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The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East
ONE WOMAN, ONE BIKE AND ONE RICHLY ENTERTAINING, PERCEPTION-ALTERING JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.
In 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off on her bicycle across the Middle East. Driven by a desire to learn more about this troubled region and its relationship with the West, Lowe's 11,000-kilometre journey took her through Europe to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran.
It was an odyssey through landscapes and history that captured her heart, but also a deeply challenging cycle across mountains, deserts and repressive police states that nearly defeated her. Plagued by punctures and battling temperatures ranging from -6 to 48C, Lowe was rescued frequently by farmers and refugees, villagers and urbanites alike, and relied almost entirely on the kindness and hospitality of locals to complete this living portrait of the modern Middle East.
This is her evocative, deeply researched and often very funny account of her travels - and the people, politics and culture she encountered.
In 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off on her bicycle across the Middle East. Driven by a desire to learn more about this troubled region and its relationship with the West, Lowe's 11,000-kilometre journey took her through Europe to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran.
It was an odyssey through landscapes and history that captured her heart, but also a deeply challenging cycle across mountains, deserts and repressive police states that nearly defeated her. Plagued by punctures and battling temperatures ranging from -6 to 48C, Lowe was rescued frequently by farmers and refugees, villagers and urbanites alike, and relied almost entirely on the kindness and hospitality of locals to complete this living portrait of the modern Middle East.
This is her evocative, deeply researched and often very funny account of her travels - and the people, politics and culture she encountered.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 10, 2022
What a fascinating bike packing travel book! Rebecca Lowe describes her 2015 bike trip from London to Teheran – through as many Muslim countries as possible – with so much warmth, humor and knowledge. Having completed a bike trip from Holland to Istanbul in Patrick Leigh Fermor‘s footsteps myself last year this type of travel is dear to me. I very much enjoyed Paddy Fermor‘s account (in three books) of his journey in 1933 and also Nick Hunt‘s account of the same journey in 2011. What sets Rebecca Lowe‘s account of her journey apart is her focus on Muslim countries. The sheer courage to undertake such a journey on her own is impressive. Seeing these countries and their competently summarized histories through the eyes of a single woman on a bicycle is unique. Lowe describes her encounters with hundreds of different people – from poor families in remote villages to students and human and female rights activists – with such passion and a self-deprecating humor so that we see these countries not through the newspaper headlines but through the eyes and voices of the people that live there.
September 15, 2023
The author is a journalist who was reporting on the refugee crisis in Syria. In 2015 she decided to cycle from London to Tehran. Her route takes her across Europe, through Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Sudan, and then to Oman ( as Saudi Arabia didn’t issue tourist visas), the UAE, and finally Iran.
Her achievement is humbling and her grit and determination admirable. Not only does she nearly die out in the desert but in some of these countries a woman cycling on her own is unheard of and there are moments of danger.
She’s a great writer, and humorous too. The cycling makes up only a small part of the book. A great deal of it is about the history, culture and politics of the countries she visits and the people she meets. I found it all very interesting but if you want a book about the cycling only, you’d likely be disappointed.
The last third of the book is about Iran, a country I didn’t realise was so big - about the size of Europe. The people are hospitable, and even the religious ones seem unfazed when she tells them she is agnostic. She tries to determine support for the regime. Most appear to dislike it but equally Iranians of all persuasions tend to be suspicious of the West, and with good reason.
In the early 1900s Britain used its power to establish an unfair deal for the country's oil, paying Iran little in return. In the 1950s, the democratically elected Prime Minister, Mossadegh, demanded better terms and, when refused, threatened to nationalise oil production. Britain with the help of the CIA organised a coup to install the Shah as their virtual puppet, ultimately leading to the 1979 revolution and his overthrow. The author speculates that if we hadn’t interfered, Iran might have become a stable, democratic country instead of the loose canon it is today. She probably has a point.
The author concludes her account commenting that throughout the Middle East what has struck her most is the kindness of the people. She also notes the USA and Iran, despite their differences, share many characteristics - 'generosity, charity and gluttony, both are consumerist and materialistic, patriotic and proud. Both take their God seriously. Both are divided and insecure.' A really good read.
Her achievement is humbling and her grit and determination admirable. Not only does she nearly die out in the desert but in some of these countries a woman cycling on her own is unheard of and there are moments of danger.
She’s a great writer, and humorous too. The cycling makes up only a small part of the book. A great deal of it is about the history, culture and politics of the countries she visits and the people she meets. I found it all very interesting but if you want a book about the cycling only, you’d likely be disappointed.
