Levison Wood was just 22 in 2004 when he decided to hitchhike from England to Goa, via Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Looking back on his adventure, he recalls how, fascinated by the ancient cultures that flourished along the Silk Road and following the footsteps of explorers such as Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo, he made his way through mountains and war zones, meeting shepherds and priests, Russian Mafiosi and mujahideen fighters.