Melanie Serpa

Through the Ganesh Gate Melanie Serpa

Maddy Kendrick is teetering on the verge, stuck between the desire to be safe in a life that she knows or to toss it all to the wind. Terrified of flying and caught in a crumbling marriage, Maddy reluctantly goes on a trip with her husband. She quickly learns that budget travel is arduous. Trekking, mummies, and floods bring out the best and worst in Maddy. Alone and adrift, she follows the backpacker circuit through Europe, India, Nepal and Southeast Asia. Her journey takes her from the arid Egyptian desert to the impoverished streets of India. Seasoned travelers captivate her with stories of horror and delight. Through a mixture of blunder and luck, Maddy discovers the secrets to finding delectable local fare, wisdom on averting death in the Himalayas, and to treasure the most important things in life.