The last third of the book is about Iran, a country I didn’t realise was so big - about the size of Europe. The people are hospitable, and even the religious ones seem unfazed when she tells them she is agnostic. She tries to determine support for the regime. Most appear to dislike it but equally Iranians of all persuasions tend to be suspicious of the West, and with good reason.
In the early 1900s Britain used its power to establish an unfair deal for the country's oil, paying Iran little in return. In the 1950s, the democratically elected Prime Minister, Mossadegh, demanded better terms and, when refused, threatened to nationalise oil production. Britain with the help of the CIA organised a coup to install the Shah as their virtual puppet, ultimately leading to the 1979 revolution and his overthrow. The author speculates that if we hadn’t interfered, Iran might have become a stable, democratic country instead of the loose canon it is today. She probably has a point.
The author concludes her account commenting that throughout the Middle East what has struck her most is the kindness of the people. She also notes the USA and Iran, despite their differences, share many characteristics - 'generosity, charity and gluttony, both are consumerist and materialistic, patriotic and proud. Both take their God seriously. Both are divided and insecure.' A really good read.
September 12, 2024
It was in 2012 I started hosting touring cyclist through warmshowers.org. It is a milestone of my life. The people that I've met added so much for my "personal development". The experiences I had with whom I met through warmshowers is embedded in my soul forever. Hosting people is one one the best things I've done in my life.
I hosted the author on her return journey in 2015, but that's not the reason I gave the book five stars. It's because it's a great, and honest travelouge, tough I'll also have some criticisms!
I'll divide this review into a three sections:
-> On being a a woman: I think this book reflects the challanges of being a woman very sharply. Lowe should be praised for her sheer bravity (maybe mixed with a pinch of naivety). As someone enjoys hiking, cycling, hitchiking, and camping, probably I wouldn't be able to do all those with my current "relaxed" attitude, were I a woman!. Never I worry about being "discovered" when wild camping- in fact I just go to villages and ask for a place to pitch my tent from a muhtar. This book reflects how hard, annoying and possibly dangerous it can be, being a lone woman in the city, yet in the wilderness.
-> On Cycle Touring: For reasons that are pretty clear, cycle touring is a great, great way for exploration and communication as a means of travel transport. As a cycle tourer, I think the author reflects the daily life of touring very clearly and realistically; especially daily encounters. Cycling is travelling with a "white flag" already spinning in the wind- I can't think of someone cycle touring who has "bad intentions". This makes communication with humans from different worlds very easy, and this is reflected in the text very well, as the author's conversations with the folks she randomly speaks to reflect the social (and economical divide) in the countries of the region accurately. For everyone who supports or damnes a governemnt, you would meet another who thinks exactly the opposite, and that's how world is.
This type of random communication with strangers has one downside: it is challenging to make any deep/intellectual conversation possible (if the person has any potential to make such a talk of course). Most of the communications while cycle touring is limited to a very shallow introduction phase, and the questions and their answers are very standard, almost from a template. For political topics, which the author is geniuniely interested in, it's easy to ask if one likes Erdoğan, Atatürk, or if they are a believer, and get straight answers to those. However, I believe a deeper analysis is required to understand the social divisions, friction and unions in the society, and this standard yes/no questions are not helpful understand the "fault lines" of the countries.
-> On Political Analysis: Does one who travels would be most elightened or who reads? I guess you have to do both. Is reading the political history of a country enough to undersntand it? I wouldn't believe so. It would be like reading a TV's users manual, but never seeing the colors on the screen, and what that tv can reflect. So it's crutial to travel too. But without reading the history of the country, I understanding the behaviour of societies is not easy. For that sense, I think I would recommend two good books to supply Lowe's book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... and
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Also, I clearly remember discussing the death of rahmetli Tahir Elçi with the author. From what I've seen from the camera shots of the event, the killing was not a stage performed by the state to execute Mr Elçi, but rather an "wrong place wrong time" event. Although I respect her friendship with Mr Elçi, claiming that "...he as been shot and killed for his beleifs..." is unfair: Turkey progressively switched from the contragerilla state it was before to the present day. I am not claiming that today Turkey is at the "ideal" levels of freedom of speech etc. But Turkey has taken a lot of way in the past 30 years.
I also sometimes felt a bit annoyed by the author's romantic views of "freedom", "revolt" and "people taking the streets" etc etc. Especially in Turkey, this attitude is at least as authotarian then the states themselves. Not every country should have a queen or a king, as in the Uk: at Turkey, long ago got rid of monarchy, but never would I think of visit UK and wish there would be a revolution and Mr. Charles kicked in the ass and the properties of the monarch given the people. I think it's brits own business. And getting rid of the current government is Turkiye'lilerin own business. I am not the biggest fan of Mr Erdoğan, tough I'd prefer someone whom we, as members of the republic choose among alternatives, which we are doing right now. Thank you. :) Nowadays, there are A LOT of people taking the streets of cities in the UK, and all I can say that, as far as my experiences say, this type of protests just lead to worse events. I think this is reflected at in Pickwick club.
