In 1995, Joel Magarey up left his job as a journalist, and his beloved girlfriend Penny, to ‘track across the hurtling world’. Journeying to some of the most remote places in the world, Joel embarked upon an odyssey of sorts – geographical, sexual and psychological. His trek to far-flung Bolivia, Alaska and Zimbabwe entailed many challenges, among them an importunate grizzly and a petulant financial analyst from Seattle. But along the way, Joel also attempted to dislodge the claws of anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

I spoke to Joel about the darkness and fear of such a journey, how the gifts and conditions of our lives shape us, and – of course – his book, Exposure, which is out now. Joel is also appearing at the Town Hall Program of the Emerging Writers’ Festival.

Music by Pompey. Killings podcasts appear fortnightly.