Reviews of ON THE ROAD AGAIN. Thank you to you all for taking the time to write so generously.
www.goodreads.com/book/show/243347504-on-the-road-again
Tiger (David) COWARD is a well-known Canadian You Tube rider and reviewer. I am honoured that he has written such a detailed review of On The Road Again.
Hello Friends,
There’s a new addition to the Tiger Coward Adventure Motorcycle Library: On the Road Again by Jacqui Furneaux.
Have you ever wondered what around-the-world travellers do when they return from multi-year odysseys? How do they reintegrate with “normal” people and become civilized again? That story is rarely told—but in this book, you get a rare glimpse into one rider’s post-adventure adventure.
You’ll already know Jacqui Furneaux from her many contributions to motorcycle magazines and podcasts, her presentations at major moto shows, and her brilliant book Hit the Road, Jac! Seven Years. Twenty Countries. No Plan.
This new book picks up after her seven years on the road. Yes, there are motorcycle trips, but the real journey here is Furneaux’s search for contentment. She navigates several states of discontent, moves through multiple relationships, and is always accompanied by her beloved 2000 Royal Enfield Bullet as she settles back into life in the UK. The themes are personal growth, resilience, and the healing power of travel.
Here are the 5 things I liked most:
1. Honesty
This book is raw and brutally honest. Al Pacino might be right—I can’t handle the truth. At times, I felt genuine discomfort watching her step into new relationships, seeing the doom foreshadowed, and feeling her pain when things inevitably collapsed.
It takes real strength to recover from personal trauma, and immense bravery to share it openly with the world. Despite these relationship failures, Furneaux remains remarkably positive as she recounts how she felt at the time, and she never falls into blame or bitterness.
If you’ve read Hit the Road, Jac, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. If not, trust me: this storyline hooks you. And what makes it an adventure and not just a personal journal is the transformation of our hero. That’s a bit of a spoiler—but you’ll need to read right to the end to see it unfold.
2. Personal Growth
“An unexamined life is not worth living” is a line I absolutely invented… though I might have heard it somewhere before. Regardless, the message stands. Furneaux has spent years examining her life and working to improve herself—and this book lets us witness that process. And of course, it’s even more fun to examine other people, which this book allows us to do too.
3. Resilience
As I’ve said many times, I believe we have a resilience deficit in today’s soft, over-coddled Western world. This book, however, is a testament to grit, durability, and stubborn perseverance.
Like her motorcycle, Furneaux keeps on chugging—undeterred by the occasional malfunction. Quoting the philosopher Chumbawamba: she gets knocked down, but she gets back up again.
4. The Power of Motorcycle Travel
This is a Tiger Coward Adventure Motorcycle Library review, after all—so yes, the motorcycle and the moto-travel matter.
Her 2000 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is a pre-modern Enfield: full of quirks, full of flaws, in need of maintenance, not designed for the stresses she puts on it—and absolutely overflowing with charm. A perfect match for its pilot. Those of us who ride know the power of motorcycle therapy. Despite the in-helmet conversations we inflict on ourselves, the focus required by the road forces us into the present moment. It’s an elixir—kryptonite to a surprising number of demons. This book is proof of that.
And what incredible places she travelled to. Crossing over to France might be commonplace for Brits, but from the perspective of someone in central Canada, it feels wonderfully exotic. As beautiful as France is, it was often not the destination but merely a jumping-off point for Furneaux and the Bullet as they roamed across much of Europe.
I was especially intrigued by her journeys through the Balkans and former Eastern Bloc countries—regions rich in history, complexity, and character. And in an even more exotic twist, Furneaux and the Bullet head to Australia for an extended stay, which includes a visit to the Furneaux Group: a chain of roughly 100 islands off the coast of Victoria.
5. Swimming…Yes… swimming!
I have two rules when I travel: 1. Never miss an opportunity to swim. 2. Never pass a Dairy Queen. The second one makes me fat, but the extra insulation lets me swim more. Balance!
Furneaux never misses a chance to swim either. I think it brings her closer to nature—and serves as an allegory for washing away the negativity that keeps trying to latch onto her.
In conclusion:
This is a book of personal discovery. The motorcycle and moto-adventures are the sideshow to a deeper lesson in healing and the pursuit of happiness. A thoughtful, honest, and beautifully human story.
Reviews of Hit the Road, Jac!
Thank you to these very busy people for taking the time to read my book and review it.
Links to some web reviews of Hit the Road, Jac!
