Imagine sailing the transatlantic routes once trod by Christopher Columbus, unplugging from daily life without internet or cell service, embracing eco-friendly travel, fulfilling lifelong dreams, and even glimpsing Earth's curvature. The 25 backpackers aged 22 to 74 featured in Voyaging en Cargo share diverse motivations, yet all celebrate the luxury of slowness and silence. This mode of travel aboard container freighters—which accommodate a handful of passengers—offers profound self-reflection and a rhythm far removed from the rush. With growing popularity, these against-the-grain journeys blend personal testimonies with historical insights on explorers, iconic sea routes, and global trade from Orient to America. The book delivers a comprehensive practical guide: selecting itineraries, ships, and packing essentials; cargo ship types; key companies; and the top 10 sea routes.
Travelling in Cargo: 25 Portraits of Backpackers, by Françoise de Tailly—founder of Mer et Voyages, France's sole agency specializing in cargo ship travel—and Mathilde Giard, acclaimed travel journalist. Published by Editions de la Martinière, €31.
