A fascinating and enjoyable book - part travelogue, part history and part autobiography.
Anyone who shares in the excitement of seeing the first snowfall of winter or looks forward to a week on the piste will love this book.
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Along with G Meehan I find the errors irritating having found two more in the first 24 pages.
One is often repeated and may be considered trivial by many - the line from Gray's Elegy (page 18)
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea,
True, several websites print this version but they may well be just
copies of other sites.
Reputable poetry sites and Oxford University's Gray archive print the version that also appears in the Oxford Book of English Verse:
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
Yes, it does seem odd, but if that's what Gray wrote, that's what should appear.
The editors at the publishers, if not the author, should be capable of spotting this.
This book is a very informative, enlightening and interesting read.
This book is a pleasure to read. It is easy to follow the author as he travels around the world. He starts explaining briefly about his background in Poland and his desire to `cross the border' and how, as a consequence, he finds himself being sent to India.
Perhaps one of the main attractive qualities of the author is that he is honest; he doesn't say he likes or even enjoys all of the places he travels to. For example, taking his first long-haul trip to India, the reader gets the impression that he really entered at the deep end and found it quite tough.
Later in the book he goes on to discuss in more detail the reasons why people travel ... Read More:
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This book was essential to me having a fantastic week in Paris.
Its Metro map served me particularly well and much easier to use than standing ina crowdd of 50 other tourists trying to decipher maps on the underground map on a wall.
Recommendations on ways to entertain children (we had a 4yr old with us)were pretty much spot on and all in all i would recommend the guide as an invaluable companion.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I did the Long Way Round. There seems to be a lot more focus on UNICEF in this book and it's all the better for it, my heart really went out to some of the children they met along the way, makes you realise just how easy we have it in the UK. I look forward to their next journey wherever it may take them.
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Lonely Planet - great for maps and local transport but thats about all! As any experienced traveller will tell you, the minute any restaurant, cafe or hotel gets it name in LP then its prices will double and the standards will half!
I also agree with some of the other comments here, why do they try so hard to be cool and why do they tell us what we should and shouldnt do?
An OK book but now and then leave it in your backpack and be adventurous.
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I have read this book twice! This book will tell you all you need to know about Venice. Its well written which makes it an easy read, so many books have been written on Venice, but one is clear and broken down into key sections.
This book is both entertaining and instructive.Written in an easy, informal style, it certainly has added many more every-day French words to my vocabulary. I can't wait to try out some of the terms & expressions on my next trip to France! The small size also makes it very handy to slip into the door pocket, or a large bag. Worth buying.
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Scotland is surrounded on its north and west coasts by an unsurpassed archipelago of islands, and this has to be the guide to beat all guides. You want to know the history? The geology? The flora and fauna? The secrets? This is the books. Beautifully put together and illustrated, this is the ultimate guide for island hoppers such as kayakers like myself. And at the price of £13.50 (even £30 is frankly a bargain), buy before they are all gone.
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Far, far superior to the Lonely Planet guide, which (as usual) seems to have been written sitting in a bar somewhere, relying on second-hand information. The Rough Guide, on the other hand, feels fresh, vibrant and accurate. Far more comprehensive, it explores places slightly off the beaten track, has far better restaurant listings and is much easier to use generally. Lonely Planet is trendy and ubiquitous, but after a back-to-back test, you have to wonder why. The Rough Guide has far more on the history and culture of the country, and is far more readable. One feels it has been written by people of intelligence and culture; the LP, on the other hand, feels as though it has been scribbled by semi-literate back-packers. Perhaps therein lies the great difference, and for me at least, the reason ... Read More:
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