Sump Magazine
Overland Magazine
Hitchcocks Motorcycles
Verve Magazine
Good Reads
Me and My Books
Sump Magazine
Overland Magazine
Hitchcocks Motorcycles
Verve Magazine
Good Reads
Me and My Books
An ex-nurse and a long time motorcyclist, Jacqui Furneaux left the UK in 2000 and travelled by plane to India where she collected a brand new 500cc Royal Enfield Bullet. She was fifty years old.
What followed was a daring, scary, comedic, romantic, stubborn, dramatic, violent, death-defying and often lonely journey armed with her obvious wit, her natural resilience, yards of self-reliance, a bag of tools, a spare can of petrol, a few changes of clothes, around £300 per month and a large knife.
On the journey, Furneaux faced (and faced down) amorous brothel keepers, ruthless pirates, mad drivers, madder sailors, wild animals, and any number of other hazards that are all part of a day's ride for the average global motorcycle trekker.
Sump Magazine
---
A big trip which bounces along, full of life. Jacqui's enthusiasm for travel, new experiences and her Enfield Bullet comes through loud and clear.
Peter Henshaw, travel section editor of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine.
---
What Jacqui has done with her life is extraordinary. Much more than an absorbing book, this is a manual for self-discovery.
Ted Simon, author of “Jupiter’s Travels” and many other motorcycle travel books
---
Read this and you'll want to go on an adventure. Jacqui's tale is not just obviously inspiring, but her story makes you think about the pleasures of nature and simplicity; about taking the time to just stand and breathe life in, something we all quite wrongly think we don't have the time for. Her words reminded me of myself as a child, being inventive, imaginative and at times pretty cheeky to get what I wanted. Though clearly tough and dangerous at times, her journey seemed to create joy, a self made joy. Nothing better. I'm a huge fan of her trip, it's made me think...... I bet it will make you think too....!
Suzi Perry, television presenter
---
Her style of travel is unhurried, optimistic, spontaneous, yet her writing is punchy, candid and involving.
Overland Magazine
---
I’d already heard about some Jacqui Furneaux’s adventures with her globe-dawdling 500cc Enfield.
Now, having read the full story of her personal odyssey in ‘Hit The Road Jac’, I find myself drawn further in to her outlook on life, ideas that have been quietly inspiring me for a while now.
There’s something very attractive about her style of travel; unhurried, optimistic, spontaneous. This is the often surprising story of an already highly capable person, whose typically conventional life is upended in an equally conventional manner but who responds to her change in circumstances in ways that many find surprising in someone of her age and background.
By remaining open to what the world can be like, Jacqui Furneaux has developed a capacity for self-reliance, based on a kind of soft-strength rather than the sort of mobile siege-mentality that some travellers feel they need to adopt.
An independent spirit responding to the people she meets with a happy-go-lucky openness to the kindness of strangers, based on her growing self-awareness rather than simple naivety.
Told with understated, matter-of-fact candour, Jacqui’s heart-warming story is one of self-discovery at a time when the world is in flux just as much as she is.
Through her account of romance on the road, fending-off amorous sea-dogs, dodging pirate attacks, facing adversity with courage, we begin to see how Jacqui’s upbringing prepared her to grow in confidence when faced with the unexpected.
I’m trying to avoid using the word ‘memoirs’; it seems such an outdated term to use, suggesting the reader can expect the rambling reminiscences of past-glory and dry facts gone musty with age. But the best of memoirs are anything but that and, if it seems a somehow inappropriate word to use when reviewing a motorcycle travel book, just consider how many great memories we all have as the result of a willingness to go places on two-wheels.
Overland Magazine
---
I’m not often inclined to start comments about a book with words such as, what a phenomenal read! ‘Hit The Road Jac’ more that deserves the description.
To my mind this is a book that takes the very best of travelling – highs and lows – and wraps them up with phrases and descriptions that almost have you riding with the author. And that is a fascinating thing to do. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I read a motorcycle travel book and thought; I’d get a real buzz out of travelling with this person.
Jacqui Furneaux takes you riding for 7 years around the world, on a Royal Enfield Bullet which she bought in India. The front cover makes it clear that this is a story with no journey plan, and how excellent is that - few deadlines, and lots of taking advantage of opportunities. The story has romance, landscapes, riding, culture, sounds and smells, fear, frustration, humour, people and she is a repeat offender with something that I think is vital. The times of joy sing at you! As for the fear, she describes these moments in such a way that you can almost feel the hair rising on your arms. People? Her descriptions are show a wonderful reality of the world. As for the sounds and the smells, it’s almost as if she has captured them in this book, and releases them as you turn the pages. I think you can tell by now that I really like this book! It’s very easy to give it 5*
Sam Manicom, author of many motorcycle travel books
What followed was a daring, scary, comedic, romantic, stubborn, dramatic, violent, death-defying and often lonely journey armed with her obvious wit, her natural resilience, yards of self-reliance, a bag of tools, a spare can of petrol, a few changes of clothes, around £300 per month and a large knife.
