Lone Traveller by Anne Mustoe is funny and informative. She gets into all kinds of scrapes and amusing situations on this her second journey round the world on her bicycle. She is a retired Head Teacher from Suffolk and was in her sixties, having never been much of a cyclist before her ... Read review
Anne Mustoe is neither a professional adventurer nor writer, but a sixty-something Suffolk ... more
headmistress. When she embarked on cycling the world's historical trade routes, she didn't consider herself a "cyclist" and remains unable to mend a puncture. "I'm not young, I'm not sporty, I never train", she states, making light of her incredible achievement, following the Silk Road across China, Pakistan, the Gobi Desert and Turkey; traversing South America and more. "My only duty in life was to get myself from one shelter to the next before nightfall..."Mustoe's strict girls' school background is evident in her rigid planning and seriousness. She revels in solitude, dining by herself or watching TV after a long ride, and describing a "good night out" as attending a ballet alone--although she breaks her Girl Guide demeanour slightly when staying in China's cheap-and-cheerful gated lorry compounds or sharing a joint in a Byron Bay backpacker hostel.Lone Traveller will be useful to anyone contemplating a foreign bicycle trip. Mustoe explores the pros and cons of cycling alone; dealing with police; tacking tough terrain; and the peculiar maps which neglect to depict whole mountain ranges. She includes her packing list and documents the varying reactions to a lone women cyclist--bewilderment in Brazil; house arrest in China; hero worship in sporty Australia. Although informative, it doesn't have the same spontaneity or spirit as Josie Dew's classic cycle diaries Travels In A Strange State and The Wind In My Wheels. Mustoe's rambling style is innocent and unembellished, both the book's joy and its downfall. While some will find Lone Traveller heart-warming and inspirational, others will tire of its matter-of-factness.--Sarah Champion
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Anne Mustoe is neither a professional adventurer nor writer, but a sixty-something Suffolk ... more
headmistress. When she embarked on cycling the world's historical trade routes, she didn't consider herself a "cyclist" and remains unable to mend a puncture. "I'm not young, I'm not sporty, I never train", she states, making light of her incredible achievement, following the Silk Road across China, Pakistan, the Gobi Desert and Turkey; traversing South America and more. "My only duty in life was to get myself from one shelter to the next before nightfall..."Mustoe's strict girls' school background is evident in her rigid planning and seriousness. She revels in solitude, dining by herself or watching TV after a long ride, and describing a "good night out" as attending a ballet alone--although she breaks her Girl Guide demeanour slightly when staying in China's cheap-and-cheerful gated lorry compounds or sharing a joint in a Byron Bay backpacker hostel.Lone Travellerwill be useful to anyone contemplating a foreign bicycle trip. Mustoe explores the pros and cons of cycling alone; dealing with police; tacking tough terrain; and the peculiar maps which neglect to depict whole mountain ranges. She includes her packing list and documents the varying reactions to a lone women cyclist--bewilderment in Brazil; house arrest in China; hero worship in sporty Australia. Although informative, it doesn't have the same spontaneity or spirit as Josie Dew's classic cycle diariesTravels In A Strange StateandThe Wind In My Wheels. Mustoe's rambling style is innocent and unembellished, both the book's joy and its downfall. While some will findLone Travellerheart-warming and inspirational, others will tire of its matter-of-factness.--Sarah Champion
Postage & Packaging:£2.75 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Anne Mustoe is neither a professional adventurer nor writer, but a sixty-something Suffolk ... more
headmistress. When she embarked on cycling the world's historical trade routes, she didn't consider herself a "cyclist" and remains unable to mend a puncture. "I'm not young, I'm not sporty, I never train", she states, making light of her incredible achievement, following the Silk Road across China, Pakistan, the Gobi Desert and Turkey; traversing South America and more. "My only duty in life was to get myself from one shelter to the next before nightfall..."Mustoe's strict girls' school background is evident in her rigid planning and seriousness. She revels in solitude, dining by herself or watching TV after a long ride, and describing a "good night out" as attending a ballet alone--although she breaks her Girl Guide demeanour slightly when staying in China's cheap-and-cheerful gated lorry compounds or sharing a joint in a Byron Bay backpacker hostel.Lone Traveller will be useful to anyone contemplating a foreign bicycle trip. Mustoe explores the pros and cons of cycling alone; dealing with police; tacking tough terrain; and the peculiar maps which neglect to depict whole mountain ranges. She includes her packing list and documents the varying reactions to a lone women cyclist--bewilderment in Brazil; house arrest in China; hero worship in sporty Australia. Although informative, it doesn't have the same spontaneity or spirit as Josie Dew's classic cycle diaries Travels In A Strange State and The Wind In My Wheels. Mustoe's rambling style is innocent and unembellished, both the book's joy and its downfall. While some will find Lone Traveller heart-warming and inspirational, others will tire of its matter-of-factness.--Sarah Champion
Postage & Packaging:refer to website Availability:Check Site.
Advantages: Very entertaining book about a retired head teacher's bike ride round the world Disadvantages: It almost inspired me to go on a similar reckless journey!
Lone Traveller by Anne Mustoe is funny and informative. She gets into all kinds of scrapes and amusing situations on this her second journey round the world on her bicycle. She is a retired Head Teacher from Suffolk and was in her sixties, having never been much of a cyclist before her first journey. She takes a different route this time but, as before, find herself exposed to dangerous, uncomfortable and funny situations. She takes virtually no ... ...useful for her journey. She enjoys meeting all kinds of different people and wonders at the hospitality she receives from people who often have very little to live on.
Anne Mustoe comes across as an intelligent lady with
much courage and good humour.
Do read this book! I promise you, you won't be able to put it down. The journey changed the way Anne Mustoe lives. It might change your life too.
Lone Traveller by Anne Mustoe is funny and informative. She gets into all kinds of scrapes and amusing situations on this her second journey round the world on her bicycle. She is a retired Head Teacher from Suffolk and was in her sixties, having never been much of a cyclist before her first journey. She takes a different route this time but, as before, find herself exposed to dangerous, uncomfortable and funny situations. She takes virtually no luxuries in her panniers; everything has to be useful for her journey. She enjoys meeting all kinds of different people and wonders at the hospitality she receives from people who often have very little to live on.
Anne Mustoe comes across as an intelligent lady with much courage and good humour.
Do read this book! I promise you, you won't be able to put it down. The journey changed the way Anne Mustoe lives. It might change your life too.
I shall be buying several copies to give to my friends as Christmas presents.
MaryL 27.11.2002 (27.11.2002)
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Review of Lone Traveller (One Woman, Two Wheels and the World - Anne Mustoe
Product Information for "Lone Traveller (One Woman, Two Wheels and the World - Anne Mustoe" »
Product details
Author
Anne Mustoe
Title
Lone Traveller (One Woman, Two Wheels and the World
Genre
Travel
Type
Non-Fiction
ISBN
075350426X; 1853109703
Manufacturer's product description
The account of one sixty year-old woman's epic journey, cycling around the globe from East to West, is recalled in this book, describing her remarkable adventures in some of the world's most inhospitable terrain.
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