I Never Intended to Be Brave: by Heather Andersen Review

  A Woman's Bicycle Journey through South Africa

                                  Camping in Namibia

Not yet ready to return to the States after her service as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, Heather Andersen sets her dream of exploring southern Africa by bicycle in motion.  Her group dwindles to just two before the trip even starts and she finds herself traveling with a man she’s never met before.  Tension between them builds until the inevitable split, and Heather continues on alone through unfamiliar lands. With great appreciation and understanding, she vividly describes her surroundings, the colorful people she encounters, and the adventure of traveling in foreign cultures as a solo woman on a bicycle. With the question of whether it’s safe never far from her mind, she forges her own path through southern Africa–and life.  Along the way, she trusts her intuition and the kindness of strangers, appreciates the rhythm of an unscheduled life on the road, and rediscovers her commitment to leading the life she wants.  If you’ve ever wanted to go somewhere completely unknown to you, or just want to experience it through someone else’s eyes, I Never Intended to Be Brave will take you there.

The Orange River, Namibia/South Africa Border

About Heather:
After my first bike trip in Maine as a teenager, I took a bike touring vacation each of the next couple summers—one year in Alaska and the next from Seattle to San Francisco. I was hooked on bike touring as the perfect way to explore and get to know an area and its people.

During college, I spent my junior year abroad in Germany.  There I saw the potential of using bikes for transportation, and I started to dream.   An internship with the League of American Bicyclists led me to a career in bike advocacy.  Cycling became a lifestyle for me.  Wherever I went, I wanted it to be by bike.  My bike has traveled with me on trains and planes throughout the world, and my bike tours frequently begin and end at airports or train stations.

Before I accepted an offer from the Peace Corps to serve as a volunteer in the tiny southern African country of Lesotho, I called and asked to make sure I could bring my bike.  After completing my volunteer service, I stayed in southern Africa to travel.  The story of this trip, which began with a riding partner I met in person only when our plane landed in Malawi and ended months later alone, is my memoir I Never Intended to be Brave—A Woman’s Bicycle Journey Through Southern Africa.

Sand Dunes in Namibia

My more recent bike tours have included the Black Hills of South Dakota and Morehead City, NC to Kiawah Island, SC.  The more of the world I explore by bicycle, the more I’m reminded how much there still is to see.

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My Thoughts:
I Never Intended To Be Brave is one woman's courageous adventure doing what she is passionate about, cycling. A true story on Heather Andersen's travels through Southern Africa. Her experience as a Peace Corp. volunteer prepared her for the experiences of her journey, knowing some of the language and customs. She starts out with a riding partner but that does not work out so she travels by herself. Through extreme temperatures, animal encounters Heather perseveres and finishes her ride. I learned a lot about cycling and Africa while reading this story based off of memories and journals. I found the book interesting and I am glad I had the chance to read it.  I found the Heather Andersen to be very brave indeed.I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book for review from the author and was not monetarily compensated for my review.