After traveling for more than three years across North America, South America and Southeast Asia, Tim and Cindie Travis have self-published three separate books about their bicycle touring adventures.

Their first book, The Road That Has No End, is about the couple’s decision to leave home and their first few months on the road. This book is the Travis’ most interesting in my opinion.

Their second book, Down The Road In South America, is a good account of their travels in this particular region of the world, but lacks some of the life-changing magic that their first book contained.

Finally, Down The Road In Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, is the third, latest, and (possibly) final book in the series, and I found it to be short, simple, and targeted largely at arm-chair travelers.

Down The Road In Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is by far the shortest of the couple’s three books. While the paperback copy of the text is actually 228 pages long (also available on the Kindle), many of these pages are padded with large black and white photographs, over-sized text and additional information that many readers won’t want or need (such as a list of the equipment used on their travels, photos of the couple’s bikes and gear, etc).

I’m not the fastest reader in the world, but the brevity of this book allowed me to breeze through it all in three short sittings. After reading the book, I know that Tim and Cindie spend several months in this corner of the world, but the length of the text made it seem as though they may have only been there for a couple weeks.

Like all of the books in the “Down The Road” series, this third book about the couple’s travels in Southeast Asia is equally easy to read. In my review of their first book, The Road That Has No End, I stated that “the book is so simple and so down to earth, however, I often times thought it may have been written for a small child or possibly an elderly grandparent.” The same can be said for the second and third books as well. The writing is so elementary that, while I know some people will appreciate the ease with which the book can be devoured, I found the tone of the writing to be somewhat offensive – as though I were stupid and knew nothing about the world.

I’m sure, of course, that Tim and Cindie didn’t mean for the book to come across this way, but instead wanted to make the text appeal to those who know very little about the world and have possibly never traveled for themselves. I, however, read for the challenge, inspiration and to learn something new… and this book was lacking in those three departments.

While Down The Road In Thailand, Cambodia And Vietnam is certainly short and easy to read, there were a few stories sprinkled throughout the text that I did enjoy. The couple’s encounters with hotel thieves, street people, and crazy Asian traffic was exciting to read about. The rest of it, however, felt a bit dry and devoid of flavor.

In the end, the Travis’ third book about their cycle touring adventures is a good short, but not super memorable.

My Overall Rating: 6 Out Of 10

Learn more about this book at: Amazon.com

Bike Snob NYC

Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning The World Of Cycling is a quick and quirky read that should be devoured by both new cyclists and the growing legion of us who have been cycling for years and need a crash-course reminder of what it actually means to ride a bike.

The 222-page hardback Bike Snob book (also available on the Amazon Kindle) is divided into three main parts:

Part One: The Basics – Where we learn about:

• The history of the bicycle
• What it means to be a cyclist (and why we might want to be one in the first place)
• How the different types of cyclists interact (or fail to interact) with one another
• And the ways in which cycling can change our lives.

Part Two: Road Rules – Is where we discover:

• That riding a bike requires certain abilities
• The ways in which the bicycle has been adapted for cycling in the city
• And how the hipster population is currently using bicycles as not only a stylish accessory, but also as a means of picking up members of the opposite sex.

Part Three: Advanced Cycling – Is where we are told:

• How to protect our bicycles from theft (even though, according to the Bike Snob, our bicycles are already stolen)
• How to deal with cycling-related pains and properly fit our bicycles (without buying a ton of upgrades or having to order a custom-built bike)
• Ways in which we can make our bicycles look cool (and more importantly, how not to make them appear as though they belong to a total idiot)
• And ways in which non-cyclists should interact with people who ride bikes.

If you’re looking for boring “how-to” information, this is not the book for you. Instead, the Bike Snob book is more of a comedic social commentary on the hipster cycling scene that has recently become such a phenominon in New York City and so many other large urban environments around the United States and (dare I say) the world.

While the book can be read and enjoyed by both new and experienced cyclists alike,  the person who is going to enjoy this book the most is the one who can look at what is currently going on in the world of cycling and laugh at it, while at the same time, laughing at themselves for breaking some of the Bike Snob’s rules and mindlessly following so many of the cycling world’s current social trends.

Take for example, the Bike Snob’s remarks on people who fear their bicycles:

Many people are actually afraid of their bikes. This may sounds crazy, but if you’re one of those people who won’t ride your bike in the rain because you don’t want the bike to get wet, or who freaks out over a dent or a scratch, or who interviews bike shops like they’re day care centers before trusting them with your ride, then you’re probably afraid of your bike.

