Love Affair Five Continents

Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents is an autobiography written by Elisabeth Eaves, chronicling her travels abroad over fifteen years and the different relationships with men she experienced along the way.

The memoir begins during Eaves’ university days, with accounts of her first boyfriend – Graham – who inspired a passion for travel within her that would eventually take her everywhere from Papa New Guinea to Afghanistan, over the course of more than a decade.

One of the criticisms that are commonly levelled at the book, and which I must admit to having shared while reading it myself, is the focus on the meaningless relationships at the expense of retelling exactly what the places she was travelling to were like. What starts as the behaviour of what might not be so atypical of someone in their early twenties, soon turns into a repetitive and childish cycle that removes itself from the stunning locations she finds herself in.

Nevertheless, Wanderlust is certainly more than simply the chronicles of one woman’s conquest over men, and at its center there is a story of self-discovery, as well as an inspiring tale of how women are not bound by the restrictions that society attempts to impose on them. Although it may encourage a few to follow such a promiscuous sexual life, more likely it will inspire people, particularly young women, to get out there and experience the world for themselves, without having to rely solely on men.

The writing style is interesting and includes lots of internal musings, accompanied by an honest and very open approach. This sets it apart from a traditional travel biography, especially as it is one where perhaps the reader can learn more from Eaves’ mistakes than following exactly in her footsteps.

David Jones

I am a professional travel writer and travel enthusiast who traveled the world twice, so I am sharing my firsthand knowledge about everything related to travel and spending time abroad.