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Thunder & Sunshine
Alistair Humphreys cycled around the world—a journey of 46,000 miles. This inspiring story traces the second leg of his travels—the length of South and North America, the breadth of Asia and back across Europe, crossing the mountains and salt-flats of South America, canoeing the Five-Finger Rapids of the Yukon River, and braving a Siberian Winter with only the flimsiest tent to protect him from the elements.
350 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 2, 2015
I have read Lilwal's book and "Moods of Joy", which is a first part of Humpreys saga. I must admit that Thunder and Sunshine is better in all counts, it contains more pages, some maps, language is more developed and read more pleasant.
Humpreys saga is not only really travel around the world but as well or perhaps most, great trip inside himself. He is not most beautiful character in the world, but he is trying to be honest. He is selfish, stubborn, egocentric, spoiled English boy. But he doesn't know them things until he spends a lot time with himself. He provokes split with Rob Lilwal whom he invited for the adventure. He sometimes refuses contact with locals, even their intentions are good, but he is upset when they give him wrong directions or wish not to help. He makes extra effort to watch English sport events rather than enjoy the country and people around. He suffers homesick. He idolizes Britain. Somehow I have a feeling, that he is kid of imperialism and colonialism. But he makes effort to discover this within himself and this is a big thing.
Alastair's writing is pretty cold (if you compare to Robert Lilwal's for instance, where problems of the soul are a lot more important than life trivia), but this is something I actually like, perhaps because in this aspect my views are similar. I liked the fact, that he gave detailed description of nearly every country he has been, although China took a most of it.
"Thunder and Sunshine" is excellent book which helped me to understand mechanism of bicycle trip, the struggles and consequences. It is fantastic read, I did not rest until finished sentence, paragraph, chapter, whole thing. My eyes were closing after 12 hours shift in the factory but I kept going until my views became surrealistic, letter began to melt and double. I really enjoy getting to know mister Humpreys. Maybe he is not the nicest bloke in the earth, but he is brave enough to face his weaknesses and stubborn enough to finish what he has started despite lack of enthusiasm.
The book is written systematically, in chronological order, which makes it easy and pleasant read (it is a lot more difficult with flying in time and space Tom Allen and his "Janapar", which is my next one on the list to do). I recommend it everybody - dreamers, commuters, people who actually think about traveling on bicycle and the ones, who wish to make a trip inside their souls.
Overall - 5 stars.
Humpreys saga is not only really travel around the world but as well or perhaps most, great trip inside himself. He is not most beautiful character in the world, but he is trying to be honest. He is selfish, stubborn, egocentric, spoiled English boy. But he doesn't know them things until he spends a lot time with himself. He provokes split with Rob Lilwal whom he invited for the adventure. He sometimes refuses contact with locals, even their intentions are good, but he is upset when they give him wrong directions or wish not to help. He makes extra effort to watch English sport events rather than enjoy the country and people around. He suffers homesick. He idolizes Britain. Somehow I have a feeling, that he is kid of imperialism and colonialism. But he makes effort to discover this within himself and this is a big thing.
Alastair's writing is pretty cold (if you compare to Robert Lilwal's for instance, where problems of the soul are a lot more important than life trivia), but this is something I actually like, perhaps because in this aspect my views are similar. I liked the fact, that he gave detailed description of nearly every country he has been, although China took a most of it.
"Thunder and Sunshine" is excellent book which helped me to understand mechanism of bicycle trip, the struggles and consequences. It is fantastic read, I did not rest until finished sentence, paragraph, chapter, whole thing. My eyes were closing after 12 hours shift in the factory but I kept going until my views became surrealistic, letter began to melt and double. I really enjoy getting to know mister Humpreys. Maybe he is not the nicest bloke in the earth, but he is brave enough to face his weaknesses and stubborn enough to finish what he has started despite lack of enthusiasm.
The book is written systematically, in chronological order, which makes it easy and pleasant read (it is a lot more difficult with flying in time and space Tom Allen and his "Janapar", which is my next one on the list to do). I recommend it everybody - dreamers, commuters, people who actually think about traveling on bicycle and the ones, who wish to make a trip inside their souls.