Just as you have to get over your fear of traffic in order to ride comfortabley in it, you also need to get over the fear of your bike in order ride comfortably on it. Firstly, unlike other luxury items, bikes are not delicate. Furthermore, there’s not an inverse relationship between cost and durability, like there is with other items like clothing. A $40 pair of jeans will be vastly more durable than a $2,000 dress, but a $2,000 bike will probably be far tougher than a $100 Wal-Mart special. That’s because bikes are built to be ridden. Race bikes are built to withstand the rigors of competitive use. Yes, there are exceptions – plenty of companies make ultra-lightweight frames, wheels, tires, etc. that are intended for specific events only and will not stand up to everyday use. But generally speaking, this stuff is meant to be used. It’s meant to get scratched, dinged, dropped, and even crashed occasionally. A bike should be scratched. Using the bike will bring you joy; preserving the bike will only bring frustration. Even if you never, ever ride the bike it will still age. So you might as well ride it while it’s pretty and enjoy the process of making it ugly.

You see, if you’re a new cyclist, you just learned something new (Don’t be afraid of scratching up your bike!). And if you’re an experienced cyclist who is either afraid of scratching up your bike or you know someone who is afraid to ride their bike for fear of scratching it up, you can relate to this particular circumstance, laugh at the ludicrousy of it, and feel good about yourself the next time you ding up your bicycle.

That’s the beauty of the Bike Snob book. It not only points out these silly, humorous, and sometimes stupid things that we do both on and off our bicycles, but it makes a point of doing so in a self-mocking manner.

While certainly not a book for everyone (namely those who lack a sense of humor), Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning The World Of Cycling is one text that should take up a small space in any bike rider’s library.

My Rating: 8 out of 10

“I Love My Bike” is a colorful 160-page cornucopia of photographs featuring bicycle owners and their two-wheeled steeds from across the United States.

While the book showcases bike owners with BMX bikes, cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, road bikes and hybrids, the vast majority of the photographs feature inside the book are of fixed-gear (single-speed) bicycles. For the “hipster” crowd, a few of the bikes inside this book are awe-inspiring. For those not into the fixed gear revolution, this book might not strike such an overwhelming chord.

Overall, however, “I Love My Bike” is a fast, fun and lively piece of media that you can flip through and devour in less than a half hour.

“I Love My Bike” may be targeted more for the hipster audience, but the book makes a great gift for any bicycle lover – whether that be a close friend, family member, or even for yourself.

Finally, be sure to check out the official “I Love My Bike” website and pick up a copy of “I Love My Bike” on Amazon.com.

In his first book, Moods Of Future Joys, Alastair Humphreys takes us on a fascinating and emotional journey across Europe and through the hot desert climates of Eastern Africa. Along the way, we discover that Alastair is not just a young man in search of adventure, but a humble explorer in love with both the open road and a young woman named Sarah, whom he left behind in his home country of England in order to participate in this epic cycling adventure.

When Alastair reaches the city of Cape Town, South Africa at the end of Moods Of Future Joys, you might be fooled into thinking that this is the end of the young man’s cycling expedition. But Moods Of Future Joys was really just the beginning and Thunder & Sunshine contains the true meat of Alastair’s story about his bike ride around the world.

In this second book about his two-wheeled travels, Alastair begins by boarding a sail boat in Cape Town and spends the next several weeks slowly crossing the Atlantic Ocean with a crew of strangers. Upon arrival in South America, Alastair catches a bus to the southern-most city in the world (Ushuaia) and begins pedaling north.

Cycling through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Columbia, Alastair spends his nights in South America camped out under the stars; battles raging headwinds during the day; and is invited into the lives of countless individuals who want nothing more than to share their home with the young traveler and to help him in whatever way they can.

When Alastair makes it to Ecuador, he is forced to decide whether he wants to cycle through the reportedly dangerous Colombian nation or skip over the region entirely in order to play it safe. In the end, Alastair decides to give Columbia a try, and is so very pleased with himself after making this decision, as the country turns out to be one of his favorite places in all of South America.

After tackling this Southern-most continent, Alastair rides north through Central America and into the United States.

Apart from the novelty gawping value of being in the land of plenty, cycling through American towns and villages was actually quite boring. In most places in the world you can see people working outside, either in the fields or on the carcasses of old vehicles. People sit outside their homes to peel potatoes and watch the world. Families chat in the street. Roads are busy with farmers and their animals or children walking to school. Street vendors and windscreen-cleaning boys liven up the streets. There is always something to look at, always someone to greet, always children waving at you. But America was an insulated, insular, inside world. Nearly everybody was in a car, and those few not in cars avoided catching my eye in case I decided to blow them away with a big-ass gun. Everywhere was quiet, so finding my way through towns was difficult as there were few people to ask directions from. Drivers waiting at traffic lights were scared if I approached their vehicle to check my route. Some people refused to look at me, even when I asked a simple question like, “Is this the way to Amarillo?” Some quickly wound up their windows as I approached. One family car even gunned its engine and darted through a red light to get away from me. I sought out a mirror to check whether I had suddenly become more hideous than usual.

