TRAVERSE 184
The First Pub On The Right David Irish Anderson 2025 ISBN 979-8-9875866-3-1
It was an eighteen-month ride from his hometown of Cork, in the Republic of Ireland to Cape Town, South Africa. What started as the ride of a lifetime with his wife, Sarah, finished as a life changing and awakening for David Anderson.
First Pub On The Right starts as a tale of a married couple riding through Europe on their way to South Africa, it ends as a solo ride where Anderson discovers much more about himself than the nations he passes through.
First Pub On The Right is an interesting read, albeit one in two pieces. The first half seems rushed, more a ride report, than travel memoir. Anderson writes of numerous countries, occasional connections, and a drive to move on, before things change in the Middle East.
With his wife telling him to go on without him, Anderson is left wondering how and why. We aren ' t given much insight into the authors mindset; we just have the knowledge that he was deserted and left to himself.
It feels as though the change in personal life heralds a change in the overall narrative of First Pub On The Right, as it becomes more detailed about the environment, the people, connections, and discoveries. In many ways it feels as though shackles were dropped and the writing style changed becoming more about the moment rather than the riding.
As Anderson rides through
Africa, the details of his journey, physically as well as metaphorically, become more detailed. The reader is drawn into his psyche, and we get a feel for how the author is coping with his journey. It eventually ends with profound discoveries about the world at all levels.
First Pub On The Right could easily be a much lengthier biography, with greater detail expanding on the snippets of which we are teased. Anderson ' s addition of personal diary entries demonstrates some personal feelings in a writing style that is sublime, leaving you wanting more of these descriptive, wonderfully personal notations.
First Pub On The Right is a recommended read especially if you have considered taking on such a journey but are unsure of the personal costs or whether you are capable.
TRAVERSE 184