-> As a Travelouge: I think the author really enjoyed Iran: all the chapters across, that's where more and more paragraphs are dedicated to people, and not cycling itself.
Other notes:
- Her Turkey teahouse experiences were authentic :)
- IMF is dancing happily when Egyptians are malnutritioned
- The ass pinching event... Ahh I can't decide whom I pity more...
- Sahara is your toliet: reminds me of Sapolsky in Africa, when the entire village gathers around him as he's doing his poo :)
- Europeans would neven understand why Dubai IS charming
- There was good retrospective in Britain's terrible crimes and acts in the region.
- Is BBC truly natural???
- What do we value more? Democracy? Or a strong state?
- Google Maps changes gulf name
- There is so much pro-regime people in Iran. And it's entirely understandable.
- Shoes in the house: ultimate sign of liberalism!
- When at Iran, I was also surprised that revolution has negative implications there (oppoaite of Turkey)
- Iranians complaining about new metro lines hahahaha
Sorry for the terrible English, didn't do editing kehkehkeh
And when you have a puncture, it's not a Fııssssss, it's a "yusssssssu....ffff".. Sounds like a quiet but smelly fart.
I hosted the author on her return journey in 2015, but that's not the reason I gave the book five stars. It's because it's a great, and honest travelouge, tough I'll also have some criticisms!
I'll divide this review into a three sections:
-> On being a a woman: I think this book reflects the challanges of being a woman very sharply. Lowe should be praised for her sheer bravity (maybe mixed with a pinch of naivety). As someone enjoys hiking, cycling, hitchiking, and camping, probably I wouldn't be able to do all those with my current "relaxed" attitude, were I a woman!. Never I worry about being "discovered" when wild camping- in fact I just go to villages and ask for a place to pitch my tent from a muhtar. This book reflects how hard, annoying and possibly dangerous it can be, being a lone woman in the city, yet in the wilderness.
-> On Cycle Touring: For reasons that are pretty clear, cycle touring is a great, great way for exploration and communication as a means of travel transport. As a cycle tourer, I think the author reflects the daily life of touring very clearly and realistically; especially daily encounters. Cycling is travelling with a "white flag" already spinning in the wind- I can't think of someone cycle touring who has "bad intentions". This makes communication with humans from different worlds very easy, and this is reflected in the text very well, as the author's conversations with the folks she randomly speaks to reflect the social (and economical divide) in the countries of the region accurately. For everyone who supports or damnes a governemnt, you would meet another who thinks exactly the opposite, and that's how world is.
This type of random communication with strangers has one downside: it is challenging to make any deep/intellectual conversation possible (if the person has any potential to make such a talk of course). Most of the communications while cycle touring is limited to a very shallow introduction phase, and the questions and their answers are very standard, almost from a template. For political topics, which the author is geniuniely interested in, it's easy to ask if one likes Erdoğan, Atatürk, or if they are a believer, and get straight answers to those. However, I believe a deeper analysis is required to understand the social divisions, friction and unions in the society, and this standard yes/no questions are not helpful understand the "fault lines" of the countries.
-> On Political Analysis: Does one who travels would be most elightened or who reads? I guess you have to do both. Is reading the political history of a country enough to undersntand it? I wouldn't believe so. It would be like reading a TV's users manual, but never seeing the colors on the screen, and what that tv can reflect. So it's crutial to travel too. But without reading the history of the country, I understanding the behaviour of societies is not easy. For that sense, I think I would recommend two good books to supply Lowe's book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... and
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Also, I clearly remember discussing the death of rahmetli Tahir Elçi with the author. From what I've seen from the camera shots of the event, the killing was not a stage performed by the state to execute Mr Elçi, but rather an "wrong place wrong time" event. Although I respect her friendship with Mr Elçi, claiming that "...he as been shot and killed for his beleifs..." is unfair: Turkey progressively switched from the contragerilla state it was before to the present day. I am not claiming that today Turkey is at the "ideal" levels of freedom of speech etc. But Turkey has taken a lot of way in the past 30 years.
