I'm Jackie, and I quit work in 2016 to hit the road permanently with my husband and four dogs, so road tripping is close to my heart. Initially, we were Adventure Caravanners, who aimed To Boldly Go Where No Van Has Gone Before.
Now, weāre at large in a self-converted six-wheel army lorry, with Mongolia in our sights.
I have published four books Fur Babies in France, Dog on the Rhine, Dogs ānā Dracula, and Pups on Piste, all within one of my favourite genres; light-hearted travel memoirs. My forthcoming books will chronicle a tour of Poland in a pandemic and our new life as Trucking Idiots.
Brian and his wife Marie (pronounced Marry) embark on a two-year epic road trip around Europe in Gemima the Hymer, an RV who would definitely have preferred to stay at home.
Even without a Camper Van of Doom, resilience and a sense of humour are essential travel companions. With the scrapes these two get in, they needed plenty of both. I laughed out loud at the imaginative turns of phrases used to describe the tribulations, destinations, and people they met. This book stands out as one of the funniest Iāve ever read.
This magnum opus is an account of a two year trip around Europe in a campervan; we explored from the top of Norway up inside the Arctic Circle to Gibraltar; from Portugal in the west to Ukraine in the east. My wife Marie (pronounced Marry) and I thought that as we hadn't set foot in a van before it would be a great idea to head off into the sunset in a cloud of diesel smoke; our trusty steed Gemima (the Hymer) wanted to stay at home and Marie seemed determined to maim me. The following is a tale ofā¦
The author bought a Mazda sports car on a whim, which prompted him to plan a mid-life road trip through Europe. His wife Nat decided to go along for the ride, and I am so glad she did. The banter between them is like a comedy double act.
Road trip memoirs are frequently a catalogue of calamities, a search for self, or a directory of delectable destinations. This book is notably devoid of disasters and empty of āeureka' moments. In fact, very little actually happensā¦
Yet in a series of wry observations, witty perspectives, and entertaining sketches, Adrian captures the flavour of the trip masterfully, with huge belly laughs thrown in. I canāt wait to read more from this thoughtful, funny writer.
"I had an idea for a road trip; a sports car I shouldn't have bought; and a wife to point out that what looks entirely feasible on a scaled map can actually be quite a long way away."This isn't a travelogue; it's much less than that. If you are looking for a font-of-all-knowledge encyclopaedic guru that will help you plan your next European adventure, you'll hate this book. However, if you've ever sat in a restaurant and wondered what the life of the couple opposite is like, then this might just be what you've been after. And the locations areā¦
With Franklin Rooseveltās death in April 1945, Vice President Harry Truman and Senator Arthur Vandenberg, the Republican leader on foreign policy, inherited a world in turmoil. With Europe flattened and the Soviets emerging as Americaās new adversary, Truman and Vandenberg built a tight, bipartisan partnership at a bitterly partisan timeā¦
Vroom With A View is a giggle-filled rev around Italy aboard a vintage Vespa motor scooter.
I am a born-again Italian. In the same way I love everything about Italy, I loved everything about this book. Good travel writing makes you want to jump out of your chair and hit the road yourself. From the snippets of history about an Italian classic, the Vespa motor scooter, to the descriptions of wonderful off-the-beaten-path places and the irrepressible kindness and spirit of the Italian people, I defy you not to want to sample la vita Italiana after reading this book!
It was the late night Tai Bo fitness commercial warning him that life comes to an end after 40 that prompted Peter Moore to chase a boyhood dream. To go to Italy and seek out its celebrated dolce vita from the back of a Vespa. But it couldn't be just any old Vespa. Peter wanted a bike as old as he was and in the same sort of condition: a little rough round the edges, a bit slow in the mornings perhaps, but basically still OK. And it had to have saddle seats. And temperamental electrics. And a little tooā¦
Entry into the Mongol Rally from Europe to Ulan Ude in Russia requires a car with a maximum engine size of 1.0 litre. The premise is that such a farcically inappropriate vehicle will invite adventure and interaction with locals.
Obviously, a 600-mile odyssey across southern Britain in an elderly electric milk float, with unreliable batteries and a top speed of 15 mph invites all kinds of mishaps.
Comedy writers Dan and Ian tackle alternate chapters. Since Dan authored the bestselling trilogy Crap Towns: a guide to the worst towns in Britain, there is plenty of off-the-wall detail about the places they passed through. Reliant on the kindness of strangers and third man Pras, an electrician with magical powers, this is a gently comic, informative, and quirky alternative to Jerome K. Jeromeās classic.
After planning the entire trip on the back of a beer mat, buying a 1958 decommissioned milk float on eBay and charging its tired batteries, the team set off from Lowestoft to Land's End. On the way, they discovered that their float needed to charge for eight hours for every two hours it spent on the road. Relying on the milk of human kindness, they were at the mercy of strangers every night, sometimes even using other people's cookers just to keep the show on the road. En route, they were treated to tea and rock cakes by the Viceā¦
From the author of Washingtonās Spies, the thrilling story of two rival secret agents ā one Confederate, the other Union ā sent to Britain during the Civil War.
The Southās James Bulloch, charming and devious, was ordered to acquire a clandestine fleet intended to break Lincolnās blockade, sink Northernā¦
Impecunious Brits George and his friend Mark decide to search for the ārealā America, crossing the continent from east to west in a clapped-out old car.
At every point, amid clouds of smoke, impending mechanical Armageddon, and brushes with the law, it seems unlikely that theyāll make it. One night, in the middle of nowhere, when ominous sounds emanating from the engine, George pleads, āNot tonight, Josephineā¦!ā
The author has a humorous conversational style and paints an unforgettable portrait of the unlikely places he passed through. I thoroughly enjoyed this bump-start, clunk, and judder across the States with the frustrating but lovable Josephine!
āā¦exceptionally entertaining writingā¦ā āā¦George is genuinely hilariousā¦ā āā¦everything you could want in a travel memoir and moreā¦ā āā¦hilarious, cringe-worthy and totally chaotic. A brilliant readā¦ā āā¦amusing, informative and heart-warmingā¦ā āā¦I laughed out loud throughoutā¦ā āā¦I learned more about our great US of A from this BRITISH author than I did in history classā¦ā
Have you ever thought of giving up work and heading off into the sunset with surfboards on your roof? If you answer 'Yes' ā or you just like dogs, travel, or recreational vehicles, this book is for you.
Year 1 ā Fur Babies in France follows the true story of how my husband Mark and I accidentally bought a caravan ā then decided to rent out the house, sell most of our possessions and tour Europe full-time with our four dogs, Cavapoodles Kai, Rosie, Ruby, and Lani.
Described as āLaugh out loud funny and a great travel guideā, discover whether we survive the breakages and near-death experience to find peace and tranquillity on the back roads of France ā with a bit of windsurfing thrown in!
A memoir of homecoming by bicycle and how opening our hearts to others enables us to open our hearts to ourselves.
When the 2008 recession hit, 33-year-old Heidi Beierle was single, underemployed, and looking for a way out of her darkness. She returned to school, but her gloom deepened. Allā¦
It didnāt begin with Donald Trump. When the Republican Party lost five straight presidential elections during the 1930s and 1940s, three things happened: (1) Republicans came to believe that presidential elections are rigged; (2) Conspiracy theories arose and were believed; and (3) The presidency was elevated to cult-like status.