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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I picked up the book because of bicycles, I stayed for the fantasy of dropping out of academia to ride bicycles.
Quite possibly my favourite travel memoir I've ever read - it almost feels offensive to even classify this as travel lit, because there is so much more to that. Kate is an incredible writer and she seamlessly weaves excerpts from prolific explorers, scientists, and writers, bits of history and present-day context, and past personal experiences into the narrative of her epic bike journey. I was thrilled to read about the mishaps along the road from hiding in ditches to pretending to be married, but I found I was most appreciative to read about Kate's personal journey as she went from aspiring Mars astronaut to passionate (and then perhaps not-so-passionate) graduate student, redefining her relationship with science and exploration.
loved this story. Kate Harris speaks of travelling, adventure and exploration in an infectious manner. It makes me want to quit my job and experience the wonder of the world. If I look back on this after having done a hike of the Himalayas in 2023 - this book is why.
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
The mystique of the Silk Road (a name given by Westerners to the trade routes across Central Asia) has long fascinated me for its rich history and the way the route crosses cultures, religions, and environments, so I had really hoped for more depth on those aspects of this area of the world. While Harris does address some of these things, I had the feeling that maybe she hadn't done quite as much research into the area before traveling or really prepared herself for encountering the people there. Yes, the book is more about her bike journey with her good friend Mel and the challenges they faced along the way, but I had real concerns at the beginning about her blind spots about her own privilege and Western attitudes. While she did acknowledge some of those along the way, I still cringed at some of the descriptions of their encounters. Above all, I came away from the book feeling that perhaps "explorer" is not necessarily a great occupation or avocation in itself, as it seems to carry overtones of pre-conceived notions and conquering, instead of learning and humility.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I didn’t really like the style of writing in this book, maybe it was too flowery and metaphorical for me? I found I was lost in parts of it. I did really enjoy hearing about the travels, history, culture, and local people though.
I think this is my favourite quote, on page 281 of the paperback: “But exploration, more than anything, is like falling in love: the experience feels singular, unprecedented, and revolutionary, despite the fact that others have been there before.”
(Read for Audrey's Book Club)
I think this is my favourite quote, on page 281 of the paperback: “But exploration, more than anything, is like falling in love: the experience feels singular, unprecedented, and revolutionary, despite the fact that others have been there before.”
(Read for Audrey's Book Club)
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Audiobook narration wasn’t great, and there was almost too much reflecting/time spent on things that didn’t come up again.