Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World

A wonderful look into a time when adventure riding was in its infancy. I read this from cover to cover in a few days and found it honest and inviting. Elspeth faced tremendous hardships on her journey and including those personal details made the book even richer. I would recommend it. On a side note, Mary Siever, also a Brit, traveled the world on a 175cc BSA in the 1970s, roughly a decade before Beard. Unfortunately, there are only a few news clippings about Siever's trip, but still, she could lay claim to being the first British woman to travel around the world.

Truly enjoyed her book from beginning to end. She showed how determined she was to complete her journey, and showed all the would-be sponsors it could be done by a woman. Very impressed how she had the knowledge to make repairs when needed to her Air head, no matter what problems developed over a two year non-stop trip out of country included. I am a BMW rider and owner, and was very disappointed to read that the BMW company refused to help even sponsor her, although riding on one of their own machines in this long journey including several others that could and should have stepped up to help her with her plans at the time? I am quite sure anyone that reads her book, or attends any of her educational events will be impressed at how much she has been through to fulfill her dream that she made come true, and proud to share with all her readers, and friends, including me for one. Bob Johnson

As a motorcyclist who’s traveled solo trips, I’ve wondered what it’d be like to ride around the world relatively alone. All of us should make the journey, whether physically or virtually, to places that test our self image. Riding along with this author across the globe, on her own with no sponsors, no support staff, and no Internet followers, may be the virtual solo trip you need to find yourself. Luckily, I found myself whilst traveling only a few thousand miles across the United States in my early 20s at the same time the author was traveling 35,000 miles to discover her strengths as she survived one death-defying adventure after another, encountering the unfortunate aspect of being a woman in places where some men felt it necessary to assert themselves.

Wonderful book, especially for young women whether they are interested in motorcycles or not. Elspeth is a great example of a young woman overcoming obstacles (such as dyslexia) and people's ideas of what a woman "should" be like to discover the world and make it on her own terms. As a woman who has travelled alone in developing countries and rides motorcycles, I found the book almost impossible to put down. It was everything I'd been searching for in other motorcycle books and wish someone had given it to me when I was young.

Elsbeth Beard has distilled in this book the inexplicable urge to simply *go*— from the first mad flash of inspiration, the planning, the doubt, the mechanical minutiae, the grind of the road, the elation on cresting a rise and seeing the whole world open up beneath one’s front wheel..... And she is candid with the quotidian human longings that surrounded her journey. A breakup with the man she thought was her true love. Other figures moving in and out of the story. A heart wrenching love discovered on the road. The intervening years. It is well-written in a business-like sort of way (and Elsbeth herself would make no claim to being a T.E. Lawrence in prose). But there is some unnameable driving force in the book that made me stay up till 4:30am to finish it, and left me in tears—truly—at the end.

I'm within a few pages of finishing ... and I don't want it to end. Ms. Beard needs to write a sequel ... or certainly another book about her subsequent travels in the 1990s. I liked the book, it was very candid in some places with some complete transparency about what she was experiencing. If she has a book signing within driving distance of your residence, I recommend attendance by all motorcyclists, and especially female riders.

Cheryl Strayed shove over! As a young woman, Elspeth rides her motorcycle around the world in 1982 - first woman to do so. A great story I read pretty much non-stop - a wonderful book for young women. I think someone is making a movie of this - it will be hard to put two years of travel into two hours. It is also an awesome book for anyone who loves motorcycles and wonders how to keep a BMW on the road for 35,000 miles.

I’ve been riding “real” motorcycles (no poser Hardly Ablesons!) for over 50 years, and transitioned to “adventure riding” 18 years ago. I’m an avid reader/ viewer of books and films about long and difficult treks. This book is the real deal, and the efforts were done before the internet, GPS, Spot Tracker, and good cell phones. Buy it, read it, and dream about having the courage, determination and guts of the young woman who did it.

The book was interesting enough but the author dealt more with her own emotional and familial issues unrelated to the trip than with the journey itself. That in and of itself is not bad, just not what I find pertinent in a volume advertised as an adventure. It was a psychological adventure for her, no doubt. Her trip was remarkable and when she discussed the complexities of traveling as a woman I found it fascinating, but not so much when she talked about her love life. To my mind that is best left to personal journals.