Overall - 5 stars.
September 10, 2016
In Humphreys' first book, Moods of Future Joys, he describes his journey by bike through Europe with the intention of going through Asia. 9/11 changed everything, so he cycled all the way down through Africa instead. This is the account of the second half of monumental ride around the world. First, though, he needs a boat, not a bike. Securing a passage on a sailing boat as a crew member, he departs from Cape Town, next stop Rio.
He travels down to the very south of the country and begins his journey once again from Ushuaia with the intention of cycling all the way to Alaska next. The contrast between this continent and Africa could not have been more different, and he climbed some of the largest hills on his trip so far. In South America, he never ceased to be amazed by the generosity of strangers, people who had virtually nothing would be prepared to share food and hospitality with him. The distances are huge, and the headwinds are relentless, but persistence pays off and he manages to make it to Columbia. Crossing the Darrien Gap is always going to be an issue, there is nothing there resembling a road, but he solves it by crewing on another boat to Panama.
Humphreys' found Mexico to be interesting country, but entering America was a huge contrast to South America. Some were friendly and one lot bought him a new bike, but others considered a cyclist to be an annoying inconvenience on the road as he cycled up the Pacific coast. Reaching his goal of getting to the Arctic Circle, it was time to turn and head west; Russia beckoned. On this leg of the journey he was joined by a friend and fellow adventurer, Rob Lilwall, as they cycled along the Road of Bones, Siberia’s infamous road. This was probably the coldest part of the journey varying from a chilly -40 deg C to a balmy -20 deg C and he seem to spend most of the time freezing his arse off! Next up was Japan, a country that is so very different to anything he had experienced before. With visas sorted, he crossed to China and set of exploring this huge country, and discovering that the language barrier there was much bigger than he expected.
He was on the homeward stretch now, and the rest of Asia beckoned. Provided he could navigate the torturous visa and border controls… Each country bought delights, new experiences and occasion brought it home to him just how fortunate he was. Reaching Turkey was the point where he for the first time went back into a country that he had cycled through four years previously. He was nearly home.
This was an enjoyable account of the second part of his journey as well as being a more honest appraisal of why he was doing it and what he had gained from the experience. He discovers as much about himself as the world and the people he met on this 46,000 journey round the world. I felt this was better written than the first book too, but what really comes across is his ability to get along with people from all walks of life and not to see anything as insurmountable. If you like travel books, or cycling books then this and the first volume are worth reading.
He travels down to the very south of the country and begins his journey once again from Ushuaia with the intention of cycling all the way to Alaska next. The contrast between this continent and Africa could not have been more different, and he climbed some of the largest hills on his trip so far. In South America, he never ceased to be amazed by the generosity of strangers, people who had virtually nothing would be prepared to share food and hospitality with him. The distances are huge, and the headwinds are relentless, but persistence pays off and he manages to make it to Columbia. Crossing the Darrien Gap is always going to be an issue, there is nothing there resembling a road, but he solves it by crewing on another boat to Panama.
Humphreys' found Mexico to be interesting country, but entering America was a huge contrast to South America. Some were friendly and one lot bought him a new bike, but others considered a cyclist to be an annoying inconvenience on the road as he cycled up the Pacific coast. Reaching his goal of getting to the Arctic Circle, it was time to turn and head west; Russia beckoned. On this leg of the journey he was joined by a friend and fellow adventurer, Rob Lilwall, as they cycled along the Road of Bones, Siberia’s infamous road. This was probably the coldest part of the journey varying from a chilly -40 deg C to a balmy -20 deg C and he seem to spend most of the time freezing his arse off! Next up was Japan, a country that is so very different to anything he had experienced before. With visas sorted, he crossed to China and set of exploring this huge country, and discovering that the language barrier there was much bigger than he expected.
He was on the homeward stretch now, and the rest of Asia beckoned. Provided he could navigate the torturous visa and border controls… Each country bought delights, new experiences and occasion brought it home to him just how fortunate he was. Reaching Turkey was the point where he for the first time went back into a country that he had cycled through four years previously. He was nearly home.
