Customer Reviews

One Man Caravan (Incredible Journeys Books)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"One Man Caravan" is a story very much like adventure travelogues I used to read as a kid.

In 1932, a young man of maybe limited resources, but unlimited resourcefulness and "chutzpah", saddles up his motorcycle and travels around the world in 18 months. En route, he encounters exotic locals and locales, battles bad roads, breakdowns, injuries, officials and wanders into hot zones of civil wars - such as the British fighting some rebels in fictitiously-sounding Baluchistan.

This would be quite typical travel adventure fare, except that it really happened. The author is Robert Fulton (later known to Cold War afficionados as the inventor of CIA/Navy Skyhook recovery system), grandson of steam-ship builder Fulton. In 1996 (re-publication time of the book) he was alive and riding his motorcycle at age of 87.

Well-written and spell-binding, particularly in light of its authenticity.

Grandson of the Fulton Engine Genius, and Discoverer/Inventor in his own right, rides around the world on a Douglas Twin during his twenties on a bit of a lark. Out of his off-handed remark to impress a young woman we have one of the best motorcycle travel books ever written. Published umpteen times, I can imagine this book spurring on new generations of riders for decades to come.

The writing is excellent and extremely detailed, we get a breakdown of his trip during each section, along with Fulton's own sketchings and maps of the areas and people he met along the way. Photographs, of all things, to boot: images of a bike in the sea of sand, desert nomads and marketplaces; this book feeds your imagination. After 1 year of reading it a memorable item comes immediately to mind: That of Fulton being saluted and waved straight through road-blocks without stopping, to his incredulity, in occupied and dangerous Warizistan (yes, you've heard this place in the news recently), only to find that he shouldn't have made it past the first gate. It was his safari hat and fatigues that made them believe he was Indian-Army/British attache of all things. ;^)

Fulton himself is still living life with adventure. Still kicking with his old Douglas Twin and flying his own plane at the age of 87+.

If you want the best grab the first. You'll never put it down, and you'll go back a few times just to make sure you got it right when you read it there the first time.

[For other two-wheel journey books I recommend Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon- inspiration for Ewen McGregor's recent "The Long Way Round" and Ted made the trip without cameramen and support crews!]

Mr. Fulton's style of writing is very straightforward and not nearly as dated as you would think. The narrative moves forward quickly as he describes his adventures in a matter of fact tone. But what a story and what a commentary on how our world has changed!

One vignette. He is out of food in the middle of a desert. An Arab shows up and, as was the custom, shares exactly half of his food. Then he disappears inside of his closeby hut. Looking inside, Robert sees him setting up a homemade backgammon board. The Arab beckons him in and begs with his eyes--do you play?? They played all night and he gets trounced by his new friend.

As I was reading about his trip from Damascus to Baghdad, our troops were attacking Iraq. I thought that this young man's journey simply could not be made today. The world, despite the technological advances in communications and plane travel, is not a safer place for the American adventurer.

Get this book! You will not be able to put it down.

The best travel book I have ever read. As a young man in 1933, almost on a dare, Robert Fulton rode a Douglas motorcycle (which he still owns) around the world, not only seeing some increible places but writing about them in a highly entertaining and informative way. The book, like the trip, lacks the higher agenda which mar so many travel stories. Fulton simply set out to have a grand adventure and to write about it with humor and respect for those he met. You'll want to go right now to see some of these places for yourself. My favorite is the spot where Krakatoa once stood, marked by flames on the surface of the sea. A must read for anyone who likes a good travel story.

This is the first young man to travel around the world by motorbike. According to him he had no intention of doing so but blurted it out to impress a young girl and then he had to go. Lots of wonderful, funny, self-deprecating humor. He is well educated, highly intelligent, and it shows in his writing. Many wry phrases sneak into this book, "The driver cried out for in". Great reading, and very interesting to learn what traveling was like in 1932. He is apparently still alive and kicking. What an adventure.

In One Man Caravan, Robert Fulton has caught the magic of exploring new places and meeting people from cultures very different to his own. He writes with real fluency and his words evoke the graphic images of the colourful lands through which he takes the reader on this wonderful journey.

I really enjoyed this book; it was too soon over.

I have ridden motorcycles for many years and would liked to have seen more comments on the practical aspects of the trip, even though it was many years ago. I suspect that Mr. Fulton did not keep daily notes but probably wrote down his memories at the conclusion of the trip, thus the detail is not always there.

The portrait of the middle East gives something for the people of today something to think about - basic beliefs and attitudes in that region may not have changed at all. Our expectations may need to be adjusted.

A long trip on a motorcycle is an unforgettable experience for anyone, even today. Four or five days from home, and the resources available there, projects the rider into a state of independence and freedom that I have not found any other way - imagine what it was like for Fulton to be riding across the desert, months from home, no road in some cases, towards the unknown, his life dependent upon his machine continuing to run, and totally on his own.

Every rider should get to read this book - a great treat for the imagination.

Overall, the book is interesting and informative. It gives some great detail about the middle east, India and Asia in general. From a people perspective, I liked the fact that Mr. Fulton goes into some detail about what the people were like and some personalites. I did find however, that in some spots he focused too much on what people thought and not enough on his thoughts and feelings about "where" he was. Toward the end of the book, he rushed. He spent 80% of the time on the Middle east and India, 10% in the rest of Asia, and no time at all anywhere else. Again, overall, it was interesting and informative, but it did not capture my attention like say Jupiters Travels (same genera, by Ted Simon)
rk

I could not put this one down. The story is so fantastic that you almost can't believe it happened. To see the world a little as it was 70 years ago was truly a window into the past.

Robert Fulton is a suprizingly good author in that the book flows smoothly and he only talks about what he finds interesting.

this book was a pleasure to read, since I have been to many of the places he has been. It is true and wonderful and I am glad that from now on it is mine.