Dreaming of Jupiter, Ted Simon (ISBN 978-0349119601, Abacus)

Ted Simon is the author of the motor cycle classic Jupiter’s Travels. In that book he describes his 4 year journey around the world on a Triumph in the seventies. In Dreaming of Jupiter Ted sets of again at age 69 to retrace his route and to find out how the world and the places he visited 30 years ago have changed. He left in 2001 and it took 2 and a half years on a BMW to complete. The book focuses on his experiences trying to find back places and people mostly long gone and on his feelings about the changes he observes. There are many disappointments but luckily also occasional happy meetings with old acquaintances and newly found friends. Compared to the first journey there is less spontaneity as there was a schedule to follow. But on the other hand I found that this second book was written with more emotions in it and for this reason I like it better. I read the first book years ago and have also read the numerous other books about motorcycle travels. The 2 from Ted Simon are not my favourites, probably because of his detached style of writing, I can’t really put my finger on it. But they are certainly not bad and if you like the ‘genre’ there is no time lost reading them. Certainly his first book has become almost a must-read because of its status for people dreaming about going on a trip around the world on a motorcycle. I think that the biggest strength of these 2 books compared some others is that they describe a man with ordinary motor riding skills taking off on a tour around the world and making it back in one piece. Many people were inspired by this and went on their own adventure after reading Jupiter’s Travels. Ted Simon is still with us at the age of 89 and living in the south of France. You can read more about/from him on his website.