By Ian Mutch
Three months of self indulgence in pursuit of ‘the dream’ aboard a Harley-Davidson in the Eden that is New Zealand. Setting out with a negative bank balance and an impossible tax demand, Mutch experiments with self-denial that begins with dinner at Raffles Hotel during a three day Singapore stopover.
A former ship’s officer of the P&O line, Ian Mutch has travelled extensively by motorcycle to Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, the United States and New Zealand and written travel books based on his experiences. The emphasis is on humour rather than being particularly informative.
Mutch’s first foreign trip was to Israel in 1980. For this trip he rode a Triumph which disintegrated progressively throughout the journey. Subsequent trips have all been made on Harley-Davidsons on which he has owned four.
No interests in motorcycles is necessary in order to achieve an intense grin throughout the reading of these sometimes desperate tales of mechanical and emotional distress.
Not a single copy has been bought by any resident of North Korea where grinning is thought to be prohibited but Mutch is working on that market by inviting the Dear Leader to make the stocking of his books compulsory in all schools and libraries so that smiles and joy may enhance the quality of life there.
Thank you
Bikers' Bookshelf 
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