Book review: Lois Pryce – Lois on the loose

Two years from now I am at the same age as Lois was, when she started her journey, 30 years old. Although I have not reached that age yet, the book is so recognizable that I am actually a little jealous and wondering if I could also ride this route in about two years.

Lois on the Loose (www.loisontheloose.com) tells the story of Lois dreaming about a motorcycle adventure. The story begins with her daily routine, riding on her motorbike on the London highway to the office, ‘The Pigsty’. “Am I the only one who is so bothered by all this? Don’t they look with a twinge of jealousy to flashy engines that drive past? Don’t they imagine what it would be like not every morning taking the same highway exit, but to drive further and further until the road stops, or until the country ends?” These questions, that I asked myself every week as well, are being answered by Lois with a journey through the Americas, from Alaska to Argentina.

Within a few weeks I had finished the book. And believe me, this is pretty fast for someone who does not read often and who does read very slowly. The book is full of fun facts about cultural differences, border crossings and rumors of overland motorcycle travelers. However, Lois is also finding herself several times, among other things after a motorcycle accident. Anyway, humor reigns in this book and very often I was rolling on the floor laughing my ass off.

I read this book, because I wanted to know more about how a motorcycle trip would be. What should I look for? What should I bring with me and how? I was also curious about the differences between a female and a male way of driving and traveling. Lois describes her adventure full of emotion. The result is that I, as a reader, could quite readily imagine what kind of emotions I could experience during such a trip. Despite the fact that each person experiences emotions differently, I do find it good to know the different emotions that I could possibly have and how I might look at things. Of course my perception during such a trip will also occasionally be adapted to the environment. “Pieces of cloth nailed to the wall, the room breathed the atmosphere of the last hour of a flea market, where all products cost five cents. The television has only two channels, of which the screen will cause migraine by its flicker, the toilet does not flush and it looks like that halve of the ceiling will come down coming night. But I like it a lot here.”

The tip that Lois receives from her boyfriend (and current husband) Austin Vince (www.austinvince.com) is that a motorcycle traveler must always have a goal in mind. Without a goal, you would be wandering around. This tip I have always bear in mind, and I did apply it during our trip through Scandinavia. Before this trip I made a day-to-day route so we had a goal every day we started driving. Several tactics to pay bribes will be helpful for the next trip, who knows where to go …

Lois’ trust in people arouses enthusiasm in me to travel on a motorcycle outside Europe. In short, Lois on the Loose is a book that is easy to read. Reading it is a good start to be motivated for a longer trip, and at the same time you will receive the first tips for this journey!