Lone Traveller: One Woman, Two Wheels and the World

With this book, the author decided not to provide a linear travel narrative, but to provide some themed chapters mixed with four day-to-day accounts of the most challenging parts of the journey - the Australian Outback, the Gobi Desert and Karakorums, and the journey up the Amazon by cargo boats. he themed chapters concentrate on logistics, company, joys and problems - quite a lot of guide book style advice.

After her first around-the-world cycling trip and the publication of her first book, she again had itchy feet, and prepared for a second cycle trip - this time from east to west. Not game to undertake another long trip, Mustoe decided to break this one into 3. First from Rome to Lisbon (the Roman Road), then across the Atlantic to Salvador in Brazil to head north then navigate up the Amazon to Peru and Chile and out to Easter Island and Tahiti to Australia. In Australia she cycles from Sydney to Darwin, then through Indonesia (following Cook's route, albeit not at sea). The third leg commenced in Xi'an and crosses China and Pakistan, flies over Iran to turkey, then back to Rome (the Silk Road).

Not to be hindered on her journey, Mustoe works around the Shining Path in Peru, the PPK in Eastern Turkey and ethnic conflict in Xinjiang; as well as more standard hassles from police, border guards and bureaucratic officials. On top of this she tackled some of the most challenging terrain - the mountains of the Andes, Pamirs and Karakorams and the deserts - Atacama, Gobi and Taklimakan. Not half a wonder she wanted a break between the three legs!

While this format was broken up, there was just enough travel narrative and enough anecdotes of interest to keep me interested.

3 stars