African Adventure Motorcycle Travel

'Funny, informative & inspiring'

It's great to hear from readers of African Brew Ha-Ha. Here's an email I received from Oliver Jones from Abergavenny:

"I have just finished reading your African brew ha ha and I just had to e-mail you to say how much I enjoyed this brilliant story of your travells in Africa. I have just returned from my first trip to South Africa myself and I took your book with me. I read it during my time in Cape Town and my travells along the garden route and it kept me entertained many evenings sat around the braai in various backpackers! Also I have to add that when numerous people of varying nationalities questioned me on my choice of reading they were all exteremly fascinated and intruiged by your story and the various adventures you had along the way.

I found the book funny, informative and your descriptions of the people you encountered along the way were inspiring. I think you showed tremendous resiliance and plenty of bravery to actually complete the journey after some of the set backs you encountered along the way. To top my trip off, during my final week in Cape Town I happened to be wandering around the indoor craft market at the waterfront when I came across the Original Tea Bag Design stall! It was as if I was meant to find it! Thank you for writing such an excellent book - it really was a joy to read. Keep up the good work."

USE IT OR LOSE IT

 

Do something different this week .... go to the library!

In the current economic climate our libraries will soon be closing if we do not use them (and possibly even if we do use them). Either way, our local library is a great natural resource that we too often take for granted.

Here's an email from someone who found something interesting in his library.

Alan,

Having just read African Brew Ha Ha I congratulate you... a) on a really well written and informative book and.. .b) having the strength and fortitude to see it through. At times I was absolutely knackered just reading about how you tackled Africa's roads and the red tape and corruption that goes with such an adventure. 

However it was also easy to appreciate your heartfelt feelings towards the people you came in contact with. My copy of your book came via my local library after my wife spotted it in the "Travellers’ Tales" section. I have now ordered a copy from Amazon to take across to my American mate who I know will be blown away by it.

Once again thanks for a great read and ride safe.

John Dowson

 

Get Back On That Bike

It is terrific when a reader emails to say how much they enjoyed African Brew Ha-Ha. This one from Martin Rafferty of Armagh, Northern Ireland:

"Just finished reading your book and I would just like to say that is an excellent read. Very well written and put together. I read a good many books on varying topics, and although I’ve read a few about Africa, I have to say yours is the most heartwarming. Well done. Most of all, you are an inspiration for getting back on the bike when it would have been so easy not to."

Cheers, Martin

Awesome Journey

Another much appreciated review from a Honda Goldwing rider, Stuart Ormerod, which I've had to cut down...

'This is not an ordinary motorcycle travel story which involves an almost impossibly challenging route. This is a very readable book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. [Alan] writes a good story which also comes across as very honest – including about his own most difficult and least proud moments.

He describes some very interesting and impressive people and some pretty unappealing ones too. The places and situations come to life in the pages of the book and sometimes, as he describes very clearly, he got himself into pretty scary situations.

This was a journey of real adventure, of which I personally stand in very considerable awe.'

 

Sense of Adventure

 

Another reader (and biker), Ian Futcher, has emailed to say he enjoyed ABHAHA ... 

 

"I have just finished reading your book “African Brew Ha-Ha”. I was really interested in your adventure and the people and landscape that you described so I just couldn’t put it to one side for long.

 

Firstly, as a keen biker myself, I have to say you must be mad to consider that journey but at the same time I really admire your sense of adventure. Well done – I hope you have fully recovered from your injuries though."