A Day in the Woods

Twenty-something Brian arrives in Frankfurt, Germany, in March of 1976, ready for adventure. The native South African decided years before that he wanted to explore the world, emulating the characters in James Michener’s novel, The Drifters. Tales of adventure shared by his friends served as further inspiration, so after a year of saving cash, he reaches Europe.


Since this is Brian’s first time away from home, his travel technique is naïve at best—reckless at worst—but in order to truly “drift,” he follows his instincts as he hops from country to country. However, it’s not all as exciting and romantic as Brian hoped.


Challenged by the harsh reality of poverty and rejection, he stumbles through joys and hardships on his way to discovering if he has the determination to sustain his journey. Despite the dizzying difficulties of travel in a foreign world, Brian searches for the perceived lifestyle of Michener’s characters while chasing his dreams.