In 1954 Peggy Boyd felt completely disenfranchised with her life in Sydney and decided to do what so many other young Australians were doing (and have been doing ever since!) – head for Europe and see the world.

Teaming up with another girl, she set sail for Naples beginning what became a five-year travelling adventure across Europe and North America.

This book details the first 8 months of that adventure as they arrive in Italy and start to get a feel for how to get around. Using their thumbs for rides they venture across Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Morroco, leading a life on the road that is far removed from what they left behind in Sydney.

This is a heartfelt memoir of a form of traveling that has all but disappeared. The book recounts the numerous adventures and encounters Peggy and her traveling companion Jane had all across western and southern Europe, experiencing the warmth and kindness of strangers that make thumbing a ride such a rewarding form of travel.

It is available for download in the Kindle format at Amazon. Chapters 1 -3 can be found as samples on the Amazon site.

Further sample chapters, including illustrations not available in the Kindle book:

Chapter 31: A Spanish Gentleman

Chapter 40: Morocco And More Bedbugs

More highlights from Peggy’s travels:

A love letter