I've ridden in several dozen countries so have experienced some hardship under changing conditions but what Elspeth Beard did still staggers me. It would have been a major feat for anyone - man or woman. I have to chuckle when people marvel at what the two guys did in "Long Way Round" and some of their other movies but they had a support crew, parts, food, etc. Beard did it mostly all alone and before and during the trip, she taught herself how to keep her bike running through thick & thin. A great read!

A wonderful look into a time when adventure riding was in its infancy. I read this from cover to cover in a few days and found it honest and inviting. Elspeth faced tremendous hardships on her journey and including those personal details made the book even richer. I would recommend it. On a side note, Mary Siever, also a Brit, traveled the world on a 175cc BSA in the 1970s, roughly a decade before Beard. Unfortunately, there are only a few news clippings about Siever's trip, but still, she could lay claim to being the first British woman to travel around the world.

Truly enjoyed her book from beginning to end. She showed how determined she was to complete her journey, and showed all the would-be sponsors it could be done by a woman. Very impressed how she had the knowledge to make repairs when needed to her Air head, no matter what problems developed over a two year non-stop trip out of country included. I am a BMW rider and owner, and was very disappointed to read that the BMW company refused to help even sponsor her, although riding on one of their own machines in this long journey including several others that could and should have stepped up to help her with her plans at the time? I am quite sure anyone that reads her book, or attends any of her educational events will be impressed at how much she has been through to fulfill her dream that she made come true, and proud to share with all her readers, and friends, including me for one. Bob Johnson

As a motorcyclist who’s traveled solo trips, I’ve wondered what it’d be like to ride around the world relatively alone. All of us should make the journey, whether physically or virtually, to places that test our self image. Riding along with this author across the globe, on her own with no sponsors, no support staff, and no Internet followers, may be the virtual solo trip you need to find yourself. Luckily, I found myself whilst traveling only a few thousand miles across the United States in my early 20s at the same time the author was traveling 35,000 miles to discover her strengths as she survived one death-defying adventure after another, encountering the unfortunate aspect of being a woman in places where some men felt it necessary to assert themselves.

Wonderful book, especially for young women whether they are interested in motorcycles or not. Elspeth is a great example of a young woman overcoming obstacles (such as dyslexia) and people's ideas of what a woman "should" be like to discover the world and make it on her own terms. As a woman who has travelled alone in developing countries and rides motorcycles, I found the book almost impossible to put down. It was everything I'd been searching for in other motorcycle books and wish someone had given it to me when I was young.

Elsbeth Beard has distilled in this book the inexplicable urge to simply *go*— from the first mad flash of inspiration, the planning, the doubt, the mechanical minutiae, the grind of the road, the elation on cresting a rise and seeing the whole world open up beneath one’s front wheel..... And she is candid with the quotidian human longings that surrounded her journey. A breakup with the man she thought was her true love. Other figures moving in and out of the story. A heart wrenching love discovered on the road. The intervening years. It is well-written in a business-like sort of way (and Elsbeth herself would make no claim to being a T.E. Lawrence in prose). But there is some unnameable driving force in the book that made me stay up till 4:30am to finish it, and left me in tears—truly—at the end.

I'm within a few pages of finishing ... and I don't want it to end. Ms. Beard needs to write a sequel ... or certainly another book about her subsequent travels in the 1990s. I liked the book, it was very candid in some places with some complete transparency about what she was experiencing. If she has a book signing within driving distance of your residence, I recommend attendance by all motorcyclists, and especially female riders.

Cheryl Strayed shove over! As a young woman, Elspeth rides her motorcycle around the world in 1982 - first woman to do so. A great story I read pretty much non-stop - a wonderful book for young women. I think someone is making a movie of this - it will be hard to put two years of travel into two hours. It is also an awesome book for anyone who loves motorcycles and wonders how to keep a BMW on the road for 35,000 miles.

I’ve been riding “real” motorcycles (no poser Hardly Ablesons!) for over 50 years, and transitioned to “adventure riding” 18 years ago. I’m an avid reader/ viewer of books and films about long and difficult treks. This book is the real deal, and the efforts were done before the internet, GPS, Spot Tracker, and good cell phones. Buy it, read it, and dream about having the courage, determination and guts of the young woman who did it.

The book was interesting enough but the author dealt more with her own emotional and familial issues unrelated to the trip than with the journey itself. That in and of itself is not bad, just not what I find pertinent in a volume advertised as an adventure. It was a psychological adventure for her, no doubt. Her trip was remarkable and when she discussed the complexities of traveling as a woman I found it fascinating, but not so much when she talked about her love life. To my mind that is best left to personal journals.

