Brought up in 1970s Belfast during the Troubles, Chris planned for years to escape Northern Ireland and ride a motorcycle to Australia. But the Iranian revolution closed the road east and he spent the next two years traveling the world on trains, planes, bikes and yachts.
After blasting through blizzards in the Austrian Alps, he found himself trapped in Israel, then in Syria and Jordan, being held up by local Militia with machine guns and fighting off homosexual custom officers.
"This was an awesome read from start to end. The story of Chris Donaldson, who lives Northern Ireland as a young boy but returns back to Northern Island 2 years later as a man and weathered traveler. Honestly it amazes me this Chris managed to stay alive during his travels. I am glad he did otherwise we wouldn't have gotten his wonderful story. Chris has a great way with words. I was able to picture the places he visited vividly in my mind."
– Nav
"Why a 21 year old would want to drive a Moto Guzzi around the world is a mystery. However, after some 35 years the author reconstructed miraculously his experiences back then and serves up a red hot and robust story. I winced at many of his problems especially in Africa during rebellions and guerrilla terrorists but somehow he managed to bluff his way across borders and finish up his african sojourn all in one piece. It was fun to read and am glad I ordered it."
– Jerry W. Scott
"What a great book describing a truly epic trip! Worst part of this one is that it makes you want to go for a long ride."
– Ned H.
"I was looking for my next motorcycle adventure book and was reluctant to pick one as a few of them didn’t reel me in, even Ted Simon’s—except this one. Chris Donaldson does a phenomenal job story telling with enough detail to capture my imagination but not enough to bog me down like George R.R. Martin describing a room. I’m an avid motorcyclist as well and could nearly see myself riding behind the handle bars on the Le Mans through the Sahara or over the Andes. I was genuinely disappointed when the book ended, and I really appreciated the final wrap up. This is a for sure read for anyone wanting a great motorcycle travel story that is dependent on the shear will power of the adventurer."
– Matthew Fickinger
A life lived in straight lines was never meant for Chris. From crossing deserts in Morocco to sleeping under the auroras of Iceland, his travels blur the lines between thrill and reflection.
This book is part travelogue, part self-discovery — a reminder that adventure doesn’t end with age, it begins when comfort does.
📍 A true story that will make you pack your bags and chase your own horizon.