On the journey, Furneaux faced (and faced down) amorous brothel keepers, ruthless pirates, mad drivers, madder sailors, wild animals, and any number of other hazards that are all part of a day's ride for the average global motorcycle trekker.
Sump Magazine
---
A big trip which bounces along, full of life. Jacqui's enthusiasm for travel, new experiences and her Enfield Bullet comes through loud and clear.
Peter Henshaw, travel section editor of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine.
---
What Jacqui has done with her life is extraordinary. Much more than an absorbing book, this is a manual for self-discovery.
Ted Simon, author of “Jupiter’s Travels” and many other motorcycle travel books
---
Read this and you'll want to go on an adventure. Jacqui's tale is not just obviously inspiring, but her story makes you think about the pleasures of nature and simplicity; about taking the time to just stand and breathe life in, something we all quite wrongly think we don't have the time for. Her words reminded me of myself as a child, being inventive, imaginative and at times pretty cheeky to get what I wanted. Though clearly tough and dangerous at times, her journey seemed to create joy, a self made joy. Nothing better. I'm a huge fan of her trip, it's made me think...... I bet it will make you think too....!
Suzi Perry, television presenter
---
Her style of travel is unhurried, optimistic, spontaneous, yet her writing is punchy, candid and involving.
Overland Magazine
---
I’d already heard about some Jacqui Furneaux’s adventures with her globe-dawdling 500cc Enfield.
Now, having read the full story of her personal odyssey in ‘Hit The Road Jac’, I find myself drawn further in to her outlook on life, ideas that have been quietly inspiring me for a while now.
There’s something very attractive about her style of travel; unhurried, optimistic, spontaneous. This is the often surprising story of an already highly capable person, whose typically conventional life is upended in an equally conventional manner but who responds to her change in circumstances in ways that many find surprising in someone of her age and background.
By remaining open to what the world can be like, Jacqui Furneaux has developed a capacity for self-reliance, based on a kind of soft-strength rather than the sort of mobile siege-mentality that some travellers feel they need to adopt.
An independent spirit responding to the people she meets with a happy-go-lucky openness to the kindness of strangers, based on her growing self-awareness rather than simple naivety.
Told with understated, matter-of-fact candour, Jacqui’s heart-warming story is one of self-discovery at a time when the world is in flux just as much as she is.
Through her account of romance on the road, fending-off amorous sea-dogs, dodging pirate attacks, facing adversity with courage, we begin to see how Jacqui’s upbringing prepared her to grow in confidence when faced with the unexpected.
I’m trying to avoid using the word ‘memoirs’; it seems such an outdated term to use, suggesting the reader can expect the rambling reminiscences of past-glory and dry facts gone musty with age. But the best of memoirs are anything but that and, if it seems a somehow inappropriate word to use when reviewing a motorcycle travel book, just consider how many great memories we all have as the result of a willingness to go places on two-wheels.
Overland Magazine
---
I’m not often inclined to start comments about a book with words such as, what a phenomenal read! ‘Hit The Road Jac’ more that deserves the description.
To my mind this is a book that takes the very best of travelling – highs and lows – and wraps them up with phrases and descriptions that almost have you riding with the author. And that is a fascinating thing to do. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I read a motorcycle travel book and thought; I’d get a real buzz out of travelling with this person.
Jacqui Furneaux takes you riding for 7 years around the world, on a Royal Enfield Bullet which she bought in India. The front cover makes it clear that this is a story with no journey plan, and how excellent is that - few deadlines, and lots of taking advantage of opportunities. The story has romance, landscapes, riding, culture, sounds and smells, fear, frustration, humour, people and she is a repeat offender with something that I think is vital. The times of joy sing at you! As for the fear, she describes these moments in such a way that you can almost feel the hair rising on your arms. People? Her descriptions are show a wonderful reality of the world. As for the sounds and the smells, it’s almost as if she has captured them in this book, and releases them as you turn the pages. I think you can tell by now that I really like this book! It’s very easy to give it 5*
Sam Manicom, author of many motorcycle travel books