This was an enjoyable account of the second part of his journey as well as being a more honest appraisal of why he was doing it and what he had gained from the experience. He discovers as much about himself as the world and the people he met on this 46,000 journey round the world. I felt this was better written than the first book too, but what really comes across is his ability to get along with people from all walks of life and not to see anything as insurmountable. If you like travel books, or cycling books then this and the first volume are worth reading.
July 1, 2014
The first part was so good, luckily there is a second part, with much more pages and as good as the first book. Like I said in the first part review (Moods of Future Joy), this is the best cycle-touring book i've read so far. Very well written and balanced. Dramatic, funny, real, adventurous, courageous, inspiring. Well done Alastair.
February 6, 2022
An absolutely fantastic tale of endurance and will power.
Hugely entertaining and fun.
Hugely entertaining and fun.
June 2, 2023
6.9/10
July 13, 2014
I enjoy travel memoirs, and this is a good one. While the writer raises mine for a couple of charities, that is brought to light only (a bit clumsily) toward the end of the book.
Humphreys does good work putting the reader on the seat of his bike, or at least watching over his shoulder. During some of the chapters, I could not help but wonder at his physical comfort and the toll the ride was taking on his body. While he talks about the rigors of riding, he rarely mentioned how he felt physically, which may have been overkill. He does discuss this in one of the final summary chapters including that the mental burden was heavier than the physical one.
What is most impressive, though, is his writing about the geography he traveled and the people he met. It rides a fine line between being perfectly detailed without overreaching to get his point across. This book could have been a beast to read with a different writer (or editor). I cannot imagine the discipline it took to cull out the story and highlights of the trip.
While the book is inspiring, it doesn't just inspire the course for a journey. It inspires some introspection of one's life, dreams, and what it means to be human. I'm looking forward to reading other books the same writer.
Humphreys does good work putting the reader on the seat of his bike, or at least watching over his shoulder. During some of the chapters, I could not help but wonder at his physical comfort and the toll the ride was taking on his body. While he talks about the rigors of riding, he rarely mentioned how he felt physically, which may have been overkill. He does discuss this in one of the final summary chapters including that the mental burden was heavier than the physical one.
What is most impressive, though, is his writing about the geography he traveled and the people he met. It rides a fine line between being perfectly detailed without overreaching to get his point across. This book could have been a beast to read with a different writer (or editor). I cannot imagine the discipline it took to cull out the story and highlights of the trip.
While the book is inspiring, it doesn't just inspire the course for a journey. It inspires some introspection of one's life, dreams, and what it means to be human. I'm looking forward to reading other books the same writer.
May 13, 2020
This book is beautiful. I haven't read any travel books before this one, so I don't have a real scale to compare it with. But in general, my assumption was that travel books will be an explanation of lot of places and I did this and that, which I find pretty boring because I haven't seen those places yet. But this book changed all of that. Traveling around the through places like Siberia with -40C, Lake Issyk-Kul, it makes me look up all these places online. And then it is filled with gems like these:
"It reminded me of South Africa where, at about eating distance from each town, were piles of jettisoned fast-food wrappings. The wrappings from the more expensive fast-food joints tended to be strewn further from the town than those from the less classy eateries. I formed several hypotheses for this: perhaps rich people eat more slowly, rich people eat more than poorer people or else rich people drive faster cars. Empty musings of empty miles."
"It reminded me of South Africa where, at about eating distance from each town, were piles of jettisoned fast-food wrappings. The wrappings from the more expensive fast-food joints tended to be strewn further from the town than those from the less classy eateries. I formed several hypotheses for this: perhaps rich people eat more slowly, rich people eat more than poorer people or else rich people drive faster cars. Empty musings of empty miles."
November 6, 2023
“This book is a literary match to his physical achievement”
While reading Thunder and Sunshine, it is like you are brought along in Alastairs pannier getting a peak at the stunning landscapes, good people (well sometimes not), and huge cultural shocks. It is almost like every page you flip, he makes a simultaneous petal stroke. At times you are just taking your time and enjoying the read, but as the adventure is coming to a close; you begin to flip through pages just as swiftly as he is trying to get back home to his village of Yorkshire.
