What was your first international trip?
Twenty years ago, I went to Nepal with my girlfriend for a two-month walking holiday. We walked in remote parts of the country. I have the most incredible memories from that time. I'd think about it every day for years after.
A memorable moment?
We arrived at the top of a pass just before sunset. It had been cloudy and misty the whole day, so we didn't realise how close we were to some mountain peaks. We encountered three old men sitting on a stone seat, the clouds parted behind their backs and, just for a moment, we could see these snow-covered peaks.
Where would you love to return to?
I spent a great couple of weeks on the Indonesian island of Pantar and I'd love to go back and explore more of the country. The coral reefs and snorkelling are great and on Pantar, although the villages are only a kilometre or two apart, each village speaks a different language.
What sort of welcome do you get in such remote places?
Everywhere we went, we utterly freaked people out. When you turn up in a village the little kids scream as you approach, then the villagers stand around you for three hours, gawking. It's a lot of fun.
Does much planning go into your trips?
No. On the trip to Pantar, we first went to Timor, then we thought we'd head north to the next island, then we went north to the next island – and that's how we ended up at Pantar.
What do you always take with you?
A money belt with my passport, American dollars and some local currency in small denominations. I don't necessarily take walking shoes – I like to walk barefoot.
Do you have a favourite spot in Australia?
Arnhem Land. I go there a couple of times of year to walk and swim. I love the waterholes: the water's clear and the perfect temperature and in the high plateaus where I walk there are no saltwater crocs.
Interview by Ute Junker
James Murray's time in Arnhem Land is described in My Life in the Sea of Cars (Transit Lounge, $29.95).
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