Dust on My Shoes

This was going to be a five star book all along. Before I even opened the cover, I could have awarded those stars. In 2018 when I bought it, intending to read it the following year (I had already read one Pinney book that year), I wouldn't have anticipated I could save it this long. This is his first book, and one of the last I have been able to obtain - which is ironic, considering it was his most popular and likely re-printed the most. I will now re-read them in the order of his travels, and enjoy them as much as the first time no doubt, as I believe him to be my favourite author - which is a big call.

To the story - we join Peter Pinney in Greece, low on funds, without luggage, making friends and enjoying the freedom of travel - not an unfamiliar situation for anyone who had read his books before. No change of clothes, no personal belongings that don't fit in his pockets (a razor, a pipe, a notebook and pencil, that's about it). Greece is in the midst of a civil war, rebels fighting the army, and they block his way to Turkey, but it would take more than a war to turn him aside.

In Turkey, Erdine, en-route to Istanbul to be exact, we meet briefly Robert Marchand, the Dutch traveller who continually crosses paths to travel with Pinney in this book. Marchand is a good match for Pinney, although perhaps a little more prepared to cross certain moral lines than Peter, for he makes a point not to take money from the proceeds of crime - often. And so the two travel together briefly until one or other wanders off without warning, although they meet again in unlikely locations.

He carries on to travel through Syria, Lebanon (part of Syria at this time), Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (and Assam) and Burma (Myanmar). I won't spoil all the excitement of the book, but there is much to take in on this journey.

An objection to bureaucracy, a dislike for the corruption of power (low and high ranking police, military and border guards typically fall into this category) or for people who are simply unpleasant all rub Pinney up the wrong way. He is forthright, yet seems to attract the best luck and lucky circumstances that ever graced a traveller without the necessary funds, or inherent rights to be going the places he goes. To be fair he always tries to obtain visa's where able, but often the bureaucracy and lack of logic makes this impossible.

There are a number of black and white photographs - generally very good. While the timing of these doesn't align with the narrative too well, they are a great addition, but as I have found with his other books, he never talks bout carrying a camera, so I am a little perplexed about how he obtains these. There is a map on the inside of the cover which is great, but is small scale, although it is marked with all the main places featured in the narrative.

As forewarned above - 5 stars.