banner homeweb

Heather Ellis is an Australian author, journalist, public speaker and motorcycle road safety advocate who rode her Yamaha TT600 from south to north Africa, and from the UK to Vietnam via Central Asia from 1993 to 1997.

heather ellis

Heather Ellis is the author of Ubuntu: One Woman's Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa, published by Nero and imprint of Black Inc. Books in April 2016. Her book, a travel memoir, details her epic journey over 15 months, through 19 countries riding 42,000 kilometres from south to north Africa during 1993 to 1994.


Ubuntu: One Woman's Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa has been described as Ted Simon’s Jupiter’s Travels meets James Redfield’s The Celestine Prophecy with a touch of Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It is about a life-changing adventure into the soul of Africa where she finds ubuntu — a traditional Bantu word from South Africa meaning 'I am because we are', the universal bond that connects all of humanity as one. While her memoir is a journey filled with 'survival-against-the-odds' adventures, it is also a journey of awakening to the guiding hand of a greater force realised through the influence of chance encounters, coincidences and trust in her intuition.

 

'Ubuntu is an inspiring memoir about an extraordinary journey taken by an exceptional woman. Heather Ellis writes about her most daring adventures and deepest struggles with humour, heart, guts and grace. I was enthralled by every page.’ —Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild

LATEST BOOK REVIEW

Just Bikes Ubuntu book review 

 

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER

 

WATCH THE BOOK LAUNCH

 

Heather Ellis - a Jupiter's Traveller

The Ted Simon Foundation encourages those who adventure into the world to go the extra mile and transform their experiences into something of value for the world to share.

 

Heather Ellis 

My Yamaha TT600 today. It is the same motorcycle I rode through Africa in 1993/94; rode as a motorcycle courier in London from October 1994 to November 1995; and rode through Central Asia during 1997.

 

Heather Ellis 2011

I now call Melbourne, Australia home and enjoy riding my Moto Guzzi V50 around the hills of the Yarra Ranges. That was until it fell victim to a SMIDSY while I was stopped at a red traffic light (SMIDSY = Sorry Mate I Didn't See You)

Thruxton

Today, I ride a Triumph Thruxton 900cc.



 

 

 

ubuntu book cover

(Published in Australia by Nero, an imprint of Black Inc. Books. Released April 2016. 370 pages)

 

AVAILABLE FROM ALL BOOK STORES AND ONLINE AT:

Black Inc. Books

Amazon

iBooks

Google Play

Kobo

 

Buy a signed copy for $25 AUD
Postage for Australia: $10
Postage for Europe, UK: $39
Postage for United States: $29
Please email me: h.ellis (at) bigpond.com for postage to other countries

 

PRAISE FOR UBUNTU

 

'Ubuntu is an inspiring memoir about an extraordinary journey taken by an exceptional woman. Heather Ellis writes about her most daring adventures and deepest struggles with humour, heart, guts and grace. I was enthralled by every page.’ —Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild

 

'Most of us wouldn’t take a motorcycle solo through Africa. Or remember much about what we were saying, smelling, believing or hoping twenty years ago. Heather Ellis did that, and has written a remarkable book about it too. She tells her story vividly and honestly, taking us through fields, national parks, into towns and down red-mud tracks, meeting other travellers and working with locals, eating rice and fish, honing her self-belief and increasing our respect for her with every day on the road. This is a really fascinating and compelling tale, told well. For anyone who has ever doubted themselves, Ubuntu has a message: there is a way through, down a road you haven’t travelled yet.’ —Kate Holden, author of In Her Skin

 

'No two big journeys are alike, and Heather Ellis’ could not have been more different to mine, but certain fundamental similarities seem to unite us all, from the prosaic –‘My bike was dangerously overloaded’ – to the sublime awakenings that such journeys engender. Hers was a great adventure into the soul of Africa, a thrilling story of endurance and self-discovery, told with care, intelligence and deep humanity. It is beautifully written and a pleasure to read. So read it.’ —Ted Simon, author of Jupiter’s Travels

 

 

'Ever wondered what your life would look like if you chose to trust rather than fear? Heather Ellis does just this as she rides a motorbike across Africa. She discovers a land torn apart by war and poverty but also a land rich in beauty and kindness. Reading this book is challenging and inspiring. Heather’s journey will stay with you long after you finish her story.’ —Maggie Mackellar, author of When It Rains & How to Get There

 

 

'The next stage of our evolution is how are we to live together. Through Heather’s motorcycle journey across Africa, and the African people who embrace her, we learn what is possible – this is ubuntu.’ —Father Bob Maguire AM, RFD

 

'Ubuntu is the story of a motorcycling adventure that goes way beyond the physical journey. It takes you to other places too. This story has wide appeal and I reckon it will inspire both men and women, especially women motorcyclists.’ —Damien Codognotto OAM

 

'In the 1990s Heather had an impulsive idea to ride a motorcycle through Africa and, through perseverance, made this come true. Her story is not just a very detailed, descriptive account of the countries she rode through but also of the problems she faced and overcame. It reveals her ability to communicate with people of all nationalities and walks of life, learn from them and find that if you have faith in the Universe, it will provide. Very well written and immensely readable.’ —Linda Bootherstone-Bick, author of Into Africa with a Smile