Book Title: Rowed Trip: From Scotland to Syria by Oar
Author: Colin Angus & Julie Angus
Published: 2009
Pages: 369
Category: nonfiction; nonfiction: biography/autobiography
Married couple Colin & Julie Angus are crazy.
Or at least that’s what I thought when I first received this book in the mail – a birthday present – why else would anyone attempt to row & bike practically across an entire continent (and then some)? But then, I’m a little scared of boats, and have a 4 speed, pedal brake purple bike that I ride 15 minutes to work and back. I also am a fan of train travel, roadtrips, and hotels.
This book though, tells an almost epic story, about a couple of amazing people with an incredibly strong relationship. It’s just the kind of adventure I wish I had the courage to undertake.
They travelled, solely on their own power, through 13 countries, over 7 months, for a total of 7200 kilometres. Why? Because they wanted to get to know their roots better, meet family, see places they’d only ever been told stories about, and also, to see if they could. An epic journey from Scotland all the way to Syria. On bikes and in rowboats.
I found this journey particularly interesting, as I have my own memories of some of the same places, but under entirely different circumstances. They had a very different view of Scotland; Loch Ness, Urqhart Castle, than I did, while I looked out over these places, they looked up from the water at the same views.
Other places they visited I saw too, along the Thames through London, Cambridge, York, all places I saw from land, that they viewed from the water. While the location was the same, the experience must have been completely different.
I was sitting in the lunch room reading this book, when some of my coworkers asked about it. When I had finished explaining the journey these two were undertaking we started talking about the craziest thing we’d ever done.
Mine was flying to Toronto, just two weeks after Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows was released to go to a Harry Potter Convention by myself – where I met some incredible friends, a move that I can trace greater confidence and even more friends and adventures directly to as a result.
Another woman’s was leaving her marriage for the love of her life.
Someone else’s was moving across the country, away from family, friends, and familiarity for the draw of a new place and new adventures.
Another’s was going to another city to meet someone in real life for the first time.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Planned to do? Wished you’d done?
Philippa Adams 