Silk Road

Whilst attending university, Herman is selected to lead a group of unlikely candidates on an expedition to retrace the Silk Road journey of Marco Polo at the behest of a famous geographic publication and financed by a philanthropic trust. The trek takes them three thousand miles through several countries with hilarious consequences, commencing at Istanbul. The group consists of eight, plus three photographers, six camels, three donkeys, a Clydesdale horse, a dog and a Tiger Moth for surveillance and photography.

There are seven men of differing religions, Christian, Muslim and Jewish, one of whom is seldomly sober, a lesbian cook, and two of the photographers are gay. They are joined on route by two very attractive Iranian girls who have a major impact on the demeanour of the group. As the journey progresses, their diversity finds common ground of spirituality, respect and love for each other.

Silk Road is a story of adventure, humour, romance and the love of animals. It takes the reader through emotions of exhilarating joy and sadness on a journey of human trial and tribulation. It is bizarre, bewitching and beautiful, with an ending to satisfy the soul.

Shortly after relocating from New Zealand in 1980, John and his wife of 52 years, Susy, settled at Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast, Australia, where they cleared a building site amidst an acre of wooded land and built their home. For 22 years, John served on the board of governors of a well-known independent college which he co-founded in 1983. The inspiration of this book arises from 30 years of international travel through his ship-broking business to amazing areas of the world depicted in Silk Road, his fourth published book. However, the greatest inspiration comes from his family, his own amazing life experiences and those whose lives have touched him.