I also sometimes felt a bit annoyed by the author's romantic views of "freedom", "revolt" and "people taking the streets" etc etc. Especially in Turkey, this attitude is at least as authotarian then the states themselves. Not every country should have a queen or a king, as in the Uk: at Turkey, long ago got rid of monarchy, but never would I think of visit UK and wish there would be a revolution and Mr. Charles kicked in the ass and the properties of the monarch given the people. I think it's brits own business. And getting rid of the current government is Turkiye'lilerin own business. I am not the biggest fan of Mr Erdoğan, tough I'd prefer someone whom we, as members of the republic choose among alternatives, which we are doing right now. Thank you. :) Nowadays, there are A LOT of people taking the streets of cities in the UK, and all I can say that, as far as my experiences say, this type of protests just lead to worse events. I think this is reflected at in Pickwick club.
-> As a Travelouge: I think the author really enjoyed Iran: all the chapters across, that's where more and more paragraphs are dedicated to people, and not cycling itself.
Other notes:
- Her Turkey teahouse experiences were authentic :)
- IMF is dancing happily when Egyptians are malnutritioned
- The ass pinching event... Ahh I can't decide whom I pity more...
- Sahara is your toliet: reminds me of Sapolsky in Africa, when the entire village gathers around him as he's doing his poo :)
- Europeans would neven understand why Dubai IS charming
- There was good retrospective in Britain's terrible crimes and acts in the region.
- Is BBC truly natural???
- What do we value more? Democracy? Or a strong state?
- Google Maps changes gulf name
- There is so much pro-regime people in Iran. And it's entirely understandable.
- Shoes in the house: ultimate sign of liberalism!
- When at Iran, I was also surprised that revolution has negative implications there (oppoaite of Turkey)
- Iranians complaining about new metro lines hahahaha
Sorry for the terrible English, didn't do editing kehkehkeh
And when you have a puncture, it's not a Fııssssss, it's a "yusssssssu....ffff".. Sounds like a quiet but smelly fart.
June 11, 2022
This story is a little crazy. The author is a British journalist who decides somewhat on a whim to cycle from London, through Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, to Tehran. Along the way she meets many local people and gets a deeper perspective on Islam and some of the governments of the countries she cycles through. I learned a lot and enjoyed hearing about the people she met and their hospitality. I appreciated her showing that the people of these regions are not their autocratic governments, as Western media often portrays them to be. As she writes, “Almost everyone, everywhere, was human, with all their flaws and whimsical variation – doing what human beings do.”
She is very knowledgeable about the region but a lot of the history and context was presented presuming the reader had some prior knowledge so I found myself pausing to look up a LOT of names, places, and history.
Also I know this isn’t the point of the book at all but I was so curious about some of the logistical aspects of her journey. How did she find her way around, when in many places she wasn’t even really on a road? How did she feel the many times she got lost and find the stamina to follow unpromising looking paths? How did she eat and drink along the way when she was in remote areas? What was it like to return to England after months of living out of her panniers and on the hospitality of strangers? These aspects of the book left me wanting more.
She is very knowledgeable about the region but a lot of the history and context was presented presuming the reader had some prior knowledge so I found myself pausing to look up a LOT of names, places, and history.
Also I know this isn’t the point of the book at all but I was so curious about some of the logistical aspects of her journey. How did she find her way around, when in many places she wasn’t even really on a road? How did she feel the many times she got lost and find the stamina to follow unpromising looking paths? How did she eat and drink along the way when she was in remote areas? What was it like to return to England after months of living out of her panniers and on the hospitality of strangers? These aspects of the book left me wanting more.
May 19, 2022
An enlightening read that challenged my perceptions on the people and culture of the Middle East. Full of pathos and in places genuinely funny, it is a great read for both cycling fans, and those who want to explore this fascinating region from an alternative perspective.
March 7, 2023
First off, a monumental achievement to the author for this journey, being a woman (not because I don't think the sheer physical feat is unattainable by a woman, but because she several times is accosted, not because it is the Middle East, I think venturing alone like that anywhere in the world you'd encounter that), and from what I can glean from the book, she has the characteristics I like in a person and I'd easily befriend her.
There's no doubt about her talent as a writer/journalist/reporter - the final chapter of the book, where she spends a month in Tehran is a testament to that. I'd easily read more of her if she was doing just that - spending time in one place, mixing with the locals on both political spectrums and eating the local fare. However, the majority of the book is about her 11,000 km cycling journey, where naturally she can't afford to spend a great deal of time in any one place, thus what you get are some brief historical highlights of the country, it's political climate, and a short account of hosts that have taken her in for the night. To me, those parts were too light on substance. Even the day to day cycling narrative felt under examined. I can't really blame her, cycling +/- 100 km a day in a desert of course takes its toll, and she probably ran out of energy to write and document everything adequately. Maybe I'm being too harsh, I can hardly write myself on a full battery.