After cycling up the Pacific Coast of the United States, Alastair continues cycling through Canada with a friend from back home, stopping along the way to take part in a short canoeing adventure, before reaching the city of Anchorage, Alaska.

From here, Alastair crosses over the Pacific Ocean and lands in Magadan, Russia, a remote village on the eastern-most edge of the Asian continent.

In full winter apparel, Alastair and another friend from home then spend the next several weeks pedaling their heavily-loaded bicycles down the frozen “Road of Bones” in temperatures that ranged from -20 to -40 degrees Celsius.

When Alastair witnesses the death of a man inside a burning building, we begin to see the emotional toll the trip is taking on the young adventurer. Suddenly, the safety and comforts of home sound more appealing and questions begin to surface about the true purpose of riding a bicycle around the world.

I often wondered how long I should ride for. I could ride for ever and not see all that I wanted to see, but the law of diminishing returns suggested that every day on the road I learned less and experienced fewer new things than the day before. But when should I stop?

After surviving the brutally cold weather on the Road of Bones in eastern Russia, Alastair spends a good month or more cycling through Japan and then continues west across China towards his home in the United Kingdom.

By this time in Alastair’s story, the purpose of the bike ride seems to be less about discovering new things and seeing new sights, and more about appreciating the little things in life, contemplating the purpose of the trip overall (and life itself), and getting back home as quickly as possible. It was, however, the little things that Alastair experienced during this leg of the journey that fascinated me the most.

One day, I discovered that a mouse had built a nest in my pannier overnight. I felt sorry to move him and his house, but he had built his house on my house and I wasn’t planning on stopping. I carefully moved the intricate ball of woven grass over to a bush and left him in peace.

As Alastair points out, cycling around the world is both a blessing and a curse. While you have the time to sleep in late and the freedom to go wherever you so choose, these same things (which are so often desired in our busy modern lives) can become your worst enemy out on the road. Bicycle travel not only allows you to see people and places that you would likely never get to see or experience while sitting in the comfort of your own home, but the experiences you have while traveling through foreign lands often times challenge you to think differently about the way you go about yours days, the way you treat other people, and the way you interact with yourself.

While cycling across Uzbekistan in the final few chapters of the book, Alastair describes a crippled boy he saw walking down the street.

On the steepest part of the pass I overtook a crippled boy limping slowly up the hill. He was sobbing with frustrating, leaning on his stick and hoping that somebody would give him a lift towards wherever it was that he wanted to go. I wished him luck as I pedaled past with my limbs all functioning fine and enough cash in my pocket to buy myself a bus ticket if I wanted to. He smiled at my greeting and paused briefly to watch me riding up the hill away from him. Sometime later he found a lift. As the vehicle he was in drove past he gave me the thumbs-up sign through the back windscreen. I grinned and returned the gesture. Unfortunately the lift was only for a short distance, as about an hour later I overtook him again. He was limping bravely onwards and once again as I pedaled past, legs spinning easily. I wished him good luck again and he gave me an encouraged smile, but he still had a long walk ahead of him.

I thought for a long time afterward about why I had not given that boy the money to flag down a Tashkent-bound bus. Certainly if he had been a stranded Western backpacker I would not have thought twice about helping him. In fact I would actively have wanted to do so. But I had spent so much time in the last four years trying to persuade people that I was just an ordinary human being and not a millionaire redeemer miraculously arrived in their lives with cash to throw at all problems. I recoiled from the common preconception that all Westerners were rich and led effortless, hedonistic lives thanks to their nations’ thieving colonial eras and dastardly foreign policies. Instead I tended to swing too far the other way. I did not help people when I could so easily have made their day better by slipping them a banknote or two. At times it was hard to find the appropriate balance.

I experienced the unpleasantness of traveling in areas where well-meaning tourists before me had handed out pens and goodies to children or had paid too much for things thinking that they were doing a good thing. I witnessed the aggressive begging by people who saw demanding money from foreigners as an easier option than working. I wanted to interact as much as I could with all that I encountered, but I did not want to upset people’s stability for the sake of a short term fix. Instead I tried to be decent to people, to smile and to talk with people about the realities of our different lives. I wanted to be just another decent human rather than a Victorian squire doling out alms that would not really solve any problems. But as I pedaled away from the struggling crippled child who I had not helped, I wondered where I wanted to position myself on a scale that runs from interfering do-gooders determined to help the Borrioboola-Gha tribe whether or not they actually want helping along to the other extreme of a war photographer who can take a picture of a dying child, feel a thrill at snapping a prize-winning photograph, and walk away.

