Inside the Belly of an Elephant

“What began as a very personal odyssey to honour the memory of his lost brother became over time a pilgrimage into the heart and soul of culture, and it was here that Todd Lawson found the peace he had sought since heading out on his healing journey.” —Wade Davis, Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society, and professor of anthropology, University of British Columbia “We are so glad Todd and Christina entered our lives in 2007, and you'll be pleased when they enter your lives too. As a result of their extraordinary “Motos Against Malaria” motorcycle expedition, enough funds were raised for anti-malaria nets to protect more than 6,000 people.” —Rob Mather, founder and CEO of the Against Malaria Foundation “The lessons shared in Inside the Belly of an Elephant are a reminder that life works in beautiful ways, even when we might not be able to see it right away.” —David Meltzer, co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing, best-selling author “Grief is a strange beast, living everywhere and nowhere, lying in perpetual ambush. Losing his brother Sean to cerebral malaria on a motorcycle trip through Africa could have sent Todd Lawson into a life of dodging this phantom. Instead he turned the spirit of two-wheeled adventure shared with Sean into a celebration of life: gritty, trans-continental odysseys with partner Christina that included delivering mosquito nets to remote African villages. Tragic, triumphant and filled with magical encounters and landscapes, In the Belly of an Elephant goes deep into what it really means to travel on the fly, and shows that although you can’t erase grief, keeping it in front of you can do marvellous things.” —Leslie Anthony, author of White Planet: A Mad Dash Through Modern Global Ski Culture “A rare gem of a book. One that makes you want to sell all your stuff and hit the road for as long as possible, but also call your mother every week of the way just to tell her you love her. Inside the Belly of an Elephant rides an inspiring dirt road to adventure and exploration, but remains firmly rooted in family and brotherhood. Lawson tells a story the same way he travels: with an open heart and a keen eye for the details, people and perspectives that make the journey worth taking.” —Feet Banks, editor of Mountain Life: Coast Mountains magazine “The fact that truth is wilder than fiction strikes before you can finish the first page. Todd Lawson’s memoir is a captivating page-turner of a tribute to the power of outdoor adventure, brotherhood and storytelling, and all the heartbreak, joy and inspiration that comes with it.” —Robin Esrock, bestselling author of The Great Canadian Bucket List, The Great Australian Bucket List, The Great Global Bucket List and numerous other titles “Inside the Belly of an Elephant is a modern, third-world rendition of Jack Kerouac’s classic On the Road. Seeking freedom through motion, adventure and self-imposed poverty, throwing convention to the winds, Todd and his partner Christina find the glory of an unfettered life; but they also encounter tragedy in the death of Todd’s brother. The book is a riveting, page-turning travel narrative of rebellion, love and eventual redemption from the ghost that haunts him.” —Jon Turk, author of Crocodiles and Ice: A Journey into Deep Wild and Tracking Lions, Myth, and Wilderness in Samburu