I've ridden in several dozen countries so have experienced some hardship under changing conditions but what Elspeth Beard did still staggers me. It would have been a major feat for anyone - man or woman. I have to chuckle when people marvel at what the two guys did in "Long Way Round" and some of their other movies but they had a support crew, parts, food, etc. Beard did it mostly all alone and before and during the trip, she taught herself how to keep her bike running through thick & thin. A great read!

I've read several motorcycle travel books and this one ranks among the top five. Frequently other writers have failed to convince me that their stories were completely true. However, Lone Rider is not one of those. In a believable and uncomplaining fashion, Miss Beard conveys her narrative in a way that keeps the reader engaged.

I really enjoyed the travel parts of the story. She really captures the feel of being on the road on a motorcycle, including the highs and lows. Could have done with a little less of the storyline about her boyfriends along the way. Otherwise a fine read! Amazing to think she did that trip alone, and at a time before personal gps, atm cards and the internet!

I loved the way this book was written...like a storyteller would detail it with just the right amount of detail and emotion. I did not like the inclusion of the “F” word which appears suddenly three quarters of the way through the book. The word itself is offensive to me and although it may have been used at the occasion, I felt just writing a letter .... would have been a better choice. The story is wonderfully painted in dazzling colors and having the photos included in the book was very appealing.

The author writes good prose but never discusses any lessons she learned. Writing this book thirty years after her circumnavigation she has left it devoid of emotion. It is "just the facts." And most of them are pretty grueling. There is no joy in this book.

Ms. Beard's account of her arts motorcycle trip kept me interested and a bit on edge throughout. I think the tale was all the better for having been written so long after the events took place. There was closure for the reader. Ms. Beard's straightforward account of all the difficulties encountered provide a realistic feel for just how difficult such a journey really was. I get the feeling Ms. Beard was urged to provide perhaps more personal details than she would have preferred, but the book is better for it.

There are all kinds of adventures to be had in the world today post internet but, none would ever compare to the type of adventure Elsbeth accomplished in her ride around the world on a BMW motorcycle. The fact that she could totally assemble and disassemble and repair every part of this motorcycle is also remarkable to me. During the type of hardships one reads in this book many would have turned tail and ventured off to parts known. A great read.

This book fell far outside of my usual reading material but the story was/is compelling and, in spite of Ms. Beard not being an experienced writer, it is quite well written. Her story is an amazing one and her inner strength shows through time and again as she overcomes what seem to be insurmountable obstacles in remote areas. Truly a great read- one that would make an excellent film. (HINT HINT Hollywood)

Absolutely brilliant book - I couldn't put it down! Beard retraces her courageous travels with an engaging, forthright candor and style. You'll find yourself thoroughly engaged, experiencing the ups and downs of pre-internet motorcycle adventure as you go. Trust me - this little book is a gem...

One of the best motorcycle travel books I’ve ever read. Exciting, entertaining, informative, and moving. As much human interest story, full of heartache and triumph, as it is an exciting motorcycle travel journal.

As a long-distance motorcyclist myself, having ridden my 1976 Moto Guzzi 146,000 miles and 29 other motorcycles on innumerable adventures, and having broken down on nearly all those trips, I am so impressed with Elspeth’s mindset for tackling each setback. Addressing each breakdown or bureaucratic teeth grinder as they occurred, day by day, mile by mile, while meeting to most kind and helpful ‘natives’ is, to me, the essence of true adventure riding. People are simply amazing and they seem to like people on motorcycles.

Excellent book. Very well written account of an extraordinary adventure. I ride a lot of miles but have not experienced the challenges this young woman has. She solves her problems and toughs it out without whinnying. Even if you don’t ride you will like this book and admire this woman.

A difficult journey but entertaining reading. She tackles an around the world motorcycle trip by herself and along the way has a number of mishaps and scary experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wondered if Ewan and Charlie might think Elspeth is a bit tougher than her male counterparts? Quite an adventure on two wheels.

This book connects on many levels. As an adventure biker I enjoyed it, but more important is the story of self discovery. I found it most interesting to learn about what happened to Elspeth's life after her journey. Well done Elspeth!

This is a book I never wanted to end. The ups and downs of Elspeth's journey around the world was absolutely phenomenal. The detail in the daily life she experienced and the personal feelings she expressed were wonderful. Having having written motorcycles myself for the last 48 years across all of North America, I can relate to many of her experiences but definitely nothing to the extent she experienced. I highly recommend this book to anybody who enjoys motorcycles and traveling to the far places of this earth.