To the reader however, this book doesn’t also have to be about cycling.
When Alastair set out on this wild adventure, he was sure that he would quit. At times if he knew how hard it would have been, he would never have even started. He did something that he knew he would fail unless he poured every little drop he had into it.
This begs the question; what is your ride? What will you absolutely fail at if you don’t invest everything you have into it? As Alastair said, “I would never have ridden around the planet if I had not taken the hardest journey of all: stepping out of my front door and beginning the ride.”
While reading Thunder and Sunshine, it is like you are brought along in Alastairs pannier getting a peak at the stunning landscapes, good people (well sometimes not), and huge cultural shocks. It is almost like every page you flip, he makes a simultaneous petal stroke. At times you are just taking your time and enjoying the read, but as the adventure is coming to a close; you begin to flip through pages just as swiftly as he is trying to get back home to his village of Yorkshire.
To the reader however, this book doesn’t also have to be about cycling.
When Alastair set out on this wild adventure, he was sure that he would quit. At times if he knew how hard it would have been, he would never have even started. He did something that he knew he would fail unless he poured every little drop he had into it.
This begs the question; what is your ride? What will you absolutely fail at if you don’t invest everything you have into it? As Alastair said, “I would never have ridden around the planet if I had not taken the hardest journey of all: stepping out of my front door and beginning the ride.”
November 29, 2025
You instantly recognise the books you want to settle in with, the ones you never want to end. This was that book for me. There are hundreds of “cycle around the world” books out there, so what makes this one special? The writing, for sure: smooth, flowing, observant, and honest, revealing the raw emotions he experienced at the time.
I loved how vividly he conveyed both the excitement and uncertainty of the challenge he took on in the previous book, as well as the boredom and exhaustion of, say, cycling through Siberia at –40°, even though he wrote about it all from the comfort of his home. He truly made me feel as if we were riding together!
Humphrey is not a man without falts and I don't agree with everything he wrote, but I did appreciate his sensitive humanity: his openness and trust in others. I cherished every chapter, and I didn’t want this book to end!
I loved how vividly he conveyed both the excitement and uncertainty of the challenge he took on in the previous book, as well as the boredom and exhaustion of, say, cycling through Siberia at –40°, even though he wrote about it all from the comfort of his home. He truly made me feel as if we were riding together!
Humphrey is not a man without falts and I don't agree with everything he wrote, but I did appreciate his sensitive humanity: his openness and trust in others. I cherished every chapter, and I didn’t want this book to end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2018
This was great! I love what the guy did and he is such an engaging writer. Pure escapism. It felt like I was there cycling along and enjoying and enduring all highs and lows with him.
October 11, 2024
And this second part of 4 year traveling on bicycle was really really good.
April 13, 2017
A truly inspirational book. I read it while doing a Land's End to John O'Groats cycle. The epic scale of the obstacles he had to overcome put my littles ones into perspective. I had my own experience of a Patagonian headwind and I am astonished how he kept going in his real one. A great read!
December 29, 2013
Book two of Humphreys' journey picks up directly where one left off. It describes the joys of a trans-Atlantic yacht journey. He arrives in Rio and takes a bus to Tierra del Fuego, so that he can cycle the entire length of south America, heading up the west coast and the Andes.
This is a different Al Humphreys. His first year on the road has made him grow. He is more confident as a writer and as a lone traveller. There is much less crying – although still a little – and his cultural references are less high-culture: now, he quotes noughties pop bands' lyrics, films and so on rather than Latin poets. Also, in Latin America, he speaks some Spanish and seems to rapidly improve, unlike in much of Africa where he was linguistically isolated until South Africa, where he had once worked.
Book two is much fatter and spans four continents. He travels the length of South America, bypasses the Darien Gap and all of Central America on another yacht – justifying this to himself in that he's cycled it before – and largely skips the USA. He rides it, but barely mentions it. Canada gets more mention, where he, now a confident adventurer, and an old friend kayak the Yukon. In forest-fire season. Then it's across Alaska to Siberia, which they cross in midwinter. (Yes, he is quite, quite mad.) Then down the length of Japan, across to China, along the Silk Road, and the last leg across the 'Stans of Central Asia, followed by Turkey and eastern Europe.
