Ash is the author of Why We Travel: 12 Reasons to Travel - and What They Can Teach You About Life, The Independent’s ‘Best Travel Book of The Year’.

Travel is the world’s most popular pastime. We spend more on our holidays than on any other activity, and tourism is experiencing rapid growth. But travel is damaging our planet and we’ve all had disappointing travel experiences. So, how do we it better?

Ash has travelled as a pilgrim, backpacker, raver, soldier, ski instructor, journalist, grieving son, and husband. He realised that his most fulfilling travel had nothing to do with where he went or what he did. Good travel happens when we understand why we leave home in the first place: our motivations.

In Why We Travel, Ash delves into the psychology and neuroscience of wanderlust. Each chapter is a window into a specific motivation - Curiosity, Inspiration, Happiness, Mentorship, Serendipity, Hardship, Service, Empathy, Healing, Wonder, Eroticism and Hope - brought to life with stories from Sudan, Ukraine, New Zealand, Nepal, Japan, Uganda, and even outer space.

Our motivations change with time and circumstance. But knowing them helps us to drive our action in the right direction.

Why We Travel teaches readers how to do that. And how to apply those skills to the rest of our lives.