Book arrived on time and in perfect condition. I started reading the book it is a great story of motorcycle adventure from the eyes of a young woman riding around the world in the 80's

I bought this book for my wife and she got through a third of it in one day. And she does nothing about how wonderful this book is. and she also really loves how she writes as if she is talking to you. My wife said I 'must' read it when she's through.

The book Lone Rider was a newly printed, well bound paperback. I loved the story and found it well written and easy to read. Elspeth's journey on her BMW R60/6 was epic in every way. My helmet off to her. I am very glad she decided to share her accomplishment in this book.

Courageous and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your journey. I am startled at the possibilities in living a full life.

I’ve been riding since 1970, so it was a great read for me. I’m not sure how much a non-rider would like it. It’s not so much about the bike and the riding, as it is about the difficulties and the people.

This book gives a detailed adventure of traveling around the world and you feel like you are right there experiencing the daily ride. You will feel excitement and devastation while reading this book. I can relate to the feelings that are expressed.

Absolutely top notch . I am a former rider and a BMW 1960 R60 was one of my serval bikes. I could feel her excitement and pain as she rode.

The books reads with unbelievable authenticity. A fantastic adventure that was so vividly written. One of my most favorite motorcycle trip books. Would love to know what Elspeth is up to day and how she is doing. Thank you for the great story. Wow!

I’ve done several long-distance bicycle rides: Victoria BC -Vancouver BC and back, 2 1/2 months in Europe, Seattle - Plymouth MA, Portland OR - Yellowstone Park, so this book really resonated with me. What Ms. Beard did dwarfs anything I could imagine. Doing myself. She is BOSS!

Loved this book. After reading several of these types of books, I amazed riders still ever want to ride in India, what a rat hole!

I loved every part of this book. Any woman who wants to find strength in herself should read this. I didn’t want it to end, and I hope one day when this is book becomes a movie, Hollywood will do it justice.

During her journey, the author shows how much an intelligent, resourceful, tough, and independently minded person can accomplish against daunting odds. All this while putting enough of her insecurities on display to make her relatable. Quite a book! I’m so glad that she put forth the effort to write it and was able to include a good number of photographs.

Well written book, interesting adventure. Would give it a 8.5 out of 10.

The UK way of wording or writing was different. Overall it held me captive. I kept saying to myself, "Just one more chapter."

Loved the story and courage and tenacity of Elsbeth. She carves her own path on two wheels and off. Hats off to her!

Good easy read through. I enjoyed reading about her adventures she had on the trip and she kept my interest from the first page to the last.

As a world traveler with 53 countries under my belt, I seek out memoirs of other women consumed by wanderlust and the desire for a life less ordinary. In “Lone Rider,” I found all of that and more. Elspeth Beard paints a vivid picture of life on the road, its delights and challenges. Her courage bolsters my own.

Very interesting book. The detailed story of all the ups and down of foreign travel.

This was a wonderful story of a strong and courageous woman. A must read for al motorcycle, travel, and adventure enthusiast.

This is a very real and touching book that gives a real feel for the author, life and what this experience truly was.

... and the girl said she was going to name her bike "Elspeth."

Great story about a beautiful woman having an motorcycle adventure. A wonderful read, and highly recommended!

Really enjoyed this read, fabulously written, sincere honesty and very gripping. It’s sad to be it’s taken so long to be published. Such an inspirational lady and makes me happy to read a great 80’s adventure celebrating such a strong female heroine.

Writer is dumb as a stump, but so am I, and that's what I like about it.

The trials Elspeth survived are hard to imagine, especially given the time of her travels.

single British woman on an around the world motorcycle jaunt; a forced awareness and evolution; well done !

Awesome story

It was very interesting , for a woman to make such an accomplishment , and the journey was awesome

Amazing story.

Give this book to anyone you like. It isn't just a motorcycle story. I have met and spent time with the author and I would give this to anyone who wants to do something but is held back by fear.

Awesome book about this single women talking off on her BMW by herself. Facing many obstacles in her journey.She was probably braver then most men. So glad she still rides ,and her daily rider is a BMW r80 Gs.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is like a modern version of the Odyssey as told by a very perceptive woman. The journey is as much internal as it is external. We can all see and learn from Elspeth's adventure.

Very well written. I appreciate the authors openness and honesty. Combining her personal life with her journey. A page turning memoir that keeps the reader intrigued.