It is these sorts of challenges (and not just the challenges of physically mustering a loaded bicycle around the world) that Alastair continually encounters and must come to terms with as he cycles across the globe.

As Alastair quickly makes his way across Asia and through the Middle East while navigating through a complex maze of Visa applications and near criminally archaic bureaucracy, the author finally enters Europe and makes for the mad-dash home on his busted-up bicycle.

The world was getting hectic and rich and grumpy once again. I must be nearly home.

During this final leg of the trip, Alastair reflects on his journey. What exactly had he learned? What was the purpose of it all? Had he really changed as an individual? And what laid waiting for him in the future?

My biggest question, however, was not about the purpose of his journey or about what the young adventurer might have taken away from his experiences on the road. But instead, “What was to become of him and his girlfriend, Sarah, of whom he had left behind more than four years prior?”

While Sarah had been featured prominently in Alastair’s first book, Moods Of Future Joys, she played a much smaller role in Thunder & Sunshine. But was her absence from this second text due to the fact that the young author’s feelings for the girl had waned? Or was he simply holding back, his humility and desire for privacy dominating this aspect of the story that floated so obviously in the background of his mind (and my mind too – as a reader).

I’m not exactly sure what the answer is. I don’t know why Alastair failed to mention Sarah until page 94 of this second book or why he felt the need to leave so much of his story with her out of the two texts entirely.

While my questions about Sarah may forever go unanswered, I have a feeling the truth my lie in one of the lessons we learn from travel itself. For it so often seems that sometimes we need to cycle around the world into order to discover who we truly are and how we want to be, and other times a 46,000 mile journey on a two-wheeled bicycle does nothing but make us realize that the thing we want most in life was right there within our grasps from the very beginning.

My Rating: 10 out of 10

Click here to purchase Alastair Humphreys’ Thunder & Sunshine.

Learn more about Alastair Humphreys by visiting his website at www.alastairhumphreys.com.

About The Book

In December of 2010, I (Darren Alff) traveled to Peru and spent the following five months exploring the cities, deserts, jungles and ancient sites of this friendly South American country.

With only a few words of Spanish in my vocabulary upon arrival in Peru, I managed to travel about the country, interact with the locals and capture (with my camera) a small speck of the beauty, color and culture that is so unique to the Peruvian nation.

Mystical Peru is a eBook containing a collection of my favorite photos from my travels in Peru. The images you will find in the book are of people, places, animals, food, vehicles and more! There is no story to the book – just photos! Page after page of photos from Peru.

What Areas Of Peru Are Featured In The Book?

Mystical Peru is a collection of photos from my travels in the Peruvian cities of Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno, Cuzco, Puerto Maldonado, Ayacucho, Huancayo, Cerro de Pasco, Huaraz, Trujillo, Mancora, Chiclayo and places in between.

In the book you will see the mysterious Nazca Lines, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. You will also get to see the terraced farms of Colca Canyon, the jungle animals of Puerto Maldonado and the glacial mountains outside the city of Huaraz.

Here are some sample photos from inside the book:

Why Is The Ebook Free?

When I returned home from my travels in Peru, I had a hard drive filled with photos and no one to share them with. Rather than posting them online in a gallery that may or may not be seen, I decided to edit the pictures and arrange them together by location in this free eBook.

In other words,  I put this book together in order to give:

• Armchair travelers a chance to explore Peru without actually traveling there themselves.

• Those considering a trip to Peru the ability to see which parts of the country might be of most interest to them.

• Individuals who have already been to Peru an opportunity to reflect upon their own adventures in this beautiful South American country.

To download your very own copy of Mystical Peru for the whopping price of zero dollars and zero cents (in other words… FREE!), just click the download button below.

Mystical Peru is delivered instantly as an Adobe PDF file, so as long as you can view PDF documents on your computer, smart phone or tablet device, you should be able to view this eBook without any problems. You can download Adobe Reader for free through this link.

Please bear in mind that Mystical Peru is 158 pages long and nearly 37MB in size. Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, it may take a few minutes for the download to complete. Please be patient!

Tell Your Friends & Family About This Book

If you know of anyone (a friend, family member or co-worker) who might be interested in this free photo book from Peru, please direct them to this page or share this article on your favorite social media website!

Let Me Know What You Think!

Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the book. Which is your favorite photo? Where in Peru do you want to travel to the most? Or leave a comment and tell me about your own adventures in Peru.