Aloha Wanderwell "Call to Adventure": True Tales of the Wanderwell Expedition, First Woman to Circle the World in an Automobile

by Aloha Wanderwell Baker, Alan Boyd, Tracy Landecker

"The First Woman To Circle The World By Automobile!" 1922-1927 "The World's Most Widely Traveled Girl!" In her own words, the remarkable ALOHA WANDERWELL BAKER tells the true story of her amazing 7 year journey around the world in a Model T Ford with the Wanderwell Expedition in the 1920s. Containing Aloha's 1939 memoir, “Call To Adventure,” and with exclusive newly-commissioned essays, photos and supplemental materials from the author's estate, "Aloha Call To Adventure" takes the reader along on her epic trek through Europe, the Middle East, India, Japan, China, the Soviet Union, the United States, Cuba, and Africa – a thrilling adventure made all the more astounding by the fact that Aloha herself was only 16 years old when she set out to see the world by car. “Brains, Beauty & Breeches – World Tour Offer For Lucky Young Woman…. Wanted to join an expedition…Asia, Africa….” In 1922, Idris Galcia Hall was a 16 year old schoolgirl when she answered an ad placed in the Paris Herald by self-styled adventurer Walter Wanderwell. who was just starting out to break the world’s long distance automobile record in an expedition jumpstarted by Henry Ford’s donation of a pair of Model Ts. She joined the expedition as Wanderwell's secretary, and, christened with a new stage name, Aloha Wanderwell, she soon found herself functioning as translator, driver, seamstress, all-around good will ambassador, and even actress, as she soon became the focal point for the filmed record of the trip. Along the way, she and Wanderwell fell in love and were married when the expedition reached California in 1925. "Aloha Call To Adventure" captures in vivid detail Aloha’s own impressions of the long-forgotten Wanderwell Expedition…sweeping through Italy just as Mussolini and the Fascisti were consolidating their power… braving food riots and hostile mobs in Germany, a country then reeling from the harsh reparations demanded by the victorious allies of World War I…camping at the foot of the Great Sphinx in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings… driving into Palestine, where the Jews were attempting to build a new nation… across the arid lands of India, towing the Model Ts across rivers by water buffalo. Aloha traversed the highlands of Portuguese East Africa, and nearly died of thirst in the Sudanese desert….disguised herself as a man and prayed in Mecca… hunted elephants in Indo-China, became a confidante of Chinese bandits, and was granted the title of “Honorary Colonel” in the Red Army of Siberia… and hob-nobbed with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks during a visit to Hollywood. “Aloha Call To Adventure” is a remarkable tale told by a remarkable woman.

Genres: Biography, Travel, History

Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great fun. It's well-researched and well-documented. I listened to it in an audio book version provided by LibroFM. LibroFM makes books available to me that I likely never would have discovered. This young woman, who adopted the stage name "Aloha Wanderwell," began her world travels at age 16. She broke many records for women on the road. Insights into the era are especially interesting.

[RoseMary author · Rating 4 out of 5]

At age 16, Aloha (stage name) accepted a position with Cap Wanderwell to be his secretary on the around the world driving adventure starting a couple of years later in 1922. This expanded into her adventure as the first woman to circumvent the globe in an automobile--a Ford flivver. The book is taken directly from the diaries Aloha kept through the years of travel. It is a competent travelogue, letting the reader know of obstacles getting into, out of, and across various countries. She doesn't write larger than life or gloss over experiences.

However, there is an emotional lack to the stories that left me wondering how she felt as this or that happened. There are several photos scattered throughout, which is great, but maps would have helped the reader understand the breadth of the journeys. It is a remarkable read when you think about her age in doing this as well as the era in which it was done.

That noted, I recommend any woman to read this because if you've ever stopped yourself from doing something, Aloha's adventures should impel you forward. This young woman dove into challenge after challenge to tour through over 40 countries. It's well worth it to visit the AlohaWanderwell website and watch the available films. As always when I learn about a woman this remarkable, I think: Why am I this age and only just now hearing of her? Amazing.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't Let History Forget

At the age of 16 Aloha Wanderlust persuaded her mother to allow her to leave her French boarding school to sign on as secretary, driver, and Jill of All Trades on an around the world expedition in the 1920's. In the 4 years of her travels, Aloha became many firsts. The first woman to drive a car across many terrains untouched by white people, much less a white woman. She travelled in a time when society was still in transition from wild savagery to a more populace place. She visited a Tower of Silence in India, where the Persaa took their dead to be picked cleaned by 300-400 vultures (a ritual threatened now by urbanization taking over the vultures natural habitat) to African bomas where they slept in their cars and a lion stalked her sister on midnight stroll after dining on an native traveller who was camped near by.

An incredible jaunt into history told by this strong, vivacious woman. A woman history doesn't seem to remember. A woman who's story should be heard and appreciated by women, and men, everywhere.

[Bonnie Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not the best written travel narrative I have read by am long shot, but Aloha Wanderwell is just so fascinating one wants to keep reading of her adventures. Until I saw some clips of the films that she made at a recent San Francisco Silent Film Festival, I had never even heard of her. I enjoyed tagging along on her journey vicariously, knowing that I would never have had the gumption to do what she did, but I am profoundly grateful that she looks the risks so that I could read about them! Her story is also of its time, so there are many stereotypical descriptions of Asians and Africans that will out off some readers, but the author clearly had great affection for the people she met, and the novelty of her journey entertained them as well.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Thanks to a Goodreads’ friend for making me aware of this historical book. Aloha Wanderwell Baker (Idris Galicia Hall) is the “World’s most Traveled Girl”. She was the first woman to travel around the world by car. She began her quest when she was 16 ( 1922 ). She traveled to 43 countries on 4 continents. This book is a travel log done by Aloha, cataloging her 8 year adventure. She highlights the people, and their culture from so many remote places. She gave lectures and made movies, besides writing books on her journeys. The content was eye opening, though her writing style was not quite as enticing . Aloha was a very remarkable person.

[K Meisel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aloha was an original adventurer who endeavored to accomplish daring feats in spite of tremendous obstacles - inhospitable terrain, wars, floods, illness, freezing temperatures, poverty, forest fires, slavers, deserts, crooked police and customs officials, storms at sea, lions stalking their camps and charging elephants. That she and her team were able to accomplish all they did at that time is nothing short of incredible. It might be hard to believe her stories if there weren't photos and films of it all!

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the story itself was amazing, the telling was uneven, sometimes hard to follow, and left large gaps of time. Many terms were not explained, and the links between places were not clear. That said, this woman lived an extraordinary adventure!

[RM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a treat to listen to this book! Accurate and enlightening about the pre-Depression Era period and the post WWI fascination with travel. Thank you to LibroFM for making this audio book available to me!

[Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really the best written travel log by any means. However, the story itself is fascinating! I think it would be much better portrayed as a movie, and frankly, I'm shocked that it's not one!

[Courtney Mosier Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am amazed that Aloha Wanderwell isn't very well-known. Her life is deeply interesting and very exciting. I found this book to be captivating and thought-provoking.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. It should be a movie. Or a TV series.

[Ron Me]

This is a very nice travelogue. My only regret is that it is so short compared with what it ought to be---let's say at least 600 pages in small font! I wish I could go....

[Brigita Soldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one fascinating story and I was completely captivated from the start! (And kinda jealous, to be honest.) But I really wanted to know more, it felt like the story was cut too short.