Elspeth tells her story in a way that makes you feel like you are on the journey with her! An easy read that sets a fire to your adventure whims. As Elspeth says “ the only thing that stops you is leaving.” The Lone Rider is an inspiring story of bravery and listening to and acting on the voice of ones true spirit.

Lone Rider is an intense page turner. Elspeth is an attractive woman traveling in countries that look at women as property.she survives by refusing to be intimidated. Her adventure is inundated with suffering yet she celebrates the wonders of a level ten adventure! This is a great story!

I really enjoyed the entire book. I am amazed that a young woman would undertake such a long journey with really so little preparation. I love to ride as well but would not begin this type of adventure alone.

I found Elspeth's writing to be straight forward and something I can relate to being a rider myself. I just really like her and I thank her for sharing her travels in a way that is truthful and human.- Diana Hughes-Rasmussen

Great book! Elspeth has had some great adventures. Her story is also interesting on a historical as well as cultural level.

Very well written and interesting. Writer conveys very well what's going on in her mind while she deals with each situation and obstacle. Highly recommended.

do not miss thisstory

Good well written read...enjoyed the journey..

Very interesting. A great book. It also was a book about places that she saw. The problems with the bike and how they were fixed

I can relate a little only because the author and I are the same age and I was into motorcycles at the same time. And I probably imagined that I could do that trip but actually knew I didn’t have the wherewithal to ride around the world. I really enjoyed this book.

What a wonderful book! I find it hard to believe that no one was interested in the story for 40 years. No one can tell it like someone that spent 699 days in the saddle living it. Kudos to Elspeth and BMW. Jim Taylor

This would be an incredible story if if happened today. It is a truly remarkable story in the 30+ years ago world political environment. I’m so glad this her story is now available!

This book is great whether you are a motorcycle enthusiast or not. Some of the things she encountered on her journey are nothing short of mind-boggling.

Pleasure to read

Great to read about motorcycling from a woman's perspective. Lots to make one ponder about things that a male takes for granted!

Great book

Great read

Great Adventure this is one tough Woman.....

Its perfect. In perfect condition

I loved this book! It's an amazing journey and very well written, I would highly recommend this book.

Haven’t finished the book yet, but it’s awesome so far! What an adventure.

Beard made this pioneering two-year trip at a time when women were not traveling by motorcycle, and the out-and-out hostility she gets from daring to travel this way in the 1980s, even in the USA, is jaw-dropping - and something I have never experienced as a motorcycle traveler or solo traveler sans bike (and I'm so glad). I admit to almost giving up on the book in the first 80 pages because I couldn't believe how she treated her ride in the USA: just something to get through as quickly as possible, with constant annoyances. The USA is an amazing country to tour by motorcycle, and was so in the 1980s, but you would never know it by reading Beard's book. In those early pages, she also talked more about her failed relationship than anything good she might have been experiencing as a motorcycle rider, and I thought, if the entire book is this way, I'm not going to be able to get through it. The first 80 pages just weren't at all a book about an adventure motorcycle rider. But after she gets to Australia and works to get enough money to continue her travels, the book improves drastically. The book is more about the challenges Beard faces on the road (accidents, breakdowns, bureaucracy, extortion attempts) than the sights she sees, and there are times when I was thinking, Why are you doing this? What about any of this is enjoyable? Are you ever happy? Are you ever going to have a good day? Her book is rather light in terms of describing awe-inspiring moments (an exception is her account of trekking through the Himalayas) or places you might want to visit if you are in the same places she was. But, still, I really enjoyed reading how she problem-solved, I deeply admire her persistence, and I am inspired by her determination. I don't want to spoil anything in the book - part of the enjoyment is reading about the challenges that come up and how she addressed them, over and over and over. But I will say that the challenges are intense, beyond the capabilities of most motorcycle riders I've ever known - and beyond what I could handle. I really cannot gush enough about how Beard handles a myriad of dire circumstances. She doesn't seem to think it's any big deal that keeps overcoming these challenges, nor that she built her own panniers or that she constantly repaired her own bike on the fly - I read those accounts and thought, geesh, you are Wonder Woman on a motorcycle and you don't know it. And, despite my feelings for those first 80 pages, I ended up liking that she shared so much about her intimate relationships - I've found it refreshing to hear a traveler talk about love on the road - and the aftermath, because it IS something to consider if you are going to invest in a lot of time away from home in any circumstances. I do wish she'd talked more about how she chose her routes, how she chose where to stay, etc. She also rarely talks about how she secured her bike for the night - this is a big concern for most motorcycle travelers, and it would have been nice to have heard her advice on the subject. The amount of sexual harassment and attempted sexual assaults she experiences in every country, including the USA, Australia, and all over India, is something that few world travelers, whether motorcyclists or humanitarians, will talk about, even though it remains a reality to this day - and it's something I have experienced as well, so I appreciated her openness about this. I'm not sure her book will inspire many people to take up motorcycle travel - the constant difficulties she experienced make it sound like a fight to survive every day, and it's not like that for all travelers now. But she's not exaggerating: in the 1980s, this is what she experienced, and her abilities to overcome those challenges are nothing short of amazing. I hope Elspeth Beard finally gets the recognition and admiration she deserves. And I'm so grateful she shared her adventure at last.

