What do you think?
Rate this book
India: The Shimmering Dream: The First Overland Journey to India by Motorcycle in 1933
This is a truly great travel adventure through Iraq, Iran and Baluchistan to India in 1933. But what really sets this book apart are the wonderful descriptions of the people and cultures, now nearly forgotten, but still hugely relevant in today's all brought evocatively to life by the wonderful photos from 1933. At that time, the idea of traveling to India on a motorbike through the deserts was considered impossible; there were no roads and they were attempting to cross the burning deserts in the middle of August, on a tiny two-stroke motorcycle with barely enough power for the bike and rider, let alone a pillion passenger! Gripping stuff, yet perceptive and full of drama - definitely a must for all travel and motorcycle enthusiasts.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
19 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 21, 2019
A great travel book of 2 young men on a motorcycle going where no motorcycle has gone before in 1933. It is a colorful tale of these 2 youths and their adventures from Austria to India through the deserts and valleys of the Middle East. A light-hearted and humorous tale, which is good for the soul.
March 2, 2015
As a motorcycle traveller I am naturally drawn to this sort of book and picked up my copy of 'India the Shimmering Dream' from Gordon May down at the Bike Show in Excel last month. The book tells the tale of two young Austrian chaps who were the first people to ride from Europe to India on a Motorcycle; in their case two-up on a 6bhp, 250cc two-stroke Puch.
Back in 1933, there was no continuous road network through Asia, so they mostly had to forge a trail across mountains and desert. The result is a truly magnificent travelogue that is quite simply in a class of its own. It is such an inspiring story, full of great yarns that utterly immerse the reader, plonking you straight on the road to India through some amazing scrapes and landscapes. A stunning read!
Back in 1933, there was no continuous road network through Asia, so they mostly had to forge a trail across mountains and desert. The result is a truly magnificent travelogue that is quite simply in a class of its own. It is such an inspiring story, full of great yarns that utterly immerse the reader, plonking you straight on the road to India through some amazing scrapes and landscapes. A stunning read!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews