You can dismiss your explorer in Stone city and hire a Pathfinder - 1 day to Bracada and 1 day back to Barrow Downs. You will have a fly spell to use if you try the chest in the teleporter area in Bracada.

You can hire a Gatemaster in Stone City 0 days to Harmondale.

So, by not messing around with LB scrolls, you can go to Barrow Downs, Bracada, back to Barrow Downs and on to Harmondale in 4 days. If you mephisto the two LB scrolls at the two magic shops, you can shorten that to 3 days.

As I said before, I do not play speed games EVER, but know a thing of two about them. Speed games, IMO, are counter-productive to good character development which is what CRPG gaming is all about. Like I said, that is MY opinion and is probably not shared by the majority.