An 18-year-old cricket fan from Manchester, England, is on an extraordinary mission: to travel all the way to Australia to watch the Ashes without ever taking a plane.
Along the way, he’s already visited over 24 countries, sharing his adventures on social media.
But his incredible journey hit a dangerous bump in Vietnam, where a motorbike accident left him with a broken nose, a fractured skull, and multiple cuts.
Thankfully, he recovered in hospital and is now back on the road, undeterred.
The Crash on Cat Ba Island
Tommy Lamb rented a motorbike to explore Cat Ba Island last week when he came off the bike in an accident.
He later shared the experience on Instagram, posting a video from his hospital bed.
“I don’t remember anything about the incident and couldn’t find out anything from the locals about it,” he wrote.
“Ended up with some fairly serious injuries, but thankfully it wasn’t anything worse than it was, and so the trip can continue with some delay.”
He detailed his injuries in another post:
“My nose is broken, my skull is fractured, and my eye is bruised. I have about 10 cuts.
Both my lips are busted on the inside and outside. My tooth is chipped and I have about 10 open wounds.”
After four nights in hospital, Lamb expressed his gratitude to the locals who helped him and to followers sending well-wishes.
A Journey of Cricket and Connection
Despite the accident, Lamb has kept a positive attitude and continues to travel across Southeast Asia.
His route currently takes him by bus from Haiphong to Ho Chi Minh, with plans to cross Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bali, before figuring out how to reach Australia by boat.
Along the way, he’s played cricket with locals in rural Albania, slept in caves in Vietnam, and explored Chongqing in China.
His aim is not just to reach Australia, but to connect people through cricket and demonstrate the kindness of strangers.
Inspired by Adventure, Determined to Finish
Lamb explained that his idea to travel without flying came from a story his father told him about Maureen and Tony Wheeler, founders of Lonely Planet, who journeyed from the UK to Australia in a minivan.
Speaking about what it will mean to reach Australia, he said:
“It would be an immensely proud moment.
I’ve always dreamt of watching England play an Ashes series down under, and to get there in this way would no doubt be the proudest achievement of my life.”
He also hopes the journey proves a larger point:
“The aim was to prove that people everywhere are helpful and kind and that things always work out one way or another.
If I complete this trip, I’ll have proved that to myself more than anyone.”
Follow the Journey
You can keep up with Tommy Lamb’s epic adventure and see the highs and lows of his travel by following his Instagram handle: @cheese_nan_on_tour.
From motorbike crashes to cricket matches in far-flung places, his journey is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and the thrill of adventure — proving that sometimes, the long way really is the most memorable way.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn