Andiamo Full Circle

Book excerpt: In 2009, Bob Dolven left his home in Phoenix, Arizona, astride a BMW motorcycle. After ten years and almost 80,000 miles, he wound up in Christchurch, New Zealand. Through North, Central, and South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, Bob and his two-wheeled friend, Andiamo, visited sites as far flung as Dracula's Castle in Romania and the ruins of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Along the way they rode through blistering deserts, struggled through howling winds and torrential rains, and plowed through axle-deep snow. While every day brought new adventures, Bob also faced more than a few dangers. In Mexico, he had a close call when a truck carrying coconuts lost its load directly in his path. During a journey across the Caspian Sea on a cargo ship, his life was threatened by drunken Russian cabinmates who hated Americans. In Bolivia, he was stopped by a cop who told him to "go to jail" because it was the only safe place in the area to spend the night. In North Korea, he risked insulting his guides by refusing to accept their anti-American propaganda. But what Bob will remember most about his trip are the people he met. In Morocco, a man named Unnis invited him to his beautiful traditional Muslim home for mint tea and cakes. While searching for a place to camp in Mongolia, Bob came upon a crude hut where a smiling woman shared her meager meal of yak milk and chicken feet. When faced with mechanical breakdown or fuel shortages, someone always stepped up to help. While the world has its share of problems, Bob's journey convinced him that the human spirit is truly defined by kindness and generosity. Andiamo Full Circle is a trip you'll never forget.