Updated December 22, 2023

Youthful misadventures abound in the Ernie Diaries motorcycle adventure 1973. From London to Iran , the book chronicles the travels of Ernie, an old Norton ES2 that took two ordinary people to extraordinary places in an earlier era.

Ernie Diaries motorcycle adventure 1973

The book is a collaborative effort of Anne Betts and Des Molloy, the two adventurous twenty-somethings who set out from London in 1973 with a rough plan to reach Israel and Palestine via the Arctic Circle. The five-month journey ended in Iran when Ernie was traded for three Persian carpets after efforts to visit the chosen destination were derailed by the Yom Kippur War.

Along the way, the highlights of each day were recorded in a journal, along with clippings, photographs, and sketches. After a gestation period of 50 years, it was during the global pandemic with the help of the journal and associated paraphernalia, along with two sets of memories that differed, converged, and expanded, The Ernie Diaries became a reality.

The era

These were the days when travellers of limited financial means could free camp on exquisite stretches of coastline before they were dotted with five-star resorts. It was a time when face-to-face interaction with others was the social tinder that inspired and informed travel plans, long before laptops and other electronic devices made travel research a more solitary pursuit.

If you travelled in the days before email and ATMs, you’ll relate to references to Poste Restante and traveller’s cheques. For those who rely heavily on the internet to meet up with others, you’ll appreciate how difficult it was ‘back then’ to execute a rendezvous. If you’re a motorcyclist, you’ll relate to descriptions of how we glued together a broken piston in Norway and dealt with other challenges associated with motoring on two wheels. But most of all, everyone will undoubtedly see themselves and the curiosity, naivety, and resilience of their youth in The Ernie Diaries.

Reviews

“I like how the story is written from two perspectives with complementary writing styles.”Shaun Veness, Tonbridge, United Kingdom

“It certainly portrayed two very intrepid youngsters making the most of life. It reads more fun than a travel book and more interesting than young people having fun book. Well done to both of you.” Bryan Wilson, New Zealand

“It’s not just a travel journal. It’s a travel adventure and acute observations with a huge dose of delightful and interesting narrative.” Talek Nantes, Miami, USA and founder of Travels with Talek

by George Lockyer, Bike Rider Magazine

Dear Anne and Des:
We loved your book! Neither of us could put it down. Although it wasn’t ours, your story was so familiar. The attitudes, values, love of the unknown, looking for adventure, sense of being bullet-proof, the tight budget and money saving techniques, and all those conversations and places were so familiar.

I’m writing this sitting in our bus at Miranda, wondering how those travellers would see us now. The luxury, the quality of our warm clothes, a comfortable bed, we can stand up inside, and walk from the bed to the bathroom.  A bathroom!

Thank you for your story – for bringing to life our memories and connecting us to the people we once were. We loved your writing styles and are in awe of your journal keeping and memories.

Warm regards,
Jill and Ken Duncalfe, New Zealand

Traverse Magazine, Australia

Old Bike Australasia

Available in various formats

• An ePUB or PDF version can be purchased from Kahuku Publishing at a cost of NZD10 (AUD9, CAD8, EUR6, GBP5, USD6).
• For Kindle and paperback versions, check out your nearest Amazon store.
• New Zealand readers can purchase a paperback copy from the small, independent Kahuku Publishing for NZD32 plus $8 postage. Another advantage of supporting Kahuka Publishing is that co-author Des will send an autographed copy. For inquiries about international shipping costs, contact Des at Kahuka Publishing.
• Canadian readers can get a print version from Chapters Indigo for CAD27.99 with free shipping on a $35 order. Rakuten Kobo sells an ebook for $11.99.
• USA readers might want to check out Thrift Books to obtain a paperback version for USD18.07 and free US shipping. Barnes and Noble offers a price of USD20.99 with access to free shipping when a spending threshold of $40 is met. Take advantage of the opportunity to buy a second one for a friend or loved one!
• If you’re in the UK, visit Blackwell’s for a paperback copy for GBP13.99.
• Australian readers might want to check out Booktopia where the listed price for a paperback is AUD31.75.

Other motorcycling adventures

The Ernie Diaries is Des’s fourth effort, with a fifth in the works. To learn more, visit  Kahuku Publishing.

Hopefully you’ll enjoy the journey with Ernie as much as Des and I did. Thank you for your interest and support. For other insights on what it was like to travel in the 1970s, you may be interested in my post, What was it like to travel in the 1970s? What’s better? Then or now?

Care to pin for later?