"CANADA
The girl and her motorcycle take a jumbo jet
from Paris to Montreal. Sometimes the only way
to cross an ocean is to fly. She sends a message
back home: I am alive.
And then she fills her tank with gas, and she
heads west. The open road is wide and shines
like leather. For days she rides, passing through
towns like: Maniwaki, Michipicoten, Saskatoon."
This is the compelling and well-told story of Anne-France Dautheville, a female journalist who left Paris in 1973 to travel the world on her motorcycle. Her wanderings lasted for ten years, and the story of of her travels is presented in tight text and realistic detail.
After carefully packing the supplies, clothing, and necessities for such a trip, she sets off. All alone, she experiences the freedom of making her way to Elsewhere. Despite some quiet concern about being on her own in a world that might prove dangerous, she listens to the call of the road. Canada is first; then Japan, India, Afghanistan, Turkey and part of Europe before returning to Paris. She spends her days traveling, her nights in campgrounds, and grooms herself in service station bathrooms. She meets many people who are astonished to see this young woman on her own, and on a motorcycle.
There are obstacles; none keep her from pursuing her need for travel. She is helped along the way by many, especially other young women of the time. She visits places many people do not see, reveling in the travel and freedom. Despite setbacks, she discovers so much.
"HOW TO DRINK TEA IN INDIA:
*Tea is called chai.
*Chai is milky and sweet.
*Drink it from a small clay cup.
*Smash the clay cup on the ground when
you are done."
Her story is told in engaging and enlightening text. Julie Morstad provides exceptional artwork that gives context to all of Ms. Duatheville's experiences. The changing perspectives, the precise attention to the details of her travels, the colors, and the beauty of the many settings will captivate readers. It is a story of adventure, bravery, and a clear appreciation for the freedom of life on the road.
End matter provides photos, and further information about Ms. Dautheville, and includes an author's note explaining her need to tell this amazing story.
"I want the world to be beautiful, and it is beautiful.
I want people to be good, and they are good."
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