There's no doubt about her talent as a writer/journalist/reporter - the final chapter of the book, where she spends a month in Tehran is a testament to that. I'd easily read more of her if she was doing just that - spending time in one place, mixing with the locals on both political spectrums and eating the local fare. However, the majority of the book is about her 11,000 km cycling journey, where naturally she can't afford to spend a great deal of time in any one place, thus what you get are some brief historical highlights of the country, it's political climate, and a short account of hosts that have taken her in for the night. To me, those parts were too light on substance. Even the day to day cycling narrative felt under examined. I can't really blame her, cycling +/- 100 km a day in a desert of course takes its toll, and she probably ran out of energy to write and document everything adequately. Maybe I'm being too harsh, I can hardly write myself on a full battery.
June 21, 2022
What a pain to finish this book! It seems an A level essay.
I've bought it thinking it was a bicycle travel book, I was warned in the introduction that it was something else completely. It is a research on Middle East and Muslim culture. Since I'm interested in the subject I carried on only to regret it.
I found it written very badly like a student trying to show off the few things she picked up from the lessons:
- random unusual word just found in the dictionary
- excessive use of notes (more then 100!)
- only one rhetorical expedient used all the time: changing subject suddenly, throwing you in the middle of a complete different matter and just few sentences after telling you what's happening. The first time it might create suspense and interest but at the umpteenth time is just unsettling.
I forced myself to finish the book just because of the subject but I feel I've wasted my time.
I've bought it thinking it was a bicycle travel book, I was warned in the introduction that it was something else completely. It is a research on Middle East and Muslim culture. Since I'm interested in the subject I carried on only to regret it.
I found it written very badly like a student trying to show off the few things she picked up from the lessons:
- random unusual word just found in the dictionary
- excessive use of notes (more then 100!)
- only one rhetorical expedient used all the time: changing subject suddenly, throwing you in the middle of a complete different matter and just few sentences after telling you what's happening. The first time it might create suspense and interest but at the umpteenth time is just unsettling.
I forced myself to finish the book just because of the subject but I feel I've wasted my time.
September 20, 2022
I really wanted to love this book, I love cycling and I love travel adventure, but I found this book hardwork. I found Rebecca made me feel a bit annoyed as I read. She wasn't prepared to ride such a distance, to the point she got her bike the day before she left and had done very little if any training. She got herself in a number of tricky situations, particularly with men. Getting into their trucks and then having her breasts felt and drinking heavily with groups of men which, to me, seemed inappropriate and unwise in middle Eastern countries.
October 19, 2022
Rebecca Lowe tells the story of her year-long 2015 bicycle trip from England to Tehran. She traveled through a number of countries I would be afraid to visit, couch surfing and staying with friends of friends along the way. The final chapter about her time Tehran is particularly interesting in light of the 2022 riots happening in that city. I saw some seeds of the current unrest in the scenes and people she encountered. Overall this was a fascinating book.
Many thanks to Dave of the Library of Lost Time podcast for talking about this book on a recent episode.
Many thanks to Dave of the Library of Lost Time podcast for talking about this book on a recent episode.
March 7, 2025
I choose to read this book for lots of reasons - a women travelling through so many countries which I am interested in, and the fact it was a solo bike ride. It took me a long time to get through it which I think was mainly to do with the amount of historical and political references and notes included, and wanting to absorb that as well as Rebecca’s personal experiences. Very glad that I finished it - the motivation being that the chapters on Iran were the ones which made me pick it up in the first place.
April 2, 2022
An enlightening, humbling, and amusing tale of a solo jaunt from the UK to the Middle East by the author.
On a bike.
It was almost enough to get me off the sofa for a ride round town. But then I remembered I still had Cobra Kai on my watchlist. Next week maybe.
On a bike.
It was almost enough to get me off the sofa for a ride round town. But then I remembered I still had Cobra Kai on my watchlist. Next week maybe.
December 6, 2022
A wonderful read! I'm fascinated by bike touring AND this region, so it was a perfect fit for me. Good mix of politics and history and personal travels. Might have to buy a copy, I borrowed it from the library.
March 4, 2024
3.5 stars! Very humorous and a fascinating story. Tough beach read because there was soooo much info and I wanted to google to learn more. What an awesome journey!
September 23, 2025
I really enjoyed the interactions with the local people on the journey. The hospitality and the varied customs. I did find my mind wandering during the occasional historical deep dive. Would recommend to people who like adventure and looking to read about day to day life in the Middle East.
May 23, 2022
An extremely well researched account of the writer’s epic journey to Iran. An enjoyable read of this real life adventure. Some fascinating insights into the areas travelled through many of which are maligned or misunderstood in the West.
