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You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Travel & Outdoors (2011)Have you ever woken up in the sultry heat of the morning, your hair and beard teeming with maggots, and then had potatoes picked out of your ears? Have you ever felt the cold barrel of a semi automatic gun against your forehead? When Danny Bent cycled 15,000 kilometres from the UK to India to raise money for ActionAid, it was a decision that took twenty years and one minute. For twenty years he had wanted to do something to raise money for charity. The one minute was when as their teacher he was put on the spot by his pupils and declared that the means was by bike, and he was going to India. What he had signed up for was slogging along roads with trucks bearing down on him, unable to see and choking in the smog; shooting down treacherous descents with 100 foot drops, shaking with cold and too numb to brake; muscle burn and saddle sores; delirium and food poisoning; thirst and malnutrition; foul and insanitary conditions; life-threatening crises; obstructive border guards, crazed dogs and inquisitive passers-by. 'You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!' is a real and compelling blow-by-blow account of Danny's trip across Europe, the former Soviet Republics, Russia, China, Pakistan and India. And what people he met! They are the true delight of this book, mostly charming, sometimes reckless, occasionally threatening, always unpredictable, and forever inviting Danny to be up for the challenge of entertaining them, in one instance by dancing in front of a packed stadium, in another by eating sheep's brains in a local night market. Danny turns the wheels, you turn the pages. The pace is relentless. The story is both heart-stopping and heart-warming. The arrival is breakdown-and-cry emotional. And there's loads of fun and wonderment along the way too. What a book! What a ride! Live your dream. Go for it, Danny.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2011
91 people are currently reading
1032 people want to read
About the author
Danny Bent
2 books8 followersDanny began adventuring at the age of four when he cycled down the steep steps that led up to his family home in Buxton. The cuts on his knees, and sore head did nothing to deaden his adventurous spirit or his love of cycling.
After leaving university he found himself trapped in an office turning paper for a living. To keep himself sane he would take his bike around the world competing for Great Britain at Duathlon, Quadrathlon and Triathlon from 2004 – 2008.
One day in the Alps he found himself lying at the bottom of a cliff having fallen ten metres to what should have been his certain death. He decided enough was enough he was changing his life for the better.
He became a teacher and then decided he would teach at a school in India to bring a topic in the national curriculum to life. Having taught Green Awareness all year he felt he couldn’t fly to India and after pressure from class 3B he ended up cycling and hence living a dream he had had since he was 11 years old.
Battered and bruised, covered in dust, looking sickeningly thin and with a rather dodgy haircut, after a nasty brush with a host of maggots, he arrived into Chembakolli on his 31st birthday – twenty years since he had told his head mistress in an assembly that what he wanted to do in life was cycle round the world for charity.
In 2011 Danny is bog snorkelling, folding biking, trekking to the South Pole and maybe a few more crazy bits and pieces!!
Danny is an eccentric. Missing his calling to join the circus Danny prides himself at his balloon animal making, juggling of fire (even if it sometimes spreads to his clothes), and has been the Bog Snorkelling world champion and Guinness World Record holder since 2007.
After leaving university he found himself trapped in an office turning paper for a living. To keep himself sane he would take his bike around the world competing for Great Britain at Duathlon, Quadrathlon and Triathlon from 2004 – 2008.
One day in the Alps he found himself lying at the bottom of a cliff having fallen ten metres to what should have been his certain death. He decided enough was enough he was changing his life for the better.
He became a teacher and then decided he would teach at a school in India to bring a topic in the national curriculum to life. Having taught Green Awareness all year he felt he couldn’t fly to India and after pressure from class 3B he ended up cycling and hence living a dream he had had since he was 11 years old.
Battered and bruised, covered in dust, looking sickeningly thin and with a rather dodgy haircut, after a nasty brush with a host of maggots, he arrived into Chembakolli on his 31st birthday – twenty years since he had told his head mistress in an assembly that what he wanted to do in life was cycle round the world for charity.
In 2011 Danny is bog snorkelling, folding biking, trekking to the South Pole and maybe a few more crazy bits and pieces!!
Danny is an eccentric. Missing his calling to join the circus Danny prides himself at his balloon animal making, juggling of fire (even if it sometimes spreads to his clothes), and has been the Bog Snorkelling world champion and Guinness World Record holder since 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
June 21, 2024
The true story of a primary school teacher who cycles from his home in the UK to a school in India, to raise money for the charity Actionaid. It was an amazing feat really, but I did find it monotonous at times.
I don't think the author’s future lies in the literary field, but nevertheless, the sufferings he endured to complete this challenge left me feeling that IF I'd ever fostered thoughts of attempting such a challenge, then they would be relinquished forthwith!
I don't think the author’s future lies in the literary field, but nevertheless, the sufferings he endured to complete this challenge left me feeling that IF I'd ever fostered thoughts of attempting such a challenge, then they would be relinquished forthwith!
February 6, 2011
“I want to cycle around the world and raise money.”
Do you have a dream? Have you ever set out on a world tour? Danny has a dream and he sets out on a world tour on a cycle. Doesn’t it sound like the Tour De France? Yes it is Tour De World. Ah the cycle has a name too: Shirley. Isn’t that sexy?
From London, through France, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, he enters into Ukrain. Through the Central Asian countries and Russia he roams in the Swat Valley: The Switzerland of the East. Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, he moves on.
At Wagah border he enters into the Indian Territory. Amritsar, Dalhousie, Agra through Rajasthan, Gujarat, Mumbai, Goa, and Karnataka he reaches Mysore and the Vidyadaya school Gudalur. When one thinks of this one thrills and Danny made this. Bravo!
The silver from India and the Ruby from Pakistan a peace symbol suitably expresses the idea. The two countries are so near from the same womb but divided.