An amazing human story combined with an adventure. The vast majority of motorcycle overlanding books are about checking off miles, reaching borders, and finishing a task. Often its more about a guy being able to tell his friends he rode around the world. This book is more about the journey, the places, the people, and how those things combine to change and grow a person. There are amazing moments of triumph and events that will leave the reader deeply feeling Elspeth's pain. Her family's continued disinterest in what she accomplished is particularly heartbreaking. How the world at large doesnt understand why someone would do this. This book is highly rated for good reason. It is a well-crafted tale, that delves deeper than recounting miles covered. This sort of reflecting is uncomfortable for many old-mentality bar stool motorcyclist. If you are more about just checking accomplishments off of a checklist it isn't for you. If you are the type of person that is more about the journey than the accomplishment this is the perfect book. She is easily in the top 3 motorcycle travel writers alongside Ted Simon and Sam Manicom.

This is a glitz-less account of Elspeth's journey. I would use the words "real" and "grit". It's a great read. I think it was unfortunate her feminine attractiveness haunted her in many places, civilized and uncivilized. Unsettling to think she endured that so many times and being alone. But that's just what came with her on the journey. Also interesting to read of the distance and disinterest she encountered from her family and friends. She truly was alone, even after she got home. I bought two extra copies to give away at my club's Christmas meet.

I usually read mystery and thriller books and rarely leave reviews-so glad I gave this one a try!!extremely well written----hard to put down!An excellent chronology of events of the two years and 50thousand miles around the world!all on her beloved BMW bike Hardships and romantic events including someone she meets makes this an absolute read Loved it!!

Need say more?

Enjoy this type of book

Elspeth Beard tells her exciting and moving story with the skill of an experienced novelist. Not just for motorcycle enthusiasts, Lone Rider is a story of one woman’s challenge to ride around the world on a motorcycle. If you love real adventure story’s, this book is for you.

As a rider myself, this book was the best book about riding I have ever read. Even those who don't ride would love this book. It is a page-turner and very well-written.

It kept me reading til I finished.I like riding motorcycles but would never have the courage to do what the author has done. What an accomplishment.

Great book, what a adventure.. A good read!

A good read if you want to know the trials and tribulations of motorcycle riding into the unknown back in the 80s with only paper maps and your personal life skills. A very personal(TMI) at times. Having said that it was her travelling experiences. Her dealings with bureaucracy in some Asian countries at times was a complete nightmare. Great perseverance IMO. Overall an interesting read.

Fast delivery, enjoyable read that kept me involved. She is a character and doesn't seem to be self centred in her approach to the vagaries of life. Let thinking that she reminds me of me in the early years. Well done, would have liked more tech details on her BMW and repairs

Interesting travel story showing difficulties of riding through different countries — from tarmac roads to dirt roads to no roads — different cultures both rich and poor and in between — different people from kind to rough —

I found it was interesting and Elspeth was a very good writer that kept you interested throughout. It was great that she shared all her thoughts at the time.

WoW, such a good read!! I wasn’t able to stop reading her story!

Excellent adventure read.

Fascinating adventure. What she achieved would be quite an accomplishment for anyone, let alone a single woman in the early 1980's.

Pretty unusual story, quite well told, with lots of adventures, that's for sure. Amazing she made it without much planning!!

Well written and maintains your interest throughout

Still reading this book.So far so good!

Excellent book.

The trials of travelling through India was worth five stars by itself. A story of willpower and insurance way beyond what most people have

Amazing story of a trip around the world on two wheels and a shoestring budget