Brian McCormack
Brian McCormack
March 15, 2022
A thoroughly enjoyable account of an epic bicycle journey across Europe and through desert regions to Iran, one of the world's least understood — or perhaps most misunderstood — countries. It's funny, inspiring, and packed full of history and encounters with interesting people.
November 9, 2025
I’m so often impressed by the beauty and detail with which writers transmit their tales. Uncovering high quality books is easy; you’ll find endless Must-Read lists and carefully curated bookshop shelves ringing with endorsements. For that reason, I'm generous with my 4-star reviews but few can reach the heights of this bonafide 5-star gem.
The Long Road to Tehran is perceptive, intricate, evocative, nostalgic and heart warmingly beautiful. Lowe mixes historical research with authentic local opinion, swirling mythology with colourful images and ornately descriptive passages. You’ll be swept into the heart of the Middle East, transported as if by a wizened guide through an array of ancient cultures, clothes and customs. It’s a shimmering testament to the diversity and variation of Islamic peoples. A scoff in the face of Western propaganda which seeks to stereotype and obfuscate the true heart of the Iranian people. And all this within one set of neatly bound pages.
The thing that struck me most of all was the sheer number of perspectives she gathered, interviewing all from the least material rich goatherds to the elite human rights lawyers and everything in between. The benefits of a journalist’s contacts were clearly evident and each interaction adds another ingredient to a platter of delicious flavours.
The author is not one for blind praise for those she encounters, and whilst engaging with and learning from the people she meets she also challenges them and clarifies their words in ways that provoke reflection. Bristling against traditional female expectations and bureaucratic overreach.
As for the cycling, it really is a subplot to her immersion in culture. I’ve long been an advocate of this method of travel which allows one to flit between communities and landscapes with a few hours of focused leg work and and absorbent towel to dry the rivulets of sweat. The benefits are evident from the structure of the story that Lowe is able to tell (as well as in her repeatedly referenced sun burned and newly muscled legs). And travelling Europe and the Middle East as a solo female? Despite unfortunate safety concerns in certain moments, her experience was vastly more positive than negative.
Traveloguing is not in short supply, thousands of blogs are published daily recounting stories from the red rock of Argentina to the lush forests of Borneo. But it’s rare that it’s this eye-poppingly good.
The Long Road to Tehran is perceptive, intricate, evocative, nostalgic and heart warmingly beautiful. Lowe mixes historical research with authentic local opinion, swirling mythology with colourful images and ornately descriptive passages. You’ll be swept into the heart of the Middle East, transported as if by a wizened guide through an array of ancient cultures, clothes and customs. It’s a shimmering testament to the diversity and variation of Islamic peoples. A scoff in the face of Western propaganda which seeks to stereotype and obfuscate the true heart of the Iranian people. And all this within one set of neatly bound pages.
The thing that struck me most of all was the sheer number of perspectives she gathered, interviewing all from the least material rich goatherds to the elite human rights lawyers and everything in between. The benefits of a journalist’s contacts were clearly evident and each interaction adds another ingredient to a platter of delicious flavours.
The author is not one for blind praise for those she encounters, and whilst engaging with and learning from the people she meets she also challenges them and clarifies their words in ways that provoke reflection. Bristling against traditional female expectations and bureaucratic overreach.
As for the cycling, it really is a subplot to her immersion in culture. I’ve long been an advocate of this method of travel which allows one to flit between communities and landscapes with a few hours of focused leg work and and absorbent towel to dry the rivulets of sweat. The benefits are evident from the structure of the story that Lowe is able to tell (as well as in her repeatedly referenced sun burned and newly muscled legs). And travelling Europe and the Middle East as a solo female? Despite unfortunate safety concerns in certain moments, her experience was vastly more positive than negative.
Traveloguing is not in short supply, thousands of blogs are published daily recounting stories from the red rock of Argentina to the lush forests of Borneo. But it’s rare that it’s this eye-poppingly good.
August 6, 2023
A fascinating account of reporter Rebecca Lowe's 11000km journey across Europe and the Middle East on her not-always-trusty bicycle Maud, as readers we're treated to vivid descriptions of countryside and city life (Sudan and Oman were especially interesting as I hadn't read much about these places before), interesting anecdotes of the many people she met along the way, short history and culture lessons meant to dispel preheld notions of what the Arab and Persian and Islamic worlds are thought to be, little stories about solo female travellers who had done similar journeys through the area (Freya Stark and Gertrude Bell in particular), and more than a few diatribes against some steep ascent or an uneven road or a devilish trail. Her journalist training comes through in her balanced and informed accounts of the realities of life in these areas so few in the West know about, and I look forward to reading any future travelogues she writes in the future.
