I very much enjoyed reading Jeffrey's book. He takes you to foreign places and shows how the local people interact with him, where it brings him and in which situations Jeffrey let the reader to his book know that reality is a very different story that what television shows us. He is a traveler without a plan, in my opinion the best position. Although this brings him great difficulties at times. Jeffrey urges us to choose what you dream of and start by throwing your television out, and not to be indoctrinated by the media. And I agree, we get to swallow a lot of nonsense. Instead, make your own reality and Jeffrey describes what is his. Jeffrey knows how to write. Beautifully described in an exciting way he makes you feel part of his travel. Endearingly. Open. Honest. Sometimes, if not always, the best thing to do in life is to break free from the norm. And Jeffrey did do that. We have a saying in the Netherlands: 'Just act normal, that's already crazy enough', and so, that his relatives and friends frown upon his decisions is understandable. Good thing that Jeffrey was good to go! As well as a strong beginning, the end part is well written and leaves the reader very curious to what actually happened. This in contrast with his openness. This typical Dutch openness reveals at times more than one has to know yet more often Jeffrey tells his journey in a kind and respectful manner. We get to know a travelers mind and his way of interaction which I found nice and pleasant to read. He is able to keep the excitement and flow of his storyline throughout the book. And I know where he is talking about as I traveled the same countries as Jeffrey. I can recommend this first book of him.

On days when I was stuck at my desk doing increasingly boring work, this book proved to be the perfect companion! If needed to just get away from my desk for a few minutes I’d read a chapter from Breaking Free and I felt as though I was instantly transported to an exotic location half the world away. I particularly enjoyed the chapter in this book about Jeffrey’s time in Tibet. I also visited Tibet a few years ago, but unfortunately I wasn’t brave enough to attempt half the things that Jeffrey did there! This book really opened my eyes to a completely different side of the country, one that I never could have imagined. I was also amazed by Jeffrey’s bravery in the chapters where he made his way through the desert. I was left with the impression that at times he was only away few steps away from death, with only his quick wits keeping him out of trouble. I certainly don’t have to courage to even attempt anything like that, so Breaking Free was the perfect opportunity to step into the shoes of a true adventurer and escape from my mundane reality for a little while. Jeffrey’s a wonderful travel companion and the sheer love of what he does is totally infectious. I could feel the enthusiasm behind every word in this book and I had almost as much fun reading it as he must have had writing it. I’m excited to see where Jeffrey plans to take his readers next in the next volume of his Good to Go series and I can’t wait to read more about his incredible journeys and the fascinating things he’s learned from around the globe!

The author has provided a quite unusual travelogue that begins in Switzerland and ends in an Afterword that brings this native of Holland to Chicago, IL on an impulsive decision. Between these points of ‘advanced civilization’, his journey takes him through parts of Russia, China, Tibet, Nepal, India, African Gambia, Jordan, Syria and Kurdistan. Perhaps even more intriguingly most of his journey was conducted singly on a Chinese-built motorcycle, on foot and even horseback with occasional local bus and invited rides on trucks, vans and unusual personal transportation. His sleeping accommodations were at the least expensive hotels and/or hostels, personal homes and frequently ‘hopefully acceptable’ shelters in abandoned buildings or even the open air where he could pitch a shelter, or perhaps not. Conditions encountered for the most part were extensively primitive. Quantities of food and water frequently were low and even dangerously missing for periods of time. Quantities available were purchased if possible, or provided for one reason or another by many kind people he encountered. Discussion: This is a fascinating tale of travel largely in some of the most poorly developed areas of the world undertaken by a young man who is intrigued by different cultures and thrives on living a totally different way of life. His story is descriptively presented and a reader can only marvel at the fact that his survival itself is quite remarkable.

Seriously awesome book / narrative about a man who travels the word to places we can't even imagine. He encounters the most bizarre situations and meets all kinds of people. I loved reading it. Sometimes I was laughing out loud, sometimes I noticed tears on my cheeks, sometimes I was holding my breath by the things he encountered and most of all I was, and still am, really in awe and really baffled by the sheer awesomeness off all the adventures. Definitely a must read. And I really loved the commentary of him on everything. Unfiltered and honest!

A lot of people measure their life according to what and how much they own (their possession), but some, like Vonk, measure it by what they’ve experienced and seen of the world. Breaking Free (Part 1 of the Good to Go series) is a breath-taking glimpse into a world we seem to think only exists in the pages of thrilling action novels or on the silver screen, I mean it has it all: insane adventures, life-threatening situations, thrillingly beautiful landscapes, exotic peoples and cultures. The simple truth is that adventure is out there, we just need to be willing to look for it – to run away from our comfort zones as far and as quickly as possible. When I (and I’m arrogantly assuming most people as well) imagine what backpacking means to me, I image a budget holiday where I can barely afford the plane ticket (never mind a luxury hotel) in order to explore a new country for a week or two before heading back to college or work – a place to act out and try on a new persona before heading back to the “real” world. But what if you’re someone that doesn’t belong in one place for too long – and the only way to stay true to who you are and feel comfortable in your skin is to constantly travel and meet new people and discover new places? This is what life, as I see it, seems to be for Vonk – our normal placid lives are to him an anathema. Good to Go offers a perspective on a whole different way of living that so many of us dream of, fantasise about and envy, but we’re too scared to take the risks and make the sacrifices to achieve ourselves. Naturally, when throwing away the guide book and just hitting the road comes with its share of mishaps, as Vonk describes in hilarious and, sometimes, achingly poignant detail. But these are the things that build a plot, that change our lives, shape us and motivate us. Vonk not only focuses on the events but takes care to paint a picture of China and Russia through his eyes and it’s incredible to note the changes in colour and tone that image takes the more he learns about each country, their customs and history. How these different places and cultures can simultaneously be delicate, stark, peaceful, cruel, graceful, resilient, ugly, exciting, boring, beautiful, strange, familiar - clashing contradictions and subtle harmonies all at the same time. Vonk’s travel journal offers readers a peek into the kaleidoscope that is our world. After reading Part 1, Vonk has made me feel like luxury holidays are actually robbing us of entire sensory experiences and authenticity we’re dying to experience (something we ironically pay travel agents a fortune to guarantee). It’s made me rethink the way I want to travel to and through places; where I want to eat and sleep; how long and how often I can travel to new places, and even the places I want to go to – why go somewhere everyone’s seen? I completely recommend reading Breaking Free, Part 1 of the Good to Go series – whether you want to live vicariously through his actual experience or looking for inspiration for your next adventure.