks to Nepal.

In 2017 Himalayan Travel Guides published my guidebook to Nepal in print.

In 2019 the second edition of my guidebook to Nepal was published by Himalayan Travel Guides and my new book Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks was also published.

In 2020 my Guidebook to Nepal was expanded and remains the only guidebook to be kept up to date throughout the year during the global pandemic.

In 2021 international edition was launched during the pandemic as postal series were halted in Nepal. The photography book Kathmandu: Signs from the Past was published.

In 2022 a Trekking & Hiking Journal was published. The fiction book Don't Forget Your Guidebook was also published.

These books have been recognised as being the best guidebooks to Nepal in the world today.

. BookAuthority Best Nepal Travel Guide Books of All Time

Here are a few more things that might help you find out more: Welcome tour to new subscribers & the 5 stages of long-term travel

Why this site? I'd travelled extensively back in the 1990s before I started this current journey and kept a diary like many others do and emailed myself a copy of it as a backup. For this journey I started a small private blog as a personal online journal. Emailing myself notes just wasn't working anymore - we are talking 2005 here. But strangers stumbled onto it and started to read about my journey. It took off from there.

The website has been through a few subtle changes over the years. But I created it for something quite basic:

"With no home, this has become my place to hang my photographs and write my findings as I discover what many others would like to know ..."

I venture to places and find myself in situations very few people have documented. I am proud to say that this is no cookie cutter travel blog nor a fame-starved man's copycat attempt of a book. I know who I am and this is an original pioneering look at travel via 21st century migration.

By these means The Longest Way Home has now become one of the most read travelogues in the world. And without a doubt has become the most documented story arc in online travel history.

From all of this maybe my story can help inspire someone else or motivate them to get through some rough times and push forward with their lives. If I can do this - so can anyone!

Everything on The Longest Way Home was written, photographed, designed, coded and paid for by me.

There are no sponsored articles, posts and no trips or products have ever been paid for by anyone else other than me. The upside side to this is that everything here is 100% genuine, frank, unique and influenced by nobody. The downside? Please excuse the odd typo!

Founder

David Ways

David Ways began an epic journey in 2005 to travel the world in search of home. He traveled solo overland from Sintra in Portugal across Europe into Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal where he discovered the feeling of home before exploring the rest of South East Asia.

For over 14 years David has created what is today the worlds number one online travel guide to Nepal (he’s working on a few other countries as well). He’s created and continues to publish innovative live interactive digital guidebooks to Nepal which have changed the way many people travel the country.

 

  • 2005 The Longest Way Home
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  • 2015 Digital Archaeology Foundation
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  • 2016 MissingTrekker.com
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  • 2017 Nepal Guide book published in print
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  • 2019 Kathmandu Heritage Guide published in print
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  • 2019 2nd Edition Nepal Guide book published in print
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  • 2021 Special International Editions published
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  • 2021 Photography book published in print
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  • 2022 Fiction Book Published
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  • New project
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  • New project 2
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An original travel story plus great travel guides