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Turn Right For Japan: Cycling the Silk Road to the Orient
After a decade of overwork, fidgety food and a sensory overload of noise and neon, British expat Steve Tallon needed a break from Japan. So he took a world map, drew a line between London and Tokyo and wondered… could he cycle it? As he turned off his computer and rode the office elevator for the last time, little could he imagine that he would soon be squashing scorpions on the floors of Central Asian teahouses, cavorting with small time Uzbek mobsters and spending solitary, spectacular nights in the Gobi Desert under stars so bright they hurt. With humour, humility and cringeworthy honesty, Steve presents an entertaining from-the-saddle account of faraway desert nations, leg-thrashing mountains and eye-opening conversations from a legion of colourful characters encountered along the way. In Turn Right for Japan, follow Steve as he puffs his way into fitness, confronts loneliness and constantly doubts his resolve, yet somehow arrives in Tokyo some 10,000 hard-earned miles later. From Belgrade to Bishkek, Tabriz to Turkmenistan, fill your water bottles, saddle up and enjoy the ride!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2019
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17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 27, 2024
To Tokyo, the Hard Way
I am partial to a long distance cycle account. I've done a few long rides and challenges in the UK. 10 days, 1,000 miles John O'Groats to Lands End for example. But I was with friends, had support drivers carrying our things, no problem with accommodation, language, illness etc.
I am always in complete admiration to anyone who has the balls to dream of an audacious plan to cycle huge swathes of this planet by bike - through wild, unforgiving, unrelenting terrain, unfamiliar countries and cultures. Especially solo.
But to achieve such a feat is an incredible testament to the endurance and determination of the cyclist. To turn it into a readable, enjoyable book is another accomplishment in itself.
A good travelogue needs to communicate landscape, people, encounters, adventures, hardships, triumphs, fears, friendships and allow the reader to feel carried along with the momentum of the journey and the writing.
Chapeau to Steve Tallon. A journey that was arduous, yet reading it piqued the interest of my much younger self. At 55 I won't be cycling to Tokyo from the UK for 8 months. But my 25 year old self wishes he had.
A superb book. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.
I am partial to a long distance cycle account. I've done a few long rides and challenges in the UK. 10 days, 1,000 miles John O'Groats to Lands End for example. But I was with friends, had support drivers carrying our things, no problem with accommodation, language, illness etc.
I am always in complete admiration to anyone who has the balls to dream of an audacious plan to cycle huge swathes of this planet by bike - through wild, unforgiving, unrelenting terrain, unfamiliar countries and cultures. Especially solo.
But to achieve such a feat is an incredible testament to the endurance and determination of the cyclist. To turn it into a readable, enjoyable book is another accomplishment in itself.
A good travelogue needs to communicate landscape, people, encounters, adventures, hardships, triumphs, fears, friendships and allow the reader to feel carried along with the momentum of the journey and the writing.
Chapeau to Steve Tallon. A journey that was arduous, yet reading it piqued the interest of my much younger self. At 55 I won't be cycling to Tokyo from the UK for 8 months. But my 25 year old self wishes he had.
A superb book. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.
April 5, 2020
I read this in the midst of the corona virus pandemic when we are encouraged to stay inside and not go out. I’m grateful for this book, which provided a much needed and welcome escape from the four walls of my living room, transporting me into an exotic and far off world that I know very little about.
For me the highlight of the book is his passage from Turkey through Central Asia. These countries and people’s are totally unfamiliar to me and I enjoyed his descriptions of the terrain, the people he met, their customs, or history. I often felt that I was with him on the road, and, as I sat on my sofa, I was imaging the bazaars of Iran, the mountains and roads of the Ayni pass in Tajikistan, the orange glow of dusk outside a village in Kyrgystan or other such places that in all likelihood I’ll never probably visit myself. I like the photos that are in the book, and I often found myself supplementing these by looking closely at google maps and Wikipedia to learn and see more of these faraway and alien lands; or I made little notes and placeholders to check and investigate later on.
In a way I would have expected a more isolated and lonely ride, but there is very profound human element to the book. Of course there are also tales of bribery, attempted robbery, or delinquents getting in the way, but for the most part wherever he goes he seems to meet interesting and mostly kind people. I like these little vignettes of human interaction and kindness encountered throughout the journey.
Given some of the roads he passed along, the strain such a ride can place on your health, dietary challenges, the extremes of the climate, tornados, and the things he experienced and encountered on the way, I think we are very lucky that he could live to tell the tale in the form of this book.
This is a delightful book, that is highly enjoyable and an immersive read.
