Through Sand & Snow cover art

Through Sand & Snow

A Man, a Bicycle, and a 43,000-Mile Journey to Adulthood via the Ends of the Earth

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Through Sand & Snow

By: Charlie Walker
Narrated by: Charlie Walker
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About this listen

At age 22, Charlie Walker left home in search of adventure. Fleeing the boredom that comes with comfort, he set off on a secondhand bicycle. The aim was simple: to pedal to the furthest point in each of Europe, Asia, and Africa. He didn’t train or plan. He just started. The journey was an escape from an unremarkable existence, a pursuit of hardship, and a chance to shed the complacency of middle England. From the brutality of winter on the Tibetan plateau, to the claustrophobia of the Southeast Asian jungle, the quest provided Charlie with ample opportunity to test his mettle. Ultimately, though, the toughest challenge was entirely unforeseen.

©2017 Charlie Walker (P)2019 Charlie Walker Cycling Travel Writing & Commentary Bicycle Travel
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Once you start listening, you can barely stop. Finishing this will leave you planning your own adventure

Phenomenal adventure book

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Powered through this book in a day, already off to download the next one

Very entertaining read!

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It's funny, I listened to Charlie Walker's second novel first and I loved it! It felt like I was riding along the road with him, with his wonderful stories and people, the history and culture.
This book was fun to listen to but I missed the maturity of the second book. The delivery of a good story was undermined by the lack of integrity to his journey and was too emotionally driven. This book is more a coming of age drama.

An adventure begins

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A brave and bold account.
Enjoyed almost all of the book,
Well read too.

Gripping adventure

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The story was enthralling. The narration engaging. This story is well told and well performed. I was worried this would just be another self-absorbed cycle touring book. But is it not at all. The author tells his story through his connections with other people not just his own lens. I laughed. I felt sadness. I felt his coming of age while also learning about the people and places he experienced. That he shares historical and cultural information about places brought me into those worlds. One of my favourite travel stories. Good thing it’s two books: I got to listen to more!

Enthralling

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Really enjoyed listening to this book and hearing about Charlies unique adventure around countries and places largely off the beaten path,

Fantastic Book

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So many things I've enjoyed in this book. Some of the stories were very relatable. Super inspiring journey, and loved the narration as well. Charlie is a genuine, likable human being with a great attitude towards life and I enjoyed listening to him

Great Journey told beautifully

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As a bikepacker myself, I really enjoyed this yarn, and the adventures of the author. It was interesting to listen to and I found myself visualising along with the narrator as the diversity of settings and situations unfolded. One gripe, what happened to Claire? Perhaps I drifted off and missed it. Anyway I certainly enjoyed sharing the journey and would listen again ;-D

Cycle count

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I listen to lots of this genre and this is one of the great ones.
His follow up is just as good.

Great - and so is the next one.

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An impressive undertaking, but a relatively unremarkable story, seems to me he was only out there in the hopes he has epic/traumatic experience to make him famous, while trying to humble and philosophical. it's just ok.

Hmm

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