Travel

The Road East To India is the memoir of Devika A. Rosamund, written at the time of her travels to India alone in 1976, aged just (read more)

The Road East To India is the memoir of Devika A. Rosamund, written at the time of her travels to India alone in 1976, aged just 22. In her diary she records her adventures and reflects on her personal experiences, emotions and the relationships she formed with fellow travellers and indigenous people.

Devika's journey begins in Amsterdam where she saves money for her exciting trip. Once she has earned enough money by working relentlessly, she travels by bus as far as Iran, and then continues by local transport through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India, braving many dangers on the way. The journey to India takes six weeks, and once there she goes on to travel around the country, visiting many famous places she has only ever dreamt about before, including the