Now, in 2025, he tells the story of the first year of that journey as he journalized it when it happened, with commentary from his seventy-seven-year-old self.
Traveling in the tumultuous time of the Iranian Revolution and the beginning of the end of the Soviet Empire, he faces the challenges of the road: disasters, the elements, and his own moods and questionable decisions.
Along the way, in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, you'll meet a cast of life-changing characters, travelers and locals alike, who he comes to realize are the real reason for the journey.