His journey is amazing, improvised and funded on a shoestring. It's a truly inspirational trip, although few would willingly take on the privations Humphreys seems barely to notice. It's more Dervla Murphy than Anne Mustoe: he travels in poverty, putting him close to the people he meets, unlike Mustoe who was the ultimate tourist and tour guide, eating and drinking well and learnedly discussing the history of her many destinations.
These are wholly remarkable books, about a remarkable trip, by a remarkable man who is also a remarkable writer. They may yet comprise a Liff (q.v.). I've read many books by ultra-long-distance cyclists now. Despite many seemingly-falsely-humble apologies for unfitness, they tend to impress by the travellers' depth of preparation and endurance, their linguistic skills, adaptability, determination and much more. Not so Humphreys. He shares his terror, loneliness, apprehension, indecisiveness and much more. Yes, he's fit – he'd completed many long-distance rides before. He's young and strong. He's worked abroad and speaks several languages.
But still. This is the first time I've read someone bare their soul about their self-doubts, concern and trepidation at such a mighty undertaking, and that is inspirational. Get it, read it, and do it.
This is a different Al Humphreys. His first year on the road has made him grow. He is more confident as a writer and as a lone traveller. There is much less crying – although still a little – and his cultural references are less high-culture: now, he quotes noughties pop bands' lyrics, films and so on rather than Latin poets. Also, in Latin America, he speaks some Spanish and seems to rapidly improve, unlike in much of Africa where he was linguistically isolated until South Africa, where he had once worked.
Book two is much fatter and spans four continents. He travels the length of South America, bypasses the Darien Gap and all of Central America on another yacht – justifying this to himself in that he's cycled it before – and largely skips the USA. He rides it, but barely mentions it. Canada gets more mention, where he, now a confident adventurer, and an old friend kayak the Yukon. In forest-fire season. Then it's across Alaska to Siberia, which they cross in midwinter. (Yes, he is quite, quite mad.) Then down the length of Japan, across to China, along the Silk Road, and the last leg across the 'Stans of Central Asia, followed by Turkey and eastern Europe.
His journey is amazing, improvised and funded on a shoestring. It's a truly inspirational trip, although few would willingly take on the privations Humphreys seems barely to notice. It's more Dervla Murphy than Anne Mustoe: he travels in poverty, putting him close to the people he meets, unlike Mustoe who was the ultimate tourist and tour guide, eating and drinking well and learnedly discussing the history of her many destinations.
These are wholly remarkable books, about a remarkable trip, by a remarkable man who is also a remarkable writer. They may yet comprise a Liff (q.v.). I've read many books by ultra-long-distance cyclists now. Despite many seemingly-falsely-humble apologies for unfitness, they tend to impress by the travellers' depth of preparation and endurance, their linguistic skills, adaptability, determination and much more. Not so Humphreys. He shares his terror, loneliness, apprehension, indecisiveness and much more. Yes, he's fit – he'd completed many long-distance rides before. He's young and strong. He's worked abroad and speaks several languages.
But still. This is the first time I've read someone bare their soul about their self-doubts, concern and trepidation at such a mighty undertaking, and that is inspirational. Get it, read it, and do it.
January 7, 2022
There’s a lot of good stuff in Moods of Future Joys and this book. It’s travel writing and personal reflection on a 60-country, 5-continent, around-the-world bike ride. The last few chapters really hit home with me: cycling through Central Asia and on to the Caucasus and Turkey, coming full-circle, heading home at the end of a long journey and seeing everything with new eyes.
