Alastair Humphreys: Around the World by Bike

By: Alastair Humphreys

Narrated by: Alastair Humphreys

Length: 20 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

At the age of 24, Alastair Humphreys set off to try to cycle round the world. By the time he arrived back home, four years later, he had ridden 46,000 miles across five continents on a budget of just £7,000.

From frozen Siberia tundra to the jungles of central Africa, Alastair recounts his extraordinary adventures in two parts - Moods of Future Joys and Thunder & Sunshine - brought together in audiobook for the first time.

Moods of Future Joys is the story of the first stage of this epic journey. Struggling with the enormity of the challenge he had set himself, Alastair recounts the hardships of the expedition with great honesty. His ride through Europe, a turbulent Middle East and down Africa is buoyed by the kindness of strangers and the thrill of the freedom of the open road.

In Thunder & Sunshine, Alastair continues his journey from South Africa back to Yorkshire, via the whole of the Americas, South to North, Siberia, Japan, and back through China, Central Asia and Europe.

A tale of physical and mental endurance, of taking on wilderness, loneliness and danger in a time before mobile phones and GPS - this is a refreshingly original account from one of today's great adventurers.

©2019 Alastair Humphreys (P)2019 Bonnier

Alastair, you are my guru!!!!!

This is such an epic story! I have no idea why it is not at the top of travel book rankings. Neither do I have an idea why on two occasions in my life when I was given a clean slate to start it all over again, I failed to hop on my bike and go around the world like Al. The world is suffering from Comfort Crisis (btw. this is a title of another great audiobook) and bicycles can be so good at curing the global disease of 'comfortosis'.

More than just a bicycle ride, so much, much more

I go on cycle camping journeys, albeit much, much shorter cycle camping journeys, so I really enjoyed this fantastic and well written account of a round the world bicycle trip. Travel broadens the mind and so too does hearing about someone elses trip.
A very relatable adventurer, Alastair takes us on an immense and at turns funny, rewarding, sad, tragic, heartening, but never dull, four year journey that opens our minds and hearts to the landscapes and people he meets along the way. If you have any sense of adventure, four words alone... Cycling Siberia in Winter... should excite the explorer in you and thats just one of the many different legs of Alastair's epic circumnavigation. Highly reccommended.

Great outlook on the world

The author takes you around the world from the seat of the bicycle. Al is a great human being that always see the good in people.

worth it, but I tuned out a lot

Good narrating. some of the story is interesting. He pontificate a lot, which is boring.

Fantastic adventure

Every morning as I step onto the treadmill at my local gym I pressed play on this book for my hour long cardio. As I looked out the floor to ceiling windows of the gym I was blessed with the view of the back of a Taco Bell and McDonalds. While my eyes say the world in front of my the story took me mind away to far off lands and memories of my own adventures through life. Such a fantastic tale of travel and adventure. Every morning it made me long to go out and travel again. I will get the opportunity to again soon. I guess it is time to pick my bags and finally see Asia.
Great book and narration. I am sad it is over. For now.
Scott Shirley

Excellent travel experience

I really enjoy all of Alastair Humphreys’ material. Several years ago I read both books that this audio book is based on and I was very moved by the experience that I felt I could relate to because of his insightful writing style. I’m glad I took the time to listen to this adventure story again!

I was scared to start this book…

because of the emotion and wonder it would stir up. It did not disappoint! Alastair does an amazing job of painting beautiful mental pitches. I found myself very sad when his journey was over as if it were my own. Thanks for the ride, Al. You’re a true inspiration.

Brilliant

Loved it from beginning to end. That the narrator was the writer was very special. Felt like I had gone along for the ride.

An enjoyable epic of beauty, pain, and triumph

This book was quite the listen, both in terms of length of the audiobook and scale of the journey. I think Humphreys is a very talented writer and enjoy his work in other mediums (newsletters, podcasts, etc). I appreciate the variety in his writing, shifting from introspection to beautiful descriptions of what he encountered, from the triumphs of the road to the struggle of continuing onwards.

I definitely recommend, especially because it's read by Humphreys himself. You won't regret it!

Amazing adventure

Alastair takes you on a honest journey around the world. The book never seems to slow or get bogged down. Just constant forward motion both on the bike and in this book. Quite enjoyable!