Overall a decent read, but...
...he tends to repeat himself, maybe this is as the previous gentleman stated, because this was a series of magazine articles to begin with but I got tired of hearing the phrase "ribbon of _______" (whatever the Aussies call Asphalt over there , begins with a "B")used every time he was refering to the road. At one point this overused phrase was repeated two pages in a row, which I found simply ridiculous.

There were a few other descriptions that were phrased too close for comfort as well thoroughout the book. I guess this tale really needed an editor to point out the obvious flaws. I mean I'm no literary expert and even I saw these things.

But, as I hinted at with the title to this "review", overall it was a fair read. I finished it in two marathon sessions and once he gets going, this book sails pretty seemlessly.

Probably the best book I will read in 2008
This is, hands down, the best book I read in 2007 and will be tough to beat in 2008. By the time I finished it I needed a nap as I had felt every mile. Roff Smith needs to write more of his adventures as he draws you in with word one and doesn't release you until way after the adventure is done. Well done mate.

10,000 miles and a beer
Roff Smith's adventure created quite the resume for his job with National Geographic! His bicycle trip around Australia made me wax nostalgic about the trip I made across the heartland of the US in the summer of 1982. I understand why there were periods of hundreds of miles where he didn't write any words. Or as he was making the trip from Eucla Pass and on in to Melbourne that he didn't remember much of that part of the trip. He was bone weary and ready to chuck it in. I felt that way by the time I got to Trail of Tears State Park in Missouri from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The wind in your face, the heat (though shy of the 130 degree oven that he slogged through). I enjoyed the descriptions of friends he made along the way and good times. I think probably by the time you've made your way to the middle of nowhere and find kindred spirits, you care less for formality. I didn't incurr any of the road rash such as he got careening out of control outside of Perth, but when you are on a bicycle, you are more at the mercy of the elements and the good will of strangers than you are when you would be traveling by greyhound or by auto.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I am preparing for a trip to Australia. It gave good insight into the customs and people. Though I may bicycle some, I don't think I'll be traveling but a hundredth of the distance he covered on bike.

UPDATE - Jamie and I traveled to Australia and used the CityRail to get us to downtown Sydney as the first stop. We used Rolf's "Australian Traveler Guide" (National Geographic) and wound our way through the Royal Botanic Garden from the St. James train stop. This was an absolutely wonderful introduction to Sydney and Australia. Thanks again to Roff Smith. You can tell the man loves Australia!

Now I want to ride around Australia...
I loved this book. I like reading adventure travel books, but this one really caught my imagination. Roff Smith is a humorous writer with a knack for capturing the nuances of speech and behavior that make Aussies Aussies. Unlike many travel writers, Smith is neither condescending to his subject nor is he blind to the faults of the subject matter. Instead, he discusses the Australian psyche from the viewpoint of an adopted son, pointing out both the foibles of the Aussies as well as the things that make them a great country.

HIGHLY recommended for anyone with an interest in our antipodean neighbor or in bicycling!

Cold Beer and Crocodiles : A Bicycle Journey into Australia
Having travelled through Australia a number of times by airplane, car, and train, I found the perpspective of a bicylist to be enlightening, funny, and exasperating. While I never intend to pedal around Oz, I think Smith captured the spirit of the country. It was a good read. I would recommend the book but not the means of transport....