It is about a trip that happened 20 years ago and written by a privileged young white English guy who makes some dumb risky decisions and tends to see women and people of other races as “other”, coming off as racist and sexist at times. Humphreys does check his privilege regularly and he does have good intentions and is self-deprecating, and the culture has changed a bit regarding what it’s “okay” to say and our wordings, but he’s still very Eurocentric. He does break down a lot of preconceived notions and he is multilingual and communicates in local languages where possible, but he was often at a loss. His trip was full of harrowing moments, but mostly based on his decisions, whereas a solo woman on the same adventure would be much more at risk.
Besides that, the books could do with more editing. I suppose it’s hard to condense over 4 years’ experience into a few hundred pages, but I often wanted more details. There’s a lot of jumping around and forward and glossing over experiences, and as there was usually no one around to fact-check him, it’s possible Humphreys isn’t the most reliable narrator.
Still, it’s a cool story and fun vicarious travel. Other good parts are a Brit’s first impressions of the USA, in contrast to all of Western South America and Mexico that he’d just cycled through, and I liked revisiting Japan and China, and his reflections on routine and what makes for a meaningful life.
It is about a trip that happened 20 years ago and written by a privileged young white English guy who makes some dumb risky decisions and tends to see women and people of other races as “other”, coming off as racist and sexist at times. Humphreys does check his privilege regularly and he does have good intentions and is self-deprecating, and the culture has changed a bit regarding what it’s “okay” to say and our wordings, but he’s still very Eurocentric. He does break down a lot of preconceived notions and he is multilingual and communicates in local languages where possible, but he was often at a loss. His trip was full of harrowing moments, but mostly based on his decisions, whereas a solo woman on the same adventure would be much more at risk.
Besides that, the books could do with more editing. I suppose it’s hard to condense over 4 years’ experience into a few hundred pages, but I often wanted more details. There’s a lot of jumping around and forward and glossing over experiences, and as there was usually no one around to fact-check him, it’s possible Humphreys isn’t the most reliable narrator.
Still, it’s a cool story and fun vicarious travel. Other good parts are a Brit’s first impressions of the USA, in contrast to all of Western South America and Mexico that he’d just cycled through, and I liked revisiting Japan and China, and his reflections on routine and what makes for a meaningful life.
August 9, 2018
The question wasn't 'has he done anything interesting enough to write a book about' as is sometimes the question with travel writers, but 'can he write'. And he can.
Dervla Murphy does similar long distance trips on her bike, but her books often seem like dull diary entries to me; Humphries has managed to get the editing of the vast pile of diaries down perfectly, picking out the interesting and discarding the day to day.
Deeply inspiring and a pleasure to read.
Dervla Murphy does similar long distance trips on her bike, but her books often seem like dull diary entries to me; Humphries has managed to get the editing of the vast pile of diaries down perfectly, picking out the interesting and discarding the day to day.
Deeply inspiring and a pleasure to read.
October 30, 2011
Wow... another great book by Alastair Humphreys. This is quite an epic follow up to the first epic book! Anyone interested in travel and adventure should read these. I kept wanting to go out for a ride whenever I picked it up!
May 7, 2008
One of the best adventure travel books I've read. Great followup to his first book, Moods of Future Joy, which is also a great book. Both books inspire one to seek out more adventure & travel.
July 14, 2021
It's an amazing story of travelling. Not so much about the places visited, people encountered. Not so much about technicalities of travelling, visas, paperwork, funding, exact routes. But about the journey in its essence. I almost felt as if I was travelling. It was a very nice feeling in COVID times. I do not ride a bike, but the means of travelling was not the core of the book (it was important, of course). It was the self-determination, discoveries of the world, journey planning, finding yourself in the travels in authentic places. It made me want to travel again.
I didn't read the first book in the series, so I missed the background information. (I assume they appear in the first book). Who is Alastair? What made him take on such a big project?
I would like to have known more about the routes and bureaucracy behind the journey. I found the descriptions about visas and border crossings interesting.
Since I did not know anything about the author, I did not expect such a well-written book. The travel books usually disappoint me with respect to style. Here I enjoyed reading it a lot. So much that I ordered book one immediately after finishing book two.
I didn't read the first book in the series, so I missed the background information. (I assume they appear in the first book). Who is Alastair? What made him take on such a big project?