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October 13, 2024Is it me? Way too long but fun as it's an adventure I would never do. The author who is a journalist bikes from London to Tehran basically couch surfing and depending on others to offer accommodation. She includes snippets of history and politics that explain the poverty and turmoil in a lot of the countries she bikes through. The generosity of many people along the way is also commendable. The author has a sense of humor that comes through in her writing
November 18, 2022
Dreadful book overall.
Condescending woman from London travels to Iran via Turkey.
She spends time condemning the state of various cities and towns in the Middle East and yet people are amazing ithe kindness they show her, despite her clear contempt fo rthe people she meets.
I couldn't finish it, I planted it on library travel shelf to get rid of my bought copy.
Condescending woman from London travels to Iran via Turkey.
She spends time condemning the state of various cities and towns in the Middle East and yet people are amazing ithe kindness they show her, despite her clear contempt fo rthe people she meets.
I couldn't finish it, I planted it on library travel shelf to get rid of my bought copy.
October 14, 2024
“Slow Road to Tehran” chronicles a British journalist’s year-long bike journey from London to Iran, passing through France, the Balkans, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, and Oman. Rather than focusing on cycling, the book explores the people, places, and cultures she encounters, offering insights into Islam, local customs, and the political systems of the countries along her route.
November 5, 2023
A really fascinating and gripping to read book! You learn so much about both Europe and the Middle East and I definitely did have a lot of preconceptions blown away and really teaches you not to think about the Middle East as one vast conglomerate but helps you recognising the diversity of landscapes, people and culture across this huge region. I really enjoyed reading about her cycling adventures too and definitely feel tempted to do a long distance bike ride and just see how much my legs can power me and have that sensation of countries blurring past me.
May 18, 2022
It is a wonderful book! I read it in two days, couldn't put it down. It was fun, informative and quite exciting. And I learnt a lot about the Middle East - its history, politics and ordinary people. I was amazed how diverse that area is, and how people have coped with their ever-changing political situation. Yet they remained friendly, positive and very hospitable. I have a lot of admiration for Rebecca, the intrepid traveller! Hope she will do another book soon.
May 23, 2022
Amazing book, really easy to get in too, and kept me gripped! It also gave a fresh insight into different cultures and challenged some of my preconceived beliefs. I really enjoyed it, entertaining and insightful.
July 5, 2022
What a awesome lady. More a brief history of the middle east than a cycling journey. Enjoyed.
December 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this. A bit slow at points, but it made clear how embarrassingly little I know about the Middle East. It was a great way to start to learn both about recent events, and earlier history, with a little bit of cycling splashed in.
June 22, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
The author accomplished something incredible, cycling 11,000 miles over a year from London to Tehran. Her objective was to discover the Middle East and break down stereotypes about the region.
This book is about her journey cycling and that is understandably a lot of what she talks about, saying what feels like the same thing over and over again: punctured tires, muscular calf, overpacked bike, too many hills… when she isn’t talking about her ride, she is explaining the history and politics of each country/region she passes through.
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it was a little smaller in breadth, because I don’t think it accomplished what she set out to do. She covered so much distance that she had to sacrifice in depth of getting to know the country and locals. It’s telling that at the beginning of almost every chapter is relieved to have moved onto the next place. Maybe she should have started in Turkey instead of London because her trip through Western and Central Europe took up 80 pages or so.
The parts of the chapters dedicated to the people she encountered are very shallow - she asks a lot of questions that are meant to be “deep”, especially about their political and religious viewpoints, but her commentary and sometimes even her responses to them come across as condescending. Sort of like a “I’m open-minded so unless everyone thinks like me they must be closed-mind, what a pity for them to think differently from me.” The way she also describes people physically was at some points was rude and offensive.
The part that really made me stop reading was the incident involving the Tuk Tuk driver who smacked her butt as she cycled past. In the same chapter, she spent a good portion the criticizing police for being known as violent and overbearing but doesn’t intervene right away (and even admits to feeling satisfied) when a policeman who witnessed the incident runs the driver off the road and begins beating the driver. She does eventually tell the police to stop but only after she secretly snaps a selfie that she adds to the photo layout inside the book. (Pg 200-201). I don’t deny that it was a probably scary experience and that it would be normal to hesitate in this situation, but taking the selfie and writing that she “derived a certain amount of satisfaction at witnessing this Old Testament-style vengeance in action” was in poor taste.
I did skim the last sections of the book to see how she finished her trip but overall, this book is one to skip.
The author accomplished something incredible, cycling 11,000 miles over a year from London to Tehran. Her objective was to discover the Middle East and break down stereotypes about the region.
This book is about her journey cycling and that is understandably a lot of what she talks about, saying what feels like the same thing over and over again: punctured tires, muscular calf, overpacked bike, too many hills… when she isn’t talking about her ride, she is explaining the history and politics of each country/region she passes through.
