Inspiration is what drives people, and before you drive somewhere, drive your inspiration – Read. Reading gives us someplace to go while we have to stay where we are. Books take us to places without travelling there.
Well, with that said and done for anyone who loves to go for road-trips. Let us go on a ride together through the ups and downs with the authors, through their writing, who gave us the inspiration, who thrived in the passion for our wanderlust to grow and got us in the place to turn our passion into reality.
This is an article for everyone who travels, for those with the passion for going on a road trip and for those who plan something on the go. For the spontaneous ones, and the ones with a plan.
The world is a book and those who never travel read only one page.
5 books that ever biker or any traveler should at least try reading are –
1. Jupiter’s travel: When travelling is your passion, there’s nothing in this world that can or should stop you. This book by Simon is an example of this way of life. He described how he drove for 4 years covering a terrain of 78,000 miles approximately covering 45 countries. Thriving, isn’t it? When it comes to the life of a wanderer, this is what most of us dream of, and living a life of your dreams – mesmerizing.
The way Simon characterized and gave a voice to his story compelled many to travel and still is an inspiration for many to leave their couches and go out. He covered the most beautiful and mysterious places on his way and lived with different people in way too different societal structures in the times of war and peace.
2. Motorcycle diaries – Ernesto Che Guevara: This sure is a must read for all the bikers, a 23-year-old travelling with a 29-year-old on the back of a single cylinder 1939 Norton 550cc dubbed La Poderosa (‘the mighty one’) is what they call it. This is an inspirational book about travelling to south America and exploring the place like no one else did. Covering the landscape in a way that no book or write-up or vivid imagery could describe it as. It also comes up with the journey of Guevara within himself, where he realized how poor are mistreated and exploited. It covers his transformation from just a traveler to a traveler for a cause. Covering almost 5,000 miles in over 9 months didn’t just change his life, but his perspective too. This is a perfect example of what a journey can do to you, which makes it a must read.
3. A fortune teller told me – Tiziano Terzani: Life is full of adventures, all it takes is the art to know how to grab them. In this book, when Tiziano was told not to fly, he grabbed the chance to travel Asia and try his luck partially by travelling on road, (he was told not to fly after all). He instead of staying at one place and becoming a jet-hopping journalist, planned to cover the distance using whatever medium possible-rail, road and sea, ready to fight whatever may come. He inspires anyone who reads his work to go beyond the ideal way and get into something adventurous. After all, what’s fun without a little adventure. During his journey, he learned how the beliefs of other are also important and how they are threatened by westernization.
Covering a landscape of over 13,000 miles he provides a completely new and different perceptive towards Asia – different from how the world looks at it. If on a plan to cover Asia on your trip, this is a must read.
4. Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance – Robert M. Pirsig: This is not just a book, neither a story to be told. More than covering the 17 day long biking journey, this is a philosophical ride that takes you out on an adventure from perspectives of two different personalities. Through this book, Robert M. Pirsig has brought into light an insight of two exactly opposite people, who dealt with the same situation in their ways. One had a ‘Romantic’ approach to life and other dealt with the same situation rationally. A biker is never a true rider if he doesn’t know how to love the machine he is riding on. This philosophical journey Robert took us to is in its own way a journey of lifetime experiences.
For those who travel, not just to travel to see the place, but learn from a viewpoint like no one else, this is a must read.
5. Long way round – Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor: Now a famous TV series, this book is a compelling one as it covers a journey of 19,000 miles. The only distance not covered on a bike was 3,106 miles including river, flight and other modes to travel. They took the hard wayside to travel, covering 12 countries, crossing deep swollen rivers, even without bridges.
This is just not an experience in itself reading the book, but a motivation to face the fear and travel all that you can, risking and yet keeping yourself on the safer side. If what you do doesn’t thrill you, you are doing it the wrong way. Through this book, one thing to take away is- Live it your way, be adventurous and don’t be scared, for what may come, will come.
Personal recommendation- Before you drive, thrive your mind.
Also Read: Hitchhiking, A New Trend Of Travelling
9 Best Road Trips That Almost Take You Through Every State Of India
