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In Which I Read A Book
March 15, 2008 by Mike
Did you hear the one about this bloke called Mike -- 42 years old, a journalist (of sorts), recently divorced, bought a motorbike and rode it around Europe?
He's just published a book about his trip.
.... and then I woke up from my dream.
Oh. Hang on.. no.. it's true.. I walked into a bookshop this week and greedily bought Uneasy Rider - Travels Through A Mid-Life Crisis by Mike Carter. I think you should do the same. Other Mike writes with modesty, humour and insight and, let's face it, I think the subject matter is pretty interesting, and hope you do too.
There are just enough differences in our tales to stop me crying into my glass of house red. For a start, he drinks beer rather than wine. He rides a BMW (booooo!). He's a West Brom fan: that's my ex's team, not mine. (No mention as to whether his ex-wife has yellow-and-green underwear, but frankly I'd be surprised.) He gets a terrible haircut in Helsinki - whereas I got one that still makes me smile.
He ponders the meaning of life a bit more than me, tries harder to cop off with more women than me.. or admits to it more than me. His budget stretches to more hotels - but then he was writing a weekly newspaper column as he went. In fact, it started the week before I was going to approach the Observer about writing a weekly column.
And of course Other Mike doesn't stick to the coast -- although he gets to plenty of places I've seen, and many more I have yet to reach. I'll try to remember not to get in quite so many hairy scrapes in Albania.
And when I get back to London at the end of all this, I'm going to look Other Mike up and let him buy me a verrrry large drink, as we sit down to solve the problems of the world via the gift of two-wheeled adventure.
--
I arrived in Tarifa on 2 November. Ma died nine days later and that turned everything upside down. I've been splitting my time between Norwich and Tarifa ever since. On Monday I fly to Gibraltar, pick up the newly-serviced (and possibly clean) bike and head back to Tarifa. But only for a few days, to gather my things and thoughts and say some very fond farewells.
Then I'll be back besidetheseaside and rolling towards France.. and Italy.. Slovenia.. Croatia.. and on.
Hopefully you may want to come along for the ride.
Comments
By Dick With | March 19, 2008 2:34 PM
Glad to hear you are, or will be soon, back on the road. Looking forward to reading of your travels again.
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By Laura | March 16, 2008 2:09 PM
I'm still following your journey.