Danny has a love affair with Shirley and his passion to reach Chembakolli. This journey comes out as a book entitled, ‘You have gone too far sir’. This is a splendid adventure story; you will love it. The tour is arduous, eventful, thrilling and full of fun. Danny deserves a trophy.
The language is both appealing and sexy too. ‘Nisa had enough energy to power an Indian city. The monks travelled like a river of blood, The scar is yet to heal and blood weeps from the wound. Like an accident waiting to happen. Rapped in cotton wool, A child ripped from its mother’s bosom and left in the heat of Savanna. Dark pools in her eyes that made you feel as though you could dive right in.
The language has subtle elements of beauty and the writer has used unique similes and metaphors. The poetry is evident. Brutally cut into two by Britain. Shrouded in Burka of beauty.
Through his travel details he has highlighted some Indian problems in right way: The child labour, the traffic problem in high way, the cow marching on road, the looting mentality of the authority to charge high entry fees from foreigners. The details mesmerise and the way it ends in Gudalur, Chembakolli, is the real thrill.
The dream materialises and the pilgrimage ends. Bravo Danny.
‘Splendid story telling, you will not only savour but read it. Real adventure on words.’
http://sudampanigrahi.blogspot.com/20...
Do you have a dream? Have you ever set out on a world tour? Danny has a dream and he sets out on a world tour on a cycle. Doesn’t it sound like the Tour De France? Yes it is Tour De World. Ah the cycle has a name too: Shirley. Isn’t that sexy?
From London, through France, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, he enters into Ukrain. Through the Central Asian countries and Russia he roams in the Swat Valley: The Switzerland of the East. Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, he moves on.
At Wagah border he enters into the Indian Territory. Amritsar, Dalhousie, Agra through Rajasthan, Gujarat, Mumbai, Goa, and Karnataka he reaches Mysore and the Vidyadaya school Gudalur. When one thinks of this one thrills and Danny made this. Bravo!
The silver from India and the Ruby from Pakistan a peace symbol suitably expresses the idea. The two countries are so near from the same womb but divided.
Danny has a love affair with Shirley and his passion to reach Chembakolli. This journey comes out as a book entitled, ‘You have gone too far sir’. This is a splendid adventure story; you will love it. The tour is arduous, eventful, thrilling and full of fun. Danny deserves a trophy.
The language is both appealing and sexy too. ‘Nisa had enough energy to power an Indian city. The monks travelled like a river of blood, The scar is yet to heal and blood weeps from the wound. Like an accident waiting to happen. Rapped in cotton wool, A child ripped from its mother’s bosom and left in the heat of Savanna. Dark pools in her eyes that made you feel as though you could dive right in.
The language has subtle elements of beauty and the writer has used unique similes and metaphors. The poetry is evident. Brutally cut into two by Britain. Shrouded in Burka of beauty.
Through his travel details he has highlighted some Indian problems in right way: The child labour, the traffic problem in high way, the cow marching on road, the looting mentality of the authority to charge high entry fees from foreigners. The details mesmerise and the way it ends in Gudalur, Chembakolli, is the real thrill.
The dream materialises and the pilgrimage ends. Bravo Danny.
‘Splendid story telling, you will not only savour but read it. Real adventure on words.’
http://sudampanigrahi.blogspot.com/20...
May 14, 2020
Berbasikal sejauh 15,000 kilometer dari England ke India dalam masa 6 bulan lebih, hanya kerana ingin mengajar Bahasa Inggeris kepada kanak-kanak di kawasan pedalaman di Chembakolli, India. Memang kerja gila! Namun berbaloi yang pastinya 😊
Jalan darat yang di laluinya antara dua benua besar merentasi England-Perancis-Belgium-Jerman-Republik Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Rusia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Pakistan-India. 14 negara kesemuanya.
Terlalu banyak kisah yang menarik di dalam pengembaraan epik beliau ini. Syukur beliau tidak mencatatkannya secara terperinci. Jika tidak pasti berjilid-jilid hasil akhirnya.
Menginap berdekatan bekas kem Nazi di Auschwitz Poland, hampir tertusuk lembing di Kyiv dan dikejar anjing liar hampir di sepanjang masa di sana, keindahan, kesejukan serta keunikan kaum gipsi di Rusia, dibaling batu oleh anak-anak dijalanan, berpaut pada lori berat yang laju, keseraman untuk masuk ke Uzbekistan, serta dipaksa membersihkan alat sulit & memakan kepala kambing disana, disangkakan Wayne Rooney & dilepaskan di perbatasan Kyrgyzstan, hampir dengan kawasan pertempuran Taliban di Pakistan, tidur sambil dihurung ulat sampah di India, dan banyak lagi. Anda namakan sahaja. Pelbagai pengalaman berharga & kaya diperolehi beliau sepanjang mengayuh di atas jalan raya tersebut.
Namun yang pastinya, pengalaman yang paling menggerunkan pastinya ketika beliau sudah amat hampir dengan tempat tujuan beliau di India. Perjalanan yang perlu ditempuh membabitkan kesudahan hidup atau mati. Apakah dia? Anda perlu cari dan baca buku ini.
Ternyata pengalaman mengembara melalui jalan darat tidak akan pernah sunyi dari pelbagai cerita menarik & memori berharga. Jika anda berkesempatan cubalah. Keluar meneroka negara orang merentasi jalan darat. Pastinya pengalaman yang paling berharga di sepanjang hidup anda.
Kini saya ingin beralih kepada buku 'Berbasikal Menuju Tuhan pula. Kisah orang Malaysia mengayuh basikal mengelilingi semenanjung Malaysia 😊
Jalan darat yang di laluinya antara dua benua besar merentasi England-Perancis-Belgium-Jerman-Republik Czech-Poland-Ukraine-Rusia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Pakistan-India. 14 negara kesemuanya.
