Context - The Furthest Distances I've Travelled

• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' was written by Leontia Flynn
• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' was published in 2004 - the same year that Facebook was launched, al-Qaeda bombed trains in Madrid, and the biggest earthquake in 40 years struck southeast Asia
• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' doesn't directly address historical events, instead, it looks at the World through the eyes of a globetrotting young backpacker, filled with potential & adventure
• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' addresses Backpacking - a style of travel began with the "hippie trail" of the 1960s and '70s, a route between western Europe and South Asia
• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' addresses Backpacking which gained major popularity as people travel with only what they can carry in a backpack - A low-cost form of travel, it typically involves staying in cheap accommodations like hostels or homestays and using public transport to get between destinations
• 'The Furthest Distances I've Travelled' explores themes of idyllic Wanderlust & Adventure, romanticising the extreme geographical locations of the poem, whilst also juxtaposing the idea by utilising prosaic (dull) & mundane objects; this juxtaposition highlights the disparity between youthful dreams and adult responsibilities