Vagabond

by Jeremy James

Having bought two horses from gypsies at a fair in southern Bulgaria, Jeremy James set out with Chumpie, the first of his travelling companions, to ride to Romania. Travelling on horseback gives you a different perspective from any other form of transport because, as Jeremy says, ‘if you go by train or car, the world rushes past you, and you don’t even get to smell it. But if you travel on a horse you feel the world as you move through it, every step, every scent, every breeze, every dimple in the ground, and it’s always fresh. I’d sooner go with a horse than leg it because the horse drives you into village he’s a point of reference, something to focus on.” Encountering a marvellous gallery of characters, Jeremy reveals the humorous side of Eastern European low-life, from gypsies to farmhands from Bulgaria to Berlin, by way of Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and East Germany. This is the story of five months’ effort to get along with little vocabulary, not much money, fiery booze, indigestible food, two more travelling companions―André Bubear in Romania, then Gavin Douglas in Czechoslovakia―and a pair of highly entertaining horses who steal, run away, carry on conversations, plot, kick, bite, hoard food, carry hitch-hikers and jog along at the centre of a marvellously readable tale. Jeremy finds himself frequently at odds, but irrevocably attached to his horses, conferring on one a knighthood, much to the annoyance of the other. Vagabond is a refreshing, witty and often surprising view of Eastern Europe and the collapse of communism, literally straight from the horse’s mouth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

244 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 1991

About the author

JJ has spent his life working in developing countries with cattle and horses, and once, with Rendili, Masai, Samburu and Somali drovers walked a herd of 86 camels from Somalia to Tanzania. In the 1990s, during the last stages of the Balkan Wars, he ran the State Lipizzaner Stud in Bosnia. He has worked with horses of burden in economically deprived communities across the world: from the rubbish dumps of Mexico city to the gharry horses of Ethiopia, from the horses of the Hmong people of Northern Vietnam, the working horses of the Fijian tropical interior, the tonga horses of Lahore, to the village horses of Eastern Turkey and of Morocco. He has travelled on horseback, writes about horses although from a different perspective from the norm. He has contributed material to broadsheets, magazines, television, film and radio embracing within his interests, art, history, vernacular architecture and more abstract matters, usually with some rural slant. Having had the great good fortune to have been born and brought up in Kenya and having worked with rural peoples and their animals all around the world he has developed his own outlook on man's association with the natural world, which both informs and is reflected in, his work.

Reviews

[IG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man rides a horse across Eastern Europe. That's about all I knew about it. I hoped it would be entertaining. It turned out to be one on the most sincere and heartfelt books I have read in a long time. The most intimate look I have ever had into Communist Eastern Europe. Hilarious, sad, and heartwarming.

[Soad · Rating 5 out of 5]

To know Jeremy James, you’d have to read Saddletramp before you start on this journey. Half reluctant and nervous Jeremy sets out to ride across Eastern Europe after the fall of communism with nothing but the bare necessities, which according to him are barer than usual. Two horses,Chumpie and some food. His adventure begins in Bulgaria with Dim lights, and the band of Gypsies that seem to never leave Jeremy. Through mountain passes and dying villages jeremy weaves his way into Romania where he meets up with the debut of his many traveling partners. It’s here we get to know his horses more as a pair Karo and Pusa. With a clarity of a philosopher Jeremy James describes the people of each country he passes. Grounding stereotypes and seeing only the best Hungary, Transylvania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and finally East and West Germany. Jeremy James writing gives you an air of perseverance against any obstacle -be it communism or a crane.
Without giving much away I recommend to whom ever read Saddletramp to complete the adventure with Vagabond, which is completely different but just as much a pilgrimage. In fact that is what these rides are pilgrimages across lands and species and societies deemed undesirable but through the well crafted and genuinely honest writing of Jeremy James each has their own eccentric personality. I guarantee you will never regret reading Jeremy James.

[Lyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a laugh out loud funny account of a Brit doing a long distance horse back ride through eastern europe during the fall of communism in 1990. It's a great story of a guy and two horses traveling through an interesting part of the world during a very interesting time. Published by the small "long riders guild" publishing company, there is nothing polished or professional about the book, which is part of its charm.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I bought this and saddletramp at the same time and read them during my Easter holidays. I love how Jeremy James cares for his horses and the observations he makes along his journey. I also love his writing style, he made be laugh and cry. Only 5 books have ever done this and 3 of them are his!