BOOK REVIEWS
Títle : Ubuntu : One Woman ' s Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa Writer : Heather Ellis Year : 2016
At the age of twenty-eight , while sitting in a friend ’ s backyard in the remote mining township of Jabiru , Heather Ellis has a light-bulb moment : she is going to ride a motorcycle across Africa . The idea just feels right – no matter that she ’ s never done any long-distance motorcycle travelling before , and has never even set foot on the African continent . Twelve months later , Heather unloads her Yamaha TT600 at the docks in Durban , South Africa , and her adventure begins .
Her travels take her to the dizzying heights of Mt Kilimanjaro and the Rwenzori Mountains , to the deserts of northern Kenya where she is befriended by armed bandits and rescued by Turkana fishermen , to a stand-off with four Ugandan men intent on harm , and to a voyage on a ‘ floating village ’ on the mighty Zaire River . Everywhere she goes Heather is aided by locals and travellers alike , who take her into their homes and hearts , helping her to truly
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Títle : No Room For Watermelons Writer : Ron & Lynne Fellows Year : 2015
UBUNTU : One Woman ' s Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa
No Room For Watermelons
" You crazy old fart ," the thought of many when told the tale of Ron Fellows and his 102 year old FN motorcycle .
Ron had a dream , a very vivid and determined dream ; to ride his veteran motorcycle back to the Belgian factory where it had been made . A crazy enough feet , yet Ron started in Nepal ; downright ridiculous .
So , with his bike built before World War 1 , he set off , almost 15,000 kilometres across 15 countries , including war-zones and terrorist hotspots , without a support crew , just his wife Lynne offering logistical support from home and various stops .
No Room For Watermelons is an epic tale , one that will have you laughing , crying and fearing for Ron ' s life ... most of all you ' ll scream out , " you crazy old fart ", and in the same breath murmur , " I wish that were me ". understand the spirit of ubuntu – a Bantu word meaning ‘ I am because you are ’.
Ubuntu is the extraordinary story of a young woman who , alone and against all odds , rode a motorcycle to some of the world ’ s most remote , beautiful and dangerous places .
Ubuntu is one of the most inspirational overland motorcycle travel books you will read , Heather has an amazing way of grabbing the reader , sitting them on the bike and shoving them into a world less travelled .
Heather tells her tale with honesty , and yet informs in a way that is engaging and not melodramatic . Her hardships , become yours , her loves , become yours , her Africa , becomes yours ... you fall into Ubuntu .
If you read nothing else for the remainder of your life make sure that Ubuntu is the one thing you do read , it ' ll open you up to a whole new world ... and there ' s a punchline you won ' t see coming ...
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The FN with Ron aboard do make it to Belgium and much fanfare and celebrations however , that ' s not important , it ' s what occurs in between start and finish , in this adventure of the truest sense .
Ron ' s determination and inspiration are something to behold , as are the mechanicals of the century old bike . This is a book you won ' t want to put down ... and if it doesn ' t encourage you to buy an old bike and just ride , to live , then nothing else will ... listen to what Ron says , "" Enjoy the adventure , live your dream ".
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