For me the highlight of the book is his passage from Turkey through Central Asia. These countries and people’s are totally unfamiliar to me and I enjoyed his descriptions of the terrain, the people he met, their customs, or history. I often felt that I was with him on the road, and, as I sat on my sofa, I was imaging the bazaars of Iran, the mountains and roads of the Ayni pass in Tajikistan, the orange glow of dusk outside a village in Kyrgystan or other such places that in all likelihood I’ll never probably visit myself. I like the photos that are in the book, and I often found myself supplementing these by looking closely at google maps and Wikipedia to learn and see more of these faraway and alien lands; or I made little notes and placeholders to check and investigate later on.
In a way I would have expected a more isolated and lonely ride, but there is very profound human element to the book. Of course there are also tales of bribery, attempted robbery, or delinquents getting in the way, but for the most part wherever he goes he seems to meet interesting and mostly kind people. I like these little vignettes of human interaction and kindness encountered throughout the journey.
Given some of the roads he passed along, the strain such a ride can place on your health, dietary challenges, the extremes of the climate, tornados, and the things he experienced and encountered on the way, I think we are very lucky that he could live to tell the tale in the form of this book.
This is a delightful book, that is highly enjoyable and an immersive read.
December 23, 2024
I read this as I'm interested in any cycling, bikepacking, biketouring, on the famous silk road. The idea fascinates me.
While it was interesting & informative, as a female cyclist, I found myself not being able to relate to the very male (obviously) aspects of this adventure. It was all very bro, mates, brethren & felt very male dominant, with some uncomfortable encounters ...and I did wonder if it would be a very different experience, or even a safe experience, for a female solo cyclist. I felt disconnected.
Still, a fairly enjoyable read.
While it was interesting & informative, as a female cyclist, I found myself not being able to relate to the very male (obviously) aspects of this adventure. It was all very bro, mates, brethren & felt very male dominant, with some uncomfortable encounters ...and I did wonder if it would be a very different experience, or even a safe experience, for a female solo cyclist. I felt disconnected.
Still, a fairly enjoyable read.
August 31, 2023
Somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me. Would recommend if the idea sounds up your alley
Interesting book and journey; quite an accomplishment. It makes biking the silk road feel achievable and once the author gets in stride it feels vivid. I think the best parts are the journey through the -stans.
I found 2 things in the book not suited for me. There are parts where the author tries to be cute and, for me, they were a bit eye-rolling. These instances took me out of the journey and made me feel like I was reading a high-school essay. Fortunately there were few instances of this. A couple times in Europe he talks about going separate ways from a companion and says something to the effect of "they turned left, and I, I turned right for Japan." A little off-putting to me, but each their own.
The other thing was, and maybe I am reading in to this too much, the British attitude towards some things. I think Steve seems pretty open over-all. You have to be to take this trip and live abroad, right? But still, some descriptions seemed... contemptuous? As the journey progresses I think there was less of this. Perhaps also there were less people encountered. Again, not broadly reflective of the book.
Worth the read I think. There are sections that are mentally transporting. The journey is inspiring. The writing is not bad, especially given that this is Steve's only work. Engaging throughout and didn't overstay its welcome.
Interesting book and journey; quite an accomplishment. It makes biking the silk road feel achievable and once the author gets in stride it feels vivid. I think the best parts are the journey through the -stans.
I found 2 things in the book not suited for me. There are parts where the author tries to be cute and, for me, they were a bit eye-rolling. These instances took me out of the journey and made me feel like I was reading a high-school essay. Fortunately there were few instances of this. A couple times in Europe he talks about going separate ways from a companion and says something to the effect of "they turned left, and I, I turned right for Japan." A little off-putting to me, but each their own.
The other thing was, and maybe I am reading in to this too much, the British attitude towards some things. I think Steve seems pretty open over-all. You have to be to take this trip and live abroad, right? But still, some descriptions seemed... contemptuous? As the journey progresses I think there was less of this. Perhaps also there were less people encountered. Again, not broadly reflective of the book.
Worth the read I think. There are sections that are mentally transporting. The journey is inspiring. The writing is not bad, especially given that this is Steve's only work. Engaging throughout and didn't overstay its welcome.
September 13, 2024
Thoroughly good read
Steve Tallon transported me along the way on every step/pedal of his journey. What a crazy but uplifting thing to have done.
My only criticism is that there could have been a bit of extra care taken in the proof reading of the transcription to kindle.
Otherwise I thoroughly recommend this book.
Steve Tallon transported me along the way on every step/pedal of his journey. What a crazy but uplifting thing to have done.
My only criticism is that there could have been a bit of extra care taken in the proof reading of the transcription to kindle.
Otherwise I thoroughly recommend this book.
March 24, 2021
Cracking read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like adventure travel diaries, have ever dreamed of heading out on bicycle or just travelling long distances then you are in for a treat. Some great humour throughout and the author's rather rye view on things had me in stitches at times.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews