45 books to London

This is a book that is part love story, part travel journal, and it was a really nice mix! I thought that the author (Ivan) seemed like a really nice, funny guy (although sometimes not very sensible, like when travelling through Iran). I also liked that he focussed on the travelling, rather than talking about his family back home. I usually like to know about the background of the author/characters, but this time it felt right that it was left out.

I really enjoyed the comparison to the 1961 trip, although sometimes I got confused about which story I was reading. It seems like many of the countries and towns visited had not many improvements in the 35 intervening years between the two trips!

I also really liked Ivan's stories about the people him and Beth met along the way (on both trips). Meeting the different people would be one of the most amazing parts of a trip like this, and I really admire anybody who has the guts to do it. Especially when you are in the public eye (like Ivan and Beth were).

I did get confused by some of the book (like at the end of the 1961 trip when the boat fare for the boat cost more than the last trip, but the car is supposed to be on it's maiden voyage...), but overall it was pretty straight forward and easy to read.

I really liked this book and would recommend it to others looking for a good travel motivation.