In the autumn of 1988, Michael Palin set out from the Reform Club with
an ambitious plan: to circumnavigate the world, following the route
taken by Jules Verne's fictional hero Phileas Fogg 115 years earlier.
The rules were simple. He had to make the journey in 80 days using only
forms of transport that would have been available to Fogg. And so,
complete with visas, running shoes, an inflatable globe and sound advice
from Alan Whicker, Michael Palin began his incredible journey.
Crossing 17 borders and meeting innumerable challenges, he saw Venice
from the back of a rubbish barge, rode around the Pyramids on a camel
called Michael, and was attacked by a cockatoo in Hong Kong - amongst
many other adventures. Phileas Fogg may have brought a Princess back
from his travels, but Michael Palin brought back a fascinating and
frequently humorous account of the journey of a lifetime.