In it for the Long Ride

Written by Christopher Many

When Christopher Many first hit the road in 1997, he had no idea just how far the travel bug would take him. Nearly three decades later, he’s still exploring. Right Beyond the Horizon chronicles his second round-the-world journey: an epic motorcycle odyssey tracing the Silk Road from Europe, through Central Asia all the way to Australia.

Born in New York City in 1970 to an American father and a German mother, Christopher has always had a knack for pushing boundaries and doing things his own way. In 1997, he stepped away from the usual path, convinced that a life on the move suited his restless soul far better than a settled existence. The plan? Live on the road for good, owning little more than a vehicle and whatever he could strap to it.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe at around the same time, Laura Pattara was following her own calling. Life in Sydney had started to feel too tight, too predictable – so she sold everything, bought a one-way ticket to South America, and just kept going. When their paths crossed in Africa in 2008, the spark was instant. They fell in love, teamed up, and have been roaming the globe together ever since.

Right Beyond the Horizon tells the story of their 2012–2016 expedition: a four-year motorcycle journey from Germany to Australia. Laura, whose only experience on two wheels had been zipping around on a Vespa, joined Christopher for the ride. He was on Puck, his trusty Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré, while she rode Pixie, a 1996 BMW F650.

Together, they followed the ancient Silk Road, winding through Europe and Central Asia, up over the Pamir Mountains, and into the vast expanse of China. There, they made a bit of history by becoming the first overlanders with a foreign vehicle to gain legal permission to cross the country unescorted.

Four years on, they finally rolled into the harbour of Denpasar, on the Indonesian island of Bali: the gateway to Australia, and the last stop on the classic trans-Asia overland route.

This isn’t your typical ‘around the world in 80 days’ kind of tale, nor is it a diary packed with edge-of-your-seat stunts. It’s also not a guidebook, so don’t expect handy checklists or advice on fixing punctures.

Right Beyond the Horizon is something else entirely: a thoughtful, sometimes funny, often quietly reflective look at what it means to live a life in motion. It’s about distant places, strange and wonderful meetings, the odd philosophical detour, and the strange sort of freedom that only the road can offer.

Along the way, you’ll glimpse a world in flux – from the vanishing shores of the Aral Sea, to political protests in Turkey and the white-knuckle thrill of crossing the Tibetan Plateau, high up on the Roof of the World.

En route through Turkey, the Caucasus Mountains, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Southeast Asia and Indonesia, plenty of questions arise, some fun and light-hearted, others a little more confronting. But whether you’re pondering deeper thoughts or just enjoying the view, one thing’s for sure: this is one ride you won’t forget in a hurry. So hop on the saddle and come along – you never know where the next bend in the road might lead.

Christopher Many’s bestselling Horizon series began with his debut book, Left Beyond the Horizon – A Land Rover Odyssey, chronicling his eight-year journey around the world from 2002 to 2010. It was published on 4 July 2011.

Right Beyond the Horizon – A Motorcycle Odyssey, the second in the series, followed on 19 September 2016. The third and final volume of the travel trilogy, Somewhere Beyond the Horizon, was released in November 2024.

Translations are available in German and Portuguese, and a Braille edition is also offered for visually impaired readers. Christopher firmly believes that everyone deserves the chance to experience the world, even if only through the pages of a book.

To learn more about his voyages and upcoming projects, visit:
https://christopher-many.com/en/

Christopher Many
Right Beyond the Horizon –
A Motorcycle Odyssey
From Europe to Australia –
four years on two wheels

Paperback: (RRP): AU$ 30.64
Kindle: (RRP): AU$ 11.99

All three books, including Right Beyond the Horizon, are available worldwide on Amazon:
www.amazon.com.au/stores/Christopher-Many/author/B00OP6TQGE