Terlalu banyak kisah yang menarik di dalam pengembaraan epik beliau ini. Syukur beliau tidak mencatatkannya secara terperinci. Jika tidak pasti berjilid-jilid hasil akhirnya.
Menginap berdekatan bekas kem Nazi di Auschwitz Poland, hampir tertusuk lembing di Kyiv dan dikejar anjing liar hampir di sepanjang masa di sana, keindahan, kesejukan serta keunikan kaum gipsi di Rusia, dibaling batu oleh anak-anak dijalanan, berpaut pada lori berat yang laju, keseraman untuk masuk ke Uzbekistan, serta dipaksa membersihkan alat sulit & memakan kepala kambing disana, disangkakan Wayne Rooney & dilepaskan di perbatasan Kyrgyzstan, hampir dengan kawasan pertempuran Taliban di Pakistan, tidur sambil dihurung ulat sampah di India, dan banyak lagi. Anda namakan sahaja. Pelbagai pengalaman berharga & kaya diperolehi beliau sepanjang mengayuh di atas jalan raya tersebut.
Namun yang pastinya, pengalaman yang paling menggerunkan pastinya ketika beliau sudah amat hampir dengan tempat tujuan beliau di India. Perjalanan yang perlu ditempuh membabitkan kesudahan hidup atau mati. Apakah dia? Anda perlu cari dan baca buku ini.
Ternyata pengalaman mengembara melalui jalan darat tidak akan pernah sunyi dari pelbagai cerita menarik & memori berharga. Jika anda berkesempatan cubalah. Keluar meneroka negara orang merentasi jalan darat. Pastinya pengalaman yang paling berharga di sepanjang hidup anda.
Kini saya ingin beralih kepada buku 'Berbasikal Menuju Tuhan pula. Kisah orang Malaysia mengayuh basikal mengelilingi semenanjung Malaysia 😊
April 2, 2013
Sebagian orang menulis kisah perjalanannya dengan serius dan penuh perenungan. Sebagian dengan penuh humor, sarkasme, bahkan kerap menertawakan diri sendiri. Danny Bent masuk ke kategori kedua. Awalnya saya kurang simpatik dengan pesepeda yang menempuh ribuan kilometer untuk mengumpulkan dana bagi anak-anak ini. Dari caranya bercerita, dia terkesan memandang remeh atau malah menertawakan penduduk di negara-negara miskin serta berbahaya yang dia lewati. Tapi lama-kelamaan saya mulai terbiasa dengan gaya bicaranya yang memang 'nyablak' dan mulai mengagumi kegigihannya menembus medan yang begitu sulit, hanya berdua dengan sepedanya yang dia beri nama Shirley. Salah satu komentar yang paling saya sukai dari Danny adalah ketika dia tiba di kawasan kumuh Dharavi di India dan diundang menginap oleh Naresh, salah seorang pemuda yang aktif dalam kegiatan sosial : Di Inggris, siapa yang mau mengundang orang asing untuk makan malam, terlebih lagi mengajaknya menginap?....Dharavi mungkin kawasan kumuh terbesar di Asia, berperan penting dalam novel Shantaram, tetapi ini juga rumah bagi beberapa senyum terlebar di dunia. (hal. 320)
Saya juga suka kisah-kisah lucunya yang membuat saya terpingkal, misalnya ketika dia mengaku sebagai Wayne Rooney (memang mirip sih!) kepada petugas perbatasan Pakistan supaya tidak ditahan karena visanya sudah kadaluwarsa. Padahal sebelumnya dia paling sebal kalau dikira Rooney. "Masak saya sejelek itu," katanya :))
Sebagai orang Barat yang biasa hidup enak, menurut saya perjuangan Danny lebih berat daripada jika perjalanan ini dilakukan oleh orang Asia, misalnya. Dari segi fisik saja dia sudah jauh berbeda, sehingga potensi dikerubuti atau dipandang aneh atau malah dihujat pasti lebih besar. Selain itu, gaya hidupnya tentu juga jauh berbeda dengan gaya hidup penduduk yang dia lewati sepanjang perjalanan. Jadilah dia sering kali bertindak konyol bahkan memalukan, karena tidak paham tradisi. Waktu di Meerut, India, dia mencoba naik becak tapi jatuh iba pada si penarik becak sehingga akhirnya mereka bertukar tempat dan dia yang mengayuh becak.
Kisah-kisah unik tentang sesama pejalan juga banyak dia temukan. Misalnya tentang Isabel (saya lupa asalnya dari mana) yang pergi ke Pakistan dan berpacaran dengan pemuda setempat sampai hamil. Dia terpaksa menggugurkan kandungannya sendiri karena si lelaki berasal dari suku Pashtun dan hukuman berhubungan seksual dengan orang kafir sangat keras :(
Atau tentang Peter, pesepeda asal Jerman yang sudah 20 tahun mengembara dengan sepedanya, tapi ternyata tidak menjadi lebih arif dan malah semakin getir saat berhadapan dengan berbagai hal buruk di jalan.
Saya juga suka sekali cerita tentang Amma, wanita India yang dianggap sebagai pemimpin spiritual hebat oleh PBB serta banyak orang di seluruh dunia. Selama 35 tahun terakhir, Amma telah mendedikasikan hidupnya untuk mengangkat penderitaan manusia melalui gerakan tubuh yang paling sederhana-pelukan. Dalam caranya yang intim, Amma telah memberkati dan menghibur lebih dari 75 juta orang di seantero dunia.
Tapi lagi-lagi, para pemujanya yang berdatangan dari seluruh dunia kadang bersikap sok suci dan merasa sudah sangat spiritual hanya karena setia mengikuti Amma ke mana-mana. Tapi sama sekali tidak peduli pada lingkungan di sekitar ashram Amma yang kumuh, memandang rendah penduduk setempat dan hanya mengejar 'kesucian' mereka sendiri.
Banyak pelajaran yang bisa dipetik dari tulisan Danny, tanpa harus terkesan bijak bestari. Selalu rendah hati dan berpikiran terbuka serta tidak pernah merasa paling hebat, meskipun sudah mengembara ke mana-mana dan mengalami berbagai perjuangan yang mungkin tidak dialami oleh para pengelana lainnya. The world is too big for your ego...
Saya juga suka kisah-kisah lucunya yang membuat saya terpingkal, misalnya ketika dia mengaku sebagai Wayne Rooney (memang mirip sih!) kepada petugas perbatasan Pakistan supaya tidak ditahan karena visanya sudah kadaluwarsa. Padahal sebelumnya dia paling sebal kalau dikira Rooney. "Masak saya sejelek itu," katanya :))
Sebagai orang Barat yang biasa hidup enak, menurut saya perjuangan Danny lebih berat daripada jika perjalanan ini dilakukan oleh orang Asia, misalnya. Dari segi fisik saja dia sudah jauh berbeda, sehingga potensi dikerubuti atau dipandang aneh atau malah dihujat pasti lebih besar. Selain itu, gaya hidupnya tentu juga jauh berbeda dengan gaya hidup penduduk yang dia lewati sepanjang perjalanan. Jadilah dia sering kali bertindak konyol bahkan memalukan, karena tidak paham tradisi. Waktu di Meerut, India, dia mencoba naik becak tapi jatuh iba pada si penarik becak sehingga akhirnya mereka bertukar tempat dan dia yang mengayuh becak.
Kisah-kisah unik tentang sesama pejalan juga banyak dia temukan. Misalnya tentang Isabel (saya lupa asalnya dari mana) yang pergi ke Pakistan dan berpacaran dengan pemuda setempat sampai hamil. Dia terpaksa menggugurkan kandungannya sendiri karena si lelaki berasal dari suku Pashtun dan hukuman berhubungan seksual dengan orang kafir sangat keras :(
Atau tentang Peter, pesepeda asal Jerman yang sudah 20 tahun mengembara dengan sepedanya, tapi ternyata tidak menjadi lebih arif dan malah semakin getir saat berhadapan dengan berbagai hal buruk di jalan.
Saya juga suka sekali cerita tentang Amma, wanita India yang dianggap sebagai pemimpin spiritual hebat oleh PBB serta banyak orang di seluruh dunia. Selama 35 tahun terakhir, Amma telah mendedikasikan hidupnya untuk mengangkat penderitaan manusia melalui gerakan tubuh yang paling sederhana-pelukan. Dalam caranya yang intim, Amma telah memberkati dan menghibur lebih dari 75 juta orang di seantero dunia.
Tapi lagi-lagi, para pemujanya yang berdatangan dari seluruh dunia kadang bersikap sok suci dan merasa sudah sangat spiritual hanya karena setia mengikuti Amma ke mana-mana. Tapi sama sekali tidak peduli pada lingkungan di sekitar ashram Amma yang kumuh, memandang rendah penduduk setempat dan hanya mengejar 'kesucian' mereka sendiri.
Banyak pelajaran yang bisa dipetik dari tulisan Danny, tanpa harus terkesan bijak bestari. Selalu rendah hati dan berpikiran terbuka serta tidak pernah merasa paling hebat, meskipun sudah mengembara ke mana-mana dan mengalami berbagai perjuangan yang mungkin tidak dialami oleh para pengelana lainnya. The world is too big for your ego...
July 15, 2011
This is a fantastic concept - a teacher cycling from England to India for charity? What's not to love?
Well, the writing. The stories are good, and the book as a whole is a good reading experience, but it's obvious that Mr Bent is a junior school teacher first and an author second. Areas that I wanted to hear more about were glossed over, and much too much time was spent on describing useless information. I mean, there's only so many times I can read about a guy getting diarrhoea before I start to get a little turned off. On more than one occasion, he pulled the "I have a gun pointed at me eep!" card only to follow it up with "OH LOLS THEY WERE JOKING".
A book I did enjoy, and one that gave me an insight into a lot of cultures that I know nothing about, having never ventured outside of Europe, but one that could have done with a couple of re-writes before being released. Worth a read though.
Well, the writing. The stories are good, and the book as a whole is a good reading experience, but it's obvious that Mr Bent is a junior school teacher first and an author second. Areas that I wanted to hear more about were glossed over, and much too much time was spent on describing useless information. I mean, there's only so many times I can read about a guy getting diarrhoea before I start to get a little turned off. On more than one occasion, he pulled the "I have a gun pointed at me eep!" card only to follow it up with "OH LOLS THEY WERE JOKING".
A book I did enjoy, and one that gave me an insight into a lot of cultures that I know nothing about, having never ventured outside of Europe, but one that could have done with a couple of re-writes before being released. Worth a read though.
July 5, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Danny Bent, a remarkably ordinary guy, takes on the extraordinary challenge of cycling from the UK to India, a mammoth challenge that I am so impressed with.
I think Bent writes somewhat deceptively of his naiveté. Sure, he might leave his wallet on a counter once, but he's also made the effort to learn some of the language in almost every place he goes to, and has done the trip in an amazingly resilient and reliable bike.
Bent is wonderfully honest in writing about all the highs and lows of his trip, and while the style is fairly simplistic, it is also engaging and conversational, he really feels like someone you could be instant friends with (although admittedly, somewhat crazy!).
I think Bent writes somewhat deceptively of his naiveté. Sure, he might leave his wallet on a counter once, but he's also made the effort to learn some of the language in almost every place he goes to, and has done the trip in an amazingly resilient and reliable bike.
Bent is wonderfully honest in writing about all the highs and lows of his trip, and while the style is fairly simplistic, it is also engaging and conversational, he really feels like someone you could be instant friends with (although admittedly, somewhat crazy!).
August 16, 2016
This guy is really funny. I enjoyed reading about his journey to India.
December 2, 2017
Thank you Danny
I loved your story from page one. As a 19 year old who left home in California for the first time to be a peace corps volunteer in South India, I embarked on my greatest adventure. 50 years later a piece of my heart is still in Chintalapudi. You brought the fearlessness of adventure back as the memories flowed. I, too, fell in love with the beautiful children.
I loved your story from page one. As a 19 year old who left home in California for the first time to be a peace corps volunteer in South India, I embarked on my greatest adventure. 50 years later a piece of my heart is still in Chintalapudi. You brought the fearlessness of adventure back as the memories flowed. I, too, fell in love with the beautiful children.
March 22, 2022
Bersepeda jarak jauh dulu sering saya lakukan saat SMP. Berangkat jam 6 pagi, kembali malam hari dengan sisa-sisa tenaga. Maklum zaman itu belum terpikir untuk menaikkan sepeda ke taksi, mahal pula he he he.
Membaca buku ini, hal pertama yang terlintas adalah kuatnya stamina sang penulis. Mengendarai sepedai sejauh itu, tentunya butuh stamina yang bagus. Ada rasa ngiri juga membaca pengalaman selama bersepeda. Unik dan menarik.
Semoga bisa memberikan inspirasi bagi pembacanya.
Membaca buku ini, hal pertama yang terlintas adalah kuatnya stamina sang penulis. Mengendarai sepedai sejauh itu, tentunya butuh stamina yang bagus. Ada rasa ngiri juga membaca pengalaman selama bersepeda. Unik dan menarik.
Semoga bisa memberikan inspirasi bagi pembacanya.
May 29, 2023
I’ll be honest, I don’t even know how this book was on my kindle. Definitely not the kind of book I read. Saying that, I have enjoyed it. Sometimes I felt it was written through rose tinted glasses about India. But overall an honest representation of what travelling on a bike over thousands of miles would be like.!
May 9, 2019
A great read
Well worth reading , I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You won't regret giving it your time and attention. Well done Danny
Well worth reading , I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You won't regret giving it your time and attention. Well done Danny
September 3, 2021
Interesting. Read it along with "Out of Istanbul" by Ollivier -- what a difference between a 30 year old and a 60 year old journalist in terms of their writing.
January 18, 2012
This is way off topic I suppose but my biggest complaint about this book is its cover. Not just the lame graphic that does no justice to the fun inside, but the actual paper the cover is printed on. It's this glossy mess that bent to some crazy angle every time I turned the page and now the whole book looks as though it is trying to open it's mouth to eat something.
The novel on the whole was fun, light hearted, and filled with the usual British jokes poking fun other cultures etc. Basic premise: disenchanted banker type takes up teaching, small child named Lucy says "You've gone too far this time, Sir!" whenever he does something to embarrass himself, he decides to raise money for charity and promote 'green travel' while being an example to his students, and bikes, instead of flies, to India where he is slated to teach for a bit. Bent tried to punctuate his humorous narrative with historical information and while sometimes it was really appreciated as he biked through towns I was less familiar with, at other times it just sounded like looked it up on Wikipedia and threw it in once he got home in order to add some 'depth.'
If you've traveled his route (oh - that's another thing this book would benefit from - a map) through Europe, Eastern Europe, the 'stans, and on into India, you'll find yourself nodding along at his observations of the people. It is SO true - the poorer they get (think: Eastern Europeans) the friendlier they are. Brush right over France, Belgium, and Germany as nothing much happens in these chapters and get right into Eastern Europe asap. The fun starts in the Czech Republic and doesn't let up until he hits India. The best thing this book does is to remind us of the colorful world of human beings there are out there and that kindness, compassion, and wicked amounts fun and adventure can be found anywhere, so long as you are open to it.
The novel on the whole was fun, light hearted, and filled with the usual British jokes poking fun other cultures etc. Basic premise: disenchanted banker type takes up teaching, small child named Lucy says "You've gone too far this time, Sir!" whenever he does something to embarrass himself, he decides to raise money for charity and promote 'green travel' while being an example to his students, and bikes, instead of flies, to India where he is slated to teach for a bit. Bent tried to punctuate his humorous narrative with historical information and while sometimes it was really appreciated as he biked through towns I was less familiar with, at other times it just sounded like looked it up on Wikipedia and threw it in once he got home in order to add some 'depth.'
If you've traveled his route (oh - that's another thing this book would benefit from - a map) through Europe, Eastern Europe, the 'stans, and on into India, you'll find yourself nodding along at his observations of the people. It is SO true - the poorer they get (think: Eastern Europeans) the friendlier they are. Brush right over France, Belgium, and Germany as nothing much happens in these chapters and get right into Eastern Europe asap. The fun starts in the Czech Republic and doesn't let up until he hits India. The best thing this book does is to remind us of the colorful world of human beings there are out there and that kindness, compassion, and wicked amounts fun and adventure can be found anywhere, so long as you are open to it.
December 24, 2012
Like a cycle ride , it begins all slowly, first an accident that becomes the defining moment of Danny's life..His love for cycling and the long rides has been the thing of his life, and when he chose this to carry his life was only predictable, but the extend he choses only raised my eyebrow..To raise money for actionaid he rides through continents, starting from England riding through Europe all the way through western India all the way to India was on a high note of inspiration...
All through the book its the zeal and zest for his life that I loved and admired, going through bumpy roads enduring every moment of hardship for a greater good..I know how tough is to maneuver through Indian roads on a two wheeler and a cycle is something I don't even want to imagine..All through teaching in school getting inspired through the lives of children he gets to meet, his words are too beautifully put in...The food poisoning , getting sick , coping with the culture shock, road traffic, sour leg,shivering through the nights with just the spirits to push him ahead is one hell of ride..
Another thing that I love was his sense of wit and fun, he lives by moments never boasting about the things he did just observing and retelling the tales in a way that his spirits touches the reader..He hasn't gone overboard noting the drawbacks of any country, he is been to, putting those observations in a a politically correct angle..Though there are no much historical background of the places he visits or the roads he takes, there are all engaging and inspiring in every way..I highly recommend this one..
All through the book its the zeal and zest for his life that I loved and admired, going through bumpy roads enduring every moment of hardship for a greater good..I know how tough is to maneuver through Indian roads on a two wheeler and a cycle is something I don't even want to imagine..All through teaching in school getting inspired through the lives of children he gets to meet, his words are too beautifully put in...The food poisoning , getting sick , coping with the culture shock, road traffic, sour leg,shivering through the nights with just the spirits to push him ahead is one hell of ride..
Another thing that I love was his sense of wit and fun, he lives by moments never boasting about the things he did just observing and retelling the tales in a way that his spirits touches the reader..He hasn't gone overboard noting the drawbacks of any country, he is been to, putting those observations in a a politically correct angle..Though there are no much historical background of the places he visits or the roads he takes, there are all engaging and inspiring in every way..I highly recommend this one..
November 26, 2013
That it has taken me 1 year to complete this book, is not a reflection of this travel tale, but of my reading distractions.
Danny has attempted to share his travel tale from UK to India by cycle as passionately as possible.
He seems to spend an inordinate amount of words on the time he spent in toilets and in describing them to the reader in great detail. Assuming that this all comes from diary entries instead of memory, it lets us know his state of mind while traversing through eastern Europe and Central Asia.
My idea of picking this book up was that the author would share details of his travel, particularly of the places he passed through and the people he met. He does. At times well. At others, not so well.
So many people are kind to him enroute, it is quite surprising to see that Danny is not even interested in recording their names. He does acknowledge at various times, of the kindness that he received, and how he could never ever expect such kindness in his native UK.
One very strange part of the book deals with his celebrating Holi in Ahmedabad - a festival that occurs in March every year - and then on the next page jumping to December 23. It does not gel. Is this just to give continuity to his journey heading south?
Given that he does not want to spend money on accommodation, no wonder he seems to get the worst places to stay in, and we the details of it. Gets boring to read the same complaint endlessly.
Danny has attempted to share his travel tale from UK to India by cycle as passionately as possible.
He seems to spend an inordinate amount of words on the time he spent in toilets and in describing them to the reader in great detail. Assuming that this all comes from diary entries instead of memory, it lets us know his state of mind while traversing through eastern Europe and Central Asia.
My idea of picking this book up was that the author would share details of his travel, particularly of the places he passed through and the people he met. He does. At times well. At others, not so well.
So many people are kind to him enroute, it is quite surprising to see that Danny is not even interested in recording their names. He does acknowledge at various times, of the kindness that he received, and how he could never ever expect such kindness in his native UK.
One very strange part of the book deals with his celebrating Holi in Ahmedabad - a festival that occurs in March every year - and then on the next page jumping to December 23. It does not gel. Is this just to give continuity to his journey heading south?
Given that he does not want to spend money on accommodation, no wonder he seems to get the worst places to stay in, and we the details of it. Gets boring to read the same complaint endlessly.
March 29, 2016
Published in August of 2014 by Danny bent, Ltd.
It took me a long time to read this book. I read it over the course of several months on my Kindle and on my phone's Kindle app.
The book details the trip of a teacher from the UK who rides his bike from the UK to India in an effort to raise money for charity and to teach his kids something.
I really struggled with the first part of the book because the author seemed so self-absorbed and I never really understood how he was going to raise money for a charity by riding and as a fellow teacher I seriously did not get how this trip was going to do anything for his students besides do show everyone that he could do this outrageous thing.
So, I struggled through the first half of the book because I kept on coming back to the premise behind his trip and wondering about it (how is he raising this money? Is it by the kilometer? Is it a lump sum and will be donated so long as he makes a solid effort? These are the types of questions my overly-practical mind had).
But, after a couple of months of on and off again halfhearted efforts I basically forgot the school-related aspect of the book and read it as simply the adventures of a skinny Brit riding his bicycle to India because that's the kind of crazy thing that some Brits do from time to time.
Basically, once Danny Bent enters...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
It took me a long time to read this book. I read it over the course of several months on my Kindle and on my phone's Kindle app.
The book details the trip of a teacher from the UK who rides his bike from the UK to India in an effort to raise money for charity and to teach his kids something.
I really struggled with the first part of the book because the author seemed so self-absorbed and I never really understood how he was going to raise money for a charity by riding and as a fellow teacher I seriously did not get how this trip was going to do anything for his students besides do show everyone that he could do this outrageous thing.
So, I struggled through the first half of the book because I kept on coming back to the premise behind his trip and wondering about it (how is he raising this money? Is it by the kilometer? Is it a lump sum and will be donated so long as he makes a solid effort? These are the types of questions my overly-practical mind had).
But, after a couple of months of on and off again halfhearted efforts I basically forgot the school-related aspect of the book and read it as simply the adventures of a skinny Brit riding his bicycle to India because that's the kind of crazy thing that some Brits do from time to time.
Basically, once Danny Bent enters...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2016/...
December 28, 2012
Saat sarapan disuguhkan, aku berpikir kenapa ada orang yang mau bepergian dengan sepeda tanpa alasan jelas untuk waktu yang tidak ditentukan. Aku memiliki tujuan yang ingin kucapai; aku mengumpulkan uang untuk orang-orang yang kutemui sepanjang jalan. Apa motivasi Peter?
Pikiran tersebut menggelayuti Danny Bent saat bertemu dengan Peter, pesepeda yang telah mengembara selama dua puluh tahun. Sebelumnya Danny menganggap Peter pasti tahu soal hidup lebih banyak darinya. Tentunya juga telah belajar banyak dari pengembaraannya selama itu. Namun, dua puluh tahun bersepeda, menapak satu negeri ke negeri lain, toh tak membuat seseorang jadi lebih arif dalam memandang kehidupan atau berinteraksi dengan orang lain. Itu yang Danny rasakan terhadap Peter, dan membuatnya mencatat dalam hati untuk tetap berpikir positif ketika menemui segala hal baru dalam perjalanannya.
Melakukan perjalanan mungkin mudah. Apalagi di masa kini. Beli tiket, rancang itinerary, and go. Tapi memaknai perjalanan dan menjadikan perjalanan sebuah pembelajaran bagi diri sendiri dan orang lain lah yang tak mudah. Dalam kadar tertentu, buku ini mengajak kita belajar banyak hal.
Pikiran tersebut menggelayuti Danny Bent saat bertemu dengan Peter, pesepeda yang telah mengembara selama dua puluh tahun. Sebelumnya Danny menganggap Peter pasti tahu soal hidup lebih banyak darinya. Tentunya juga telah belajar banyak dari pengembaraannya selama itu. Namun, dua puluh tahun bersepeda, menapak satu negeri ke negeri lain, toh tak membuat seseorang jadi lebih arif dalam memandang kehidupan atau berinteraksi dengan orang lain. Itu yang Danny rasakan terhadap Peter, dan membuatnya mencatat dalam hati untuk tetap berpikir positif ketika menemui segala hal baru dalam perjalanannya.
Melakukan perjalanan mungkin mudah. Apalagi di masa kini. Beli tiket, rancang itinerary, and go. Tapi memaknai perjalanan dan menjadikan perjalanan sebuah pembelajaran bagi diri sendiri dan orang lain lah yang tak mudah. Dalam kadar tertentu, buku ini mengajak kita belajar banyak hal.
December 12, 2012
I received a free copy of this novel for my honest review. After Danny Bent almost dies after falling off of a cliff, he gets this striking revelation that his life isn’t going the way he wanted it to. He pretty much returns home to his 3rd grade class to tell them he’s going away to teach kids in India. They ask how he’ll get there, he says fly, then sees the lesson he’d taught the kids on being green, how much pollutants planes give off in our environment. He changes his answer before completely thinking it through and says cycling. He ends up living his dream, cycling around the world for charity. This is a story of his journey from England to India, the people he encountered, the cultural differences and his adventures. The story was pretty interesting and filled with historical information on the areas he’d passed through, but not as much as I would have liked. All in all a great adventure!
To see more reviews visit: http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
To see more reviews visit: http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
February 13, 2013
Picked this one up as a kindle freebie so I can't complain about the price! One man's crazy 15,000km bike ride to India.
What I enjoyed about this:
- The personal narrative of the Danny's journey both physically and spiritually.
- The fact that it wasn't meticulously planned, the best adventures happen that way!
- It's an easy, quick read, maybe Danny was thinking of his former (and future) pupils
- Danny gets to live his childhood ambition which will inspire and motivate others to do the same
- Reminded me of There Are Other Rivers which was another awesome inspirational read
What detracted from the story:
- Spotted a couple of niggling proof reading errors, eg steal framed bike instead of steel framed..
- Occasional jumps in the story
- There should be nice colour pics in the ebook! There are some on his website though..
What I enjoyed about this:
- The personal narrative of the Danny's journey both physically and spiritually.
- The fact that it wasn't meticulously planned, the best adventures happen that way!
- It's an easy, quick read, maybe Danny was thinking of his former (and future) pupils
- Danny gets to live his childhood ambition which will inspire and motivate others to do the same
- Reminded me of There Are Other Rivers which was another awesome inspirational read
What detracted from the story:
- Spotted a couple of niggling proof reading errors, eg steal framed bike instead of steel framed..
- Occasional jumps in the story
- There should be nice colour pics in the ebook! There are some on his website though..
November 23, 2013
Too often the news goes for scare tactics making the idea of doing a journey like the one carried out in this book something absolutely terrifying. It was really nice to see just how many kind people there are in this world - even in countries where all we hear is how uncivilised the people are and how unsafe it is to travel. Obviously there are times in this book where hateful and terrifying things do happen but the examples of generosity and kindness show that these things really are in the minority.
This was an enjoyable read, the author does have a flair for the dramatic - especially in the later parts of the book, but manages to usually inject some humour into some otherwise scary situations. The tone was never preachy (even if the reason for the trip was a green one the author never forces his view on the reader), it was very serious at times and at times it did seem to jump all over the place, but overall I did enjoy this.
This was an enjoyable read, the author does have a flair for the dramatic - especially in the later parts of the book, but manages to usually inject some humour into some otherwise scary situations. The tone was never preachy (even if the reason for the trip was a green one the author never forces his view on the reader), it was very serious at times and at times it did seem to jump all over the place, but overall I did enjoy this.
November 3, 2014
When was the last time you knew a public school teacher who kept his word to his students even though it meant a 3000+ mile cycle ride across at least a dozen countries? This book gave me all of the thrill of an adventure without the danger of border crossings or consistent food poisoning. What WOULD it be like to bicycle from England all the way to the very south of India? To carry little more than a few clothes, a cell phone, and the barest essentials of camping gear? Without Danny, I'd never have known because this is not a journey I'd have taken. There is a reason to smile and quietly reflect in every chapter and that's not something you run across often in a modern book. If you're looking for a book about keeping your principles, about allowing fear be an emotion to experience all the way through without avoidance, about relying on the best in humanity to come through for you when you need it most -- you need to read this book.
July 15, 2013
Enjoyable little book for armchair adventure travelers. After a near-death experience, the British author packs it in and heads off to India via Eastern Europe, The former Soviet Asian Republics, China, and even war-torn tribal Pakistan....by bicycle! The focus of the book is not cycling, however, but more about the individual people he meets,the poverty he encounters, food, and ...well.... loose bowel movements. Along the way the author has a bit of a mystical awakening, but he also drinks some things, smokes some things, and hooks up with a young lady for a couple of weeks. While this book is not of the highest literary quality, it is written in a pleasant, innocent first person fashion and offers many fascinating glimpses of life on the ground in a part of the world we Westerners really only know about through politics and vague stereotypes.
February 27, 2014
I mostly enjoyed this book. It's the memoir of a guy who rode a bike from across Europe to India, which connects with plenty of my interests. The book is unbelievable in the way only a true travel story could be. However, the book is often just plain unbelievable because it is impossible -
The book suffers in places- his habit of misdirection gets a bit annoying after a while- dropping a suggestion of some extreme event before explaining that it was all in jest.
Overall though, a nice look at lots of parts of the world- I just wish I found the teller more reliable.
The book suffers in places- his habit of misdirection gets a bit annoying after a while- dropping a suggestion of some extreme event before explaining that it was all in jest.
Overall though, a nice look at lots of parts of the world- I just wish I found the teller more reliable.
June 5, 2012
Danny Bent certainly deserves a pat on the back for his very worthy adventure, a fantastic ride and I can imagine Danny being a fantastic teacher. However there is a problem. The book is quite simply badly written, which is a real shame and perhaps more the fault of the publisher than the author. Either way it reads like a school assignment "What did you do last summer?" that has been written by an 11 year old.
I did loose some respect for the author when he relates his lack of cola and chocolate to the hunger of the Jews during the holocaust. That was genuinely awful, and the author should have seen how incredibly disrespectful that is.
A great story, but this book is a huge opportunity missed.
I did loose some respect for the author when he relates his lack of cola and chocolate to the hunger of the Jews during the holocaust. That was genuinely awful, and the author should have seen how incredibly disrespectful that is.
A great story, but this book is a huge opportunity missed.
March 19, 2016
What a fantastic read and full of very, very good humor.
Danny Brent gave up his day job as a primary school teacher and hopped on the saddle for a two wheel journey from his home in the UK to India to raise money for ActionAid. It's an epic journey across northern Europe, Russia, the 'Stans', China and India.
As a keen cyclist whose done 100mile plus randonnee's and keeps putting off a JOGLE due to lack of finances, I can relate to the herculean feat being performed here and am envious of the adventure. Being two years old than Danny I'm left looking back and wondering what I've done wrong in my life not to be able to follow in his footsteps.
The book is an extremely well written and enjoyable read, deserves it's place near the top of my recommended reading list.
Danny Brent gave up his day job as a primary school teacher and hopped on the saddle for a two wheel journey from his home in the UK to India to raise money for ActionAid. It's an epic journey across northern Europe, Russia, the 'Stans', China and India.
As a keen cyclist whose done 100mile plus randonnee's and keeps putting off a JOGLE due to lack of finances, I can relate to the herculean feat being performed here and am envious of the adventure. Being two years old than Danny I'm left looking back and wondering what I've done wrong in my life not to be able to follow in his footsteps.
The book is an extremely well written and enjoyable read, deserves it's place near the top of my recommended reading list.
March 2, 2017
I wanted to love this first book from the author of the wonderful Not All Superheroes Wear Capes, but found it to be more closely resemble a set of journal entries with little through story line to grasp. A number of amusing anecdotes, a few cringe-inducing depictions of stereotypes, and less of what I suppose I hoped for in light of the beauty of Not All Superheroes - notes on the higher purpose of the trip, the lessons learned, the money raised by those following the journey, the recipients of the charity, the philosophical purpose. The danger and hardship undertaken seem the less worthwhile when it feels like humorous stories are the main product.
June 19, 2020
I don’t think it’s spectacularly written, but it’s such a good story that I don’t really care. It’s far from bad writing, and Danny’s crazy journey.. dear lord. Read this one kinda distractedly off and on, my fault not the books, but I’m left forgetting details- rides down icy 4000 km peaks, rides through taliban territory, scary encounters of all sorts that ended up alright. Danny’s passion shines through in much of his narrative- he complains but in understandable amounts, 90% of the time he’s upbeat.
Anyways, fantastic read- I’ll also remember the kindness he encountered in almost every place. I’ve experienced the same in my limited journeys, but Danny really highlights it well. This book has a lot of positives, and that’s the biggest one.
Anyways, fantastic read- I’ll also remember the kindness he encountered in almost every place. I’ve experienced the same in my limited journeys, but Danny really highlights it well. This book has a lot of positives, and that’s the biggest one.
June 3, 2011
I downloaded this book for my kindle – because it was free. It turned out to be an entertaining read. Danny Bent – a keen cyclist and a teacher in London, decides to cycle to a village in India to raise money for children’s charities. A mammoth undertaking! He Christians his bike Sheila and the two of them embark on some fabulous adventures. Danny meets a variety of characters along the way – many of them showing great kindness and generosity despite having little themselves. Danny is a colourful character and a genial companion in this cycling adventure. There are also plenty of gruesome toilet stories – which while hilarious are also rather gut wrenching.
January 22, 2013
A charming anecdote of an adventurous journey from the cozy confines of a British home to the far south of India. Who would dare to embark on such an excruciating 15,000 miles of bicycle madness? "Rooney", um, Danny Bent does it on a whim - in the course of the months facing perilous moments, embezzled with unique Brit humor, DB lives his dream and enlightens the readers with a soul touching tale of different people, different cultures and the very essence of humanity. Age old notions are broken, stereotypes are shattered and a remarkable feat is achieved. It is almost like "Into the Wild" sans the tragic ending.
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