Maureen Wheeler

Maureen Wheeler was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At age 20 she moved to the "big city" - London, where three days later she met Tony Wheeler on a park bench in Regents Park. They were married a year later and set off to see the world, ending up in Australia. In 1974 they established Lonely Planet Publications - since then Maureen and Tony have written many travel guides and published many more. In between trips, Maureen completed a degree in social work but faced with a choice between a career and travelling, chose to make travel her career. Their children, Tashi and Kieran, accompany Maureen and Tony on their frequent travels and considerably enliven the experience.

• Lonely Planet Travel with Children
• Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story