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it was a little smaller in breadth, because I don’t think it accomplished what she set out to do. She covered so much distance that she had to sacrifice in depth of getting to know the country and locals. It’s telling that at the beginning of almost every chapter is relieved to have moved onto the next place. Maybe she should have started in Turkey instead of London because her trip through Western and Central Europe took up 80 pages or so.
The parts of the chapters dedicated to the people she encountered are very shallow - she asks a lot of questions that are meant to be “deep”, especially about their political and religious viewpoints, but her commentary and sometimes even her responses to them come across as condescending. Sort of like a “I’m open-minded so unless everyone thinks like me they must be closed-mind, what a pity for them to think differently from me.” The way she also describes people physically was at some points was rude and offensive.
The part that really made me stop reading was the incident involving the Tuk Tuk driver who smacked her butt as she cycled past. In the same chapter, she spent a good portion the criticizing police for being known as violent and overbearing but doesn’t intervene right away (and even admits to feeling satisfied) when a policeman who witnessed the incident runs the driver off the road and begins beating the driver. She does eventually tell the police to stop but only after she secretly snaps a selfie that she adds to the photo layout inside the book. (Pg 200-201). I don’t deny that it was a probably scary experience and that it would be normal to hesitate in this situation, but taking the selfie and writing that she “derived a certain amount of satisfaction at witnessing this Old Testament-style vengeance in action” was in poor taste.
I did skim the last sections of the book to see how she finished her trip but overall, this book is one to skip.
May 31, 2024
Rebecca Lowe is a journalist by trade but takes on this assignment from a unique perspective. Driven by her desire to understand the Muslim region beyond the headlines, she starts a challenge like no other—an odyssey on a bike that takes her from Europe to Iran. Throughout the story, Lowe pedals through Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan and the Gulf states.
Lowe’s adventure didn’t come easy. She faced many obstacles, including extreme conditions and encounters with questionable people and police states. However, she was determined, and with the kindness and hospitality of the local people she met along the way, she completed her first-hand living portrait of the modern Middle East.
What sets Lowe’s account apart is her focus on the individuals she meets, the histories of the countries she visits, and how the cultures uniquely developed into each own. From poor villagers to students and activists, Lowe presents a nuanced and human perspective on a region that is often misunderstood in the West.
Lowe’s writing is well-researched and journalistic, with a personal and humorous tone. While the cycling part of her journey is a central theme, much of the book is dedicated to exploring the rich history, culture, and politics of the countries she visits. Her insights into Iran, which occupies much of the book, are particularly illuminating.
The book’s main challenge is her deadline of reaching the end of her journey as quickly as possible, which leaves a lot of heavy detail for each culture but not enough context to digest it all in one book. The content is not light and is sprinkled with adult tales and language. However, the book offers a unique and enlightening perspective on the Middle East. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in travel, cycling, or gaining a deeper understanding of this complex and often misrepresented region of the world.
Lowe’s adventure didn’t come easy. She faced many obstacles, including extreme conditions and encounters with questionable people and police states. However, she was determined, and with the kindness and hospitality of the local people she met along the way, she completed her first-hand living portrait of the modern Middle East.
What sets Lowe’s account apart is her focus on the individuals she meets, the histories of the countries she visits, and how the cultures uniquely developed into each own. From poor villagers to students and activists, Lowe presents a nuanced and human perspective on a region that is often misunderstood in the West.
Lowe’s writing is well-researched and journalistic, with a personal and humorous tone. While the cycling part of her journey is a central theme, much of the book is dedicated to exploring the rich history, culture, and politics of the countries she visits. Her insights into Iran, which occupies much of the book, are particularly illuminating.
The book’s main challenge is her deadline of reaching the end of her journey as quickly as possible, which leaves a lot of heavy detail for each culture but not enough context to digest it all in one book. The content is not light and is sprinkled with adult tales and language. However, the book offers a unique and enlightening perspective on the Middle East. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in travel, cycling, or gaining a deeper understanding of this complex and often misrepresented region of the world.
February 27, 2022
really great book. I want to go to Iran!
December 3, 2023
A slow read, but probably worth the journey.
I really had to stick with this book as it was frustratingly interesting and annoying at the same time. Interesting thinking was so often undermined by the unnecessary use of uncommon words which required googling or the point was lost. Glad i stuck with it, but hard to recommend.
I really had to stick with this book as it was frustratingly interesting and annoying at the same time. Interesting thinking was so often undermined by the unnecessary use of uncommon words which required googling or the point was lost. Glad i stuck with it, but hard to recommend.
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