Long Ride for a Pie

by Tim Mulliner

A cyclist’s epic, world-crossing road trip is presented from the perspective of a base culinary urge. What is it about New Zealand that most expats and travellers miss most? Beautiful clean beaches? The majestic Southern Alps? Mum? For Tim Mulliner, after nearly four years of working in Britain, it was the experience of sinking his teeth into a proper Kiwi pie – of the sort ‘…that melted in your mouth and left tiny flakes of pastry stuck to your lips, a small shower of crumbs on your shirt, and a nice warm, satisfied feeling in the stomach’. So Tim decides to cycle home . . . to Christchurch, New Zealand, via 22 countries, 24,115 kilometres and some of the world's hairiest roads. This is the story of his epic trip. Europe's a breeze, then the hard graft kicks in in Asia. An arrest in Iran; giardia on the Karakoram Highway; landslides in Pakistan; delirium in China's 'sea of death', the vast Takalamakan Desert; attacked by dogs in Tibet; a 1000-km, week-long 'dash' across the blistering Nullabor Plain in Australia, before finally hitting home over a year later. Along the way he collected a series of unforgettable memories and superb photographs. It was a long ride for a pie.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2012

About the author

I first headed abroad at the age of 18 and soon developed the incurable travel bug. It wasn’t long before I discovered the possibilities that travelling by bike opened up. Since then I have travelled extensively by bike (and sometimes foot) in the Americas, Middle East, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

I love to read about other people’s adventures, especially those that are self-propelled. I have a large collection of travel literature which has not only fed my appetite for exploring the world through other people’s words, but has fuelled my desire for my own adventures and forays.

Writing, together with travelling, cycling and reading is another passion that I have developed over the years. To date this has culminated in the publication of my two books, the latest of which is the second edition of Long Ride for a Pie.

Reviews

[Jon Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read as enjoyed it many years ago.
Good coverage of Iran, Turkey, China and Australia.
Shame he didn't include more on Europe & SE Asia