Dreaming of Jupiter ...

There are very few books I remember buying but Ted Simon’s “Jupiter’s Travels” is one of the few that I do remember. It was recommended and I picked up my copy in the Penguin Book Shop that used to be located in the Waverley Shopping Centre over in Edinburgh. I also remember reading it very quickly and deciding that a motorcycle was something I needed in my life.

For those who are not aware of Ted Simon – leaving in October 1973, he began travelling around the world on a 500 cc Triumph Tiger 100 motorcycle. Over the next four years he travelled over 64,000 miles (103,000 km) through 45 countries and “Jupiters Travels” tells the story. He was certainly one of the first people to undertake such a journey and it inspired countless similar adventures (he was quoted as being the reason Ewan & Charlie did the “Long Way Round”).

In 2001, Ted repeated much of the original journey with the intent of seeing how the 25 year gap had changed the world and his latest book “Dreaming of Jupiter” tells that particular story. In it he makes the observation that “only a fool tries to repeat history” and it was a concern as I started the book ….how could it possibly be as good as the original? In the end I need not have worried. Whilst it makes reference to the 1973 journey it succeeds in being fresh and as exciting as the original.

Some reviews have noted that there is a theme of disappointment running through the book but for me, that is simply stating a very human aspect of the dreams and hope for the future that tend to exist in the early part of life do not always work out as you had planned or hoped. That is not to say that is a bad thing …more just a thing. What is inspirational is that at nearly seventy years of age, Ted demonstrates that it is still possible to go out and find adventure and love in this life – now that is optimistic and comforting at the same time!

I did get that motorcycle and enjoyed a decade on two wheels before deciding I had gotten away with it and hung up ma boots …currently now stuck dreaming of my own personal Jupiter.