This book takes you on a wonderful trip around, up, down and sideways through the Americas. Isabel’s writing is light-hearted and flowing with wonderful account of places, people, sights and smells (some too vividly described). A small map of the route you are about to be taken on begins almost every chapter, which is great, as it saves having to put down the book and grab an atlas when you aren’t too sure of your geography. That may sound a little trite, but it’s a measure of how engaging this tale is and how keenly I wanted to be a part of every bit.
The trials and tribulations that Isabel and Byron encounter are covered with the same liveliness as the joy and fun that permeates the trip. They are traveling on an aged (1979) BMW R100 which (almost) never misses a beat. 302 days on the road accumulating 31,254 miles, the 37 year-old Beemer does well, and should set an example to all of us that age shouldn’t stop us from living our dreams.
The clean print makes the physical aspect of reading this book a pleasure. Isabel’s descriptions are full of colour, but the black and white pictures liberally interspersed throughout are unnecessary, and indeed, leave something wanting. A few colour plates would have been a nicer and more useful accompaniment to the writing, but to be honest apart from an illustrative image of their bike ‘The Flying Aga’ and the main actors, none are necessary. The words paint great pictures.
Agas may not fly, but this book, bike and humans, certainly do, and I look forward to their ongoing saga and any future publications.
Review by Tich McDonald
ISBN: 978-1-8906
Paperback
Road Dog Publications (2015)