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Terning: Around the world by bike
“Brutally honest and beautifully written”
“This book catapults you, gasping for breath, around the world.”
“An incredible journey beautifully told, engagingly honest and filled with the philosophical insights of a person pushed to the edge of their endurance.”
“One of the best accounts of RTW cycling.”
Aged 23, Sam left his home in Cornwall to cycle around the world. Solo, with little more than a tent, a small budget and a bike, the journey would last almost three years and take Sam across five continents. Within six months, he had been arrested in China, horsewhipped in Mongolia and given much-needed water by nomads in the Gobi Desert, yet the toughest and most memorable times lay ahead. ‘Terning’ is a story of the challenges Sam faced during his epic journey, but it is also a story of the kindness and generosity of the people he met along the way.
A Varied Selection of Reviews
“It is a heart searching, emotional account of the people and places that he encountered, written with a maturity and gift of language that makes each chapter compulsive reading.” NC ☆☆☆☆☆
“A warts and all account of cycle touring, talks frankly about the highs and lows of solo and companion travelling. This as with many cycle touring books restores your faith in human kindness and generosity making the wider world just a little bit less intimidating.” KS ☆☆☆☆☆
“He writes in a compelling, honest way (a little too honest sometimes) that kept me gripped!” ☆☆☆☆
“I love this book. It's an incredible journey beautifully told, engagingly honest and filled with the philosophical insights of a person pushed to the edge of endurance. It's inspiring and makes you question yourself. It's a book about the world and people, it's for everyone, whether you're a traveller or a dreamer.” ☆☆☆☆☆
“a very realistic picture of bike touring and different parts of the world. I felt like I was right along with him on his adventure” ☆☆☆☆☆
“Sam is often under the influence of drink or drugs during his tour. The style of writing is such that I wonder if it was written while under the infuence of one or the other.” ☆
“This is a great book! It's a really well written, honest, witty and sensitive. It's as much a story of an emotional journey as a physical one. Well worth a read for anyone - not just cyclists!” ☆☆☆☆☆
“This book catapults you, gasping for breath, around the world.”
“An incredible journey beautifully told, engagingly honest and filled with the philosophical insights of a person pushed to the edge of their endurance.”
“One of the best accounts of RTW cycling.”
Aged 23, Sam left his home in Cornwall to cycle around the world. Solo, with little more than a tent, a small budget and a bike, the journey would last almost three years and take Sam across five continents. Within six months, he had been arrested in China, horsewhipped in Mongolia and given much-needed water by nomads in the Gobi Desert, yet the toughest and most memorable times lay ahead. ‘Terning’ is a story of the challenges Sam faced during his epic journey, but it is also a story of the kindness and generosity of the people he met along the way.
A Varied Selection of Reviews
“It is a heart searching, emotional account of the people and places that he encountered, written with a maturity and gift of language that makes each chapter compulsive reading.” NC ☆☆☆☆☆
“A warts and all account of cycle touring, talks frankly about the highs and lows of solo and companion travelling. This as with many cycle touring books restores your faith in human kindness and generosity making the wider world just a little bit less intimidating.” KS ☆☆☆☆☆
“He writes in a compelling, honest way (a little too honest sometimes) that kept me gripped!” ☆☆☆☆
“I love this book. It's an incredible journey beautifully told, engagingly honest and filled with the philosophical insights of a person pushed to the edge of endurance. It's inspiring and makes you question yourself. It's a book about the world and people, it's for everyone, whether you're a traveller or a dreamer.” ☆☆☆☆☆
“a very realistic picture of bike touring and different parts of the world. I felt like I was right along with him on his adventure” ☆☆☆☆☆
“Sam is often under the influence of drink or drugs during his tour. The style of writing is such that I wonder if it was written while under the infuence of one or the other.” ☆
“This is a great book! It's a really well written, honest, witty and sensitive. It's as much a story of an emotional journey as a physical one. Well worth a read for anyone - not just cyclists!” ☆☆☆☆☆
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 11, 2018
20 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 4, 2018
At times difficult to read
Sam is often under the influence of drink or drugs during his tour. The style of writing is such that I wonder if it was written while under the infuence of one or the other.
Sam is often under the influence of drink or drugs during his tour. The style of writing is such that I wonder if it was written while under the infuence of one or the other.
January 13, 2023
I think this is probably the best book I have read about long distance bicycle journeys, and I have read a few. The journey that Sam undertakes is extraordinary, of course, but he is also a seriously talented writer. I have also written books about bike touring and I can only dream about being able to convey what life is like on the road the way that Sam does in this book. He describes places, feelings, moments, so well. It took me back to that way of life. This book is brilliant and it really should have sold much better than it has.
April 9, 2021
I hate being negative about a book. I didn't finish it. I got a hundred pages in and just gave up. Can't remember the last time I didn't finish a book.
December 28, 2023
Sam is an exceptional author, his writing style differs greatly from the many travel books I’ve read before, he skims the peaks of the journey where the lengthy detail and factual fillers others include can make a book drag, yet swoops in to focus on the many encounters and experiences that give the book its drama and character.
There were times I felt frustration at the repeat social situations Sam finds himself in while in hostels and bars, though spending 2.5 years in your own head in strange lands and unfamiliar languages must have been tough. His accounts of sharing food and drink with the locals and fellow travellers he meets in hostels recounts an accurate picture of slow travel, where you truly experience a culture, and he’s honest about his poor choices and attempts to be better, a familiar tale to many I’m sure.
All in this is well worth reading if you like a superbly written travelogue.
There were times I felt frustration at the repeat social situations Sam finds himself in while in hostels and bars, though spending 2.5 years in your own head in strange lands and unfamiliar languages must have been tough. His accounts of sharing food and drink with the locals and fellow travellers he meets in hostels recounts an accurate picture of slow travel, where you truly experience a culture, and he’s honest about his poor choices and attempts to be better, a familiar tale to many I’m sure.
All in this is well worth reading if you like a superbly written travelogue.
November 27, 2021
Not your usual armchair travel book
Overall I enjoyed reading this book although it was slow reading at times. I have read many stories on around the world trips by bike and this was a little unusual in that it focuses much more with the inner thoughts of the author than the places he visits. Nonetheless he completes his round the world adventure on the same bike he started with and with very little money to support him for a journey of over two years. There are some interesting mini adventures and I thought the description of some of his time in North America was the most interesting to read.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book although it was slow reading at times. I have read many stories on around the world trips by bike and this was a little unusual in that it focuses much more with the inner thoughts of the author than the places he visits. Nonetheless he completes his round the world adventure on the same bike he started with and with very little money to support him for a journey of over two years. There are some interesting mini adventures and I thought the description of some of his time in North America was the most interesting to read.
November 10, 2019
Brilliant
An honest tale of an epic cycle journey around the world, which sam eloquently describes the people he meets, the landscapes through which he rides and the author’s own emotional journey.
One of the best accounts of RTW cycling.
An honest tale of an epic cycle journey around the world, which sam eloquently describes the people he meets, the landscapes through which he rides and the author’s own emotional journey.
One of the best accounts of RTW cycling.
October 14, 2023
I've given up, not good bedtime reading, too irritating reading about getting drunk/high and hanging about with people he knows he shouldn't. Nothing much uplifting either and his over the top descriptions had me skipping over much of it, after the initial optimism evaporated.
June 2, 2018
A fascinating read for anyone with any interest in travelling the world. I'm not much of a cyclist myself but I was captivated by Sams journey as he travels from culture to culture.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews