Have Fridge, Will Travel

Book Title: Round Ireland With A Fridge

Author: Tony Hawks

Promotional Blurb: TV comedian Tony Hawks tries to win a bet by hitch-hiking around the circumference of Ireland in one calendar month. With a fridge.

‘I hereby bet Tony Hawks the sum of One Hundred Pounds that he cannot hitchhike round the circumference of Ireland, with a fridge, within one calendar month’

A foolhardy attempt to win a drunken bet led to Tony Hawks having one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life. Joined by his trusty travelling-companion-cum-domestic-appliance, he found himself in the midst of a remarkable, inspirational and, at times, downright silly adventure.

In their month of madness, Tony and his fridge surfed together; entered a bachelor festival; and one of them had sex without the other knowing. The fridge got christened, and they even met the poorest king on Earth.

An absurd story of an extraordinary adventure, Round Ireland with a Fridge follows the fearless pair as they battle towards Dublin and a breathtaking finale that is moving, uplifting, and a fitting conclusion to the whole ridiculous affair. Source

My Thoughts: What a delightful read! In today’s World where so many people take themselves so seriously and are in pursuit of their 20 seconds of Insta-fame, Tony set off to win a bet with few preconceived ideas and absolutely no expectations of what he will find.

Yes, this is a long time ago…in 1997.

And, Yes, Tony is an eejit.

Tony’s completely purposeless trip wins him hearts and, in turn, makes him open himself to the goodness and generosity of people. He is an eejit (read = idiot) struggling along the road with a domestic appliance and the Irish people embrace him anyway. He is blithely unaware of the impact he is having on people until one of his new best friends comments,

“Look around you. Everyone is having a damn good laugh about you and your fridge. You may not know it, but you are spreading joy”.

As he hitchhikes around the country, he discovers the beauty that Ireland is renowned for as well as the friendliness and humour of its residents, and after endless lifts, equally endless explanations that “Yes, it is really a fridge”, and bottomless pints of Guinness, Tony starts to see and understand the Philosophy of the Fridge. This philosophy is based on:

• Trust: That everything will work out and, even if it doesn’t go to plan, it will still work out anyway.
• Living Life to the Fullest: Particularly apt was a quote he included by a chap called Nigel Walker, “There are two words I don’t want to find myself muttering as an old man – “If only…’” If only I had done xyz… Tony then adds:

“The trick is to be masters of our own destiny so far as we have control, and take the rest on the chin with a wry smile. But we must go for it. Only a fool would squander the rich opportunities life affords us.”

• Faith: Faith in the goodness and kindness of human nature even when said humans have little idea of what is going on. Kindness trumps all.

This ridiculous, but epic, adventure forces Tony to really embrace life and all that is thrown at him whether it be bucketing rain or the noisiest snorers and farters.

An enjoyable, quirky and amusing read. I gave it 8/10.

Author Bio: Tony Hawks lives in London. He leads a diverse life and has various ‘jobs’, such as performing stand-up comedy, appearing as a panellist on TV and radio (Have I Got News For You, Just A Minute, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue), acting, writing, playing tennis, and making music. Source

Author Blog or Website: http://www.tony-hawks.com/

Pages: 272

Publisher: Penguin

Published In: 1999

Available from: Book Depository for $24.99

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