I would like to have known more about the routes and bureaucracy behind the journey. I found the descriptions about visas and border crossings interesting.
Since I did not know anything about the author, I did not expect such a well-written book. The travel books usually disappoint me with respect to style. Here I enjoyed reading it a lot. So much that I ordered book one immediately after finishing book two.
April 3, 2022
What an amazing read! I am an avid reader of epic cycling adventure books. I had read Alastair Humphreys’ first book of his 4+ year around the world bicycle tour about a year ago and found it quite good. I decided to read Thunder and Sunshine and was quite happy that I made that decision.
Barbara Savage’s Miles from Nowhere has been firmly #1 in my favorite bicycle touring books. It is truly a masterpiece. I gave some thought before I placed Thunder and Sunshine in that #1 spot. Alastair Humphreys gives the reader a good bit of insight into the challenges that a person faces and overcomes in bicycle touring for such a long time, mostly solo. He honed his writing style in writing this book that weaves the stories in his mind with the stories under his wheels.
I highly recommend this book to any reader looking to be transported around the world amazingly through the pages of a book. I took away many lessons for my day-to-day life from Humphrey's insights into how our mind both limits and motivates us to reach seemingly unobtainable goals or overcome perceived and real obstacles.
Barbara Savage’s Miles from Nowhere has been firmly #1 in my favorite bicycle touring books. It is truly a masterpiece. I gave some thought before I placed Thunder and Sunshine in that #1 spot. Alastair Humphreys gives the reader a good bit of insight into the challenges that a person faces and overcomes in bicycle touring for such a long time, mostly solo. He honed his writing style in writing this book that weaves the stories in his mind with the stories under his wheels.
I highly recommend this book to any reader looking to be transported around the world amazingly through the pages of a book. I took away many lessons for my day-to-day life from Humphrey's insights into how our mind both limits and motivates us to reach seemingly unobtainable goals or overcome perceived and real obstacles.
November 21, 2017
Hi I hardly ever make the effort to write a review but decided to for this one because it's worth it. My reading life was seriously starting to wane and fizzle out. Humphreys totally revived that. Now its been proven that.
Hi I hardly ever make the effort to write a review but decided to do so for this one because it's worth it. My reading life was seriously starting to wane and fizzle out. Humphreys totally revived that. Now, its been proven that when we read, the brain does not make a real distinction between reading about an experience and actually living it. Whether reading or experiencing it, the same neurological regions are stimulated. Humphreys had me feeling like I was riding shot gun with these two books. I was very impressed, delighted and appreciative of the writing, it was a dream to read and has got me back into reading. Hope this man doesn't stop writing, his writing has been a real gift and joy to experience.
Hi I hardly ever make the effort to write a review but decided to do so for this one because it's worth it. My reading life was seriously starting to wane and fizzle out. Humphreys totally revived that. Now, its been proven that when we read, the brain does not make a real distinction between reading about an experience and actually living it. Whether reading or experiencing it, the same neurological regions are stimulated. Humphreys had me feeling like I was riding shot gun with these two books. I was very impressed, delighted and appreciative of the writing, it was a dream to read and has got me back into reading. Hope this man doesn't stop writing, his writing has been a real gift and joy to experience.
November 3, 2018
Humphreys is honest about his own doubts along the way, and about the conflicts he had with his occasional riding partners. He is not a 100% bicycle purist and occasionally takes a yacht or a raft. He feels human and approachable. Yet the story is quite impressive and sometimes scary.
I enjoyed Humphreys's writing. It is always competent, never purple. Occasionally funny. He is good at splicing in details about the people and the countries he goes through. Not too much—he doesn't bloat the story—but not too little, either—the book never feels like a list of destinations he biked by.
I enjoyed Humphreys's writing. It is always competent, never purple. Occasionally funny. He is good at splicing in details about the people and the countries he goes through. Not too much—he doesn't bloat the story—but not too little, either—the book never feels like a list of destinations he biked by.
July 17, 2020
Oh Wow! This is a great book of self discovery, of following your dreams, of persistence to the Nth degree! So, it is about 3,000 miles across the USA and Alistair bicycles 44,000 miles in 4 years around the world. So, impressive for sure but what i love the most about this book is his descriptions of the culture and people he encounters on his travels and of his writing about personal struggles and learnings along the way.
This was the 2nd book he wrote about the journey. I chose it because it had the highest reviews and I figured I would only want to read one book by him and move on. I am now halfway through his first book "Moods of Future Joys" and I recommend you start with it!
This was the 2nd book he wrote about the journey. I chose it because it had the highest reviews and I figured I would only want to read one book by him and move on. I am now halfway through his first book "Moods of Future Joys" and I recommend you start with it!
December 19, 2022
As bike travelogues go, this one is full of tenacity: traveling around the world, as cheaply as possible, over 4 years. You might assume that means the author is something of a dirtbag, and I suspect he'd agree. Still, he accepts it with humor and writes eloquently of the beautiful places and people, the unreasonable risks he takes, and the now barely remembered feeling of being completely cut off from the world, by traveling by bike remotely in the early 2000s (pre-smart phone). While I don't want to bike across Siberia in winter myself, I feel all the better for having read it and all the other adventures in this excellent book.
January 14, 2024
A great story of an epic journey. There is a challenge to read this book and not mentally plan your own trip. (I've daydreamed of weeks around Europe and across America since starting this book - both huge contrasts to the 150 miles weekend trips I took in my teens)
I admire the bravery required to set-out on this trip, the discipline to stick at it through the mishap, discomfort and -40 degrees C of Siberia. And I bow to the effort required to complete the trip. There are still a significant number of people in the UK who have travelled fewer miles in their entire lives, using motorised transport, than Alistair completed in his 4 and a half year adventure.
I admire the bravery required to set-out on this trip, the discipline to stick at it through the mishap, discomfort and -40 degrees C of Siberia. And I bow to the effort required to complete the trip. There are still a significant number of people in the UK who have travelled fewer miles in their entire lives, using motorised transport, than Alistair completed in his 4 and a half year adventure.
July 5, 2021
Wonderful account of the extraordinary journey through the americas, Siberian Russia in the winter, Japan, China and the Stans. A more mature Al (as opposed to the first book) recounts adventures and also the human side. Very solid writing, completely transports to wherever he is in the world. It’s been a while that a book managed to take me out of the present - love that.
There were some stumbles and I wished for a bit more editing but this is an amazing travel book and can sit with the best of them.
There were some stumbles and I wished for a bit more editing but this is an amazing travel book and can sit with the best of them.
February 10, 2021
Alastair Humphreys invites you to ride alongside him on an exiciting journey around the world, highlighting the pitfalls and joys of travel. Told with honesty and integrity, this fascinating incite in to what it's like to ride on a bicycle through some of the most enchanting and glorious lands on earth will make you wish you were there yourself. A thoroughly enjoyable and descriptive read and also a fantastic audiobook read by Alistair himself. Give it a go, you won't regret it.
October 19, 2021
I enjoyed this book probably more than the first, though the last couple of chapters felt kind of forced. It was like he didn't know how to end his journey after talking about so many exotic places and people. I liked that he shared his thoughts about where he was, what he was doing, or who he was meeting rather than just recording his observations. I felt like I was in his head and taking the journey with him.
December 28, 2017
I liked both books of Alastair's cycling around the world but perhaps I had even higher expectations after reading couple of his other books beforehand. It must be extremely tough to summarize such a trip into two books, what to include in and what to leave out. Anyway mad respect for Alastair for completeting such a challenge!
October 21, 2020
Better than the first book. There's still tedious moments where he does a poor impression of Bill Bryson, but there's more of interest than the first - more on the cycling, more on the tough decisions he had to make through his trip and the psychological impact it made on him. It was sad to finish the book, just as it he described the sadness of his own journey coming to an end.
November 28, 2020
It lets you travel the world, Alastair has portrayed his fabulous adventure in such a manner that you will invariably try and imagine yourself in his place. I loved to ride on his words, searched places he visited and learned about lot of amzing places in this world. Would recommend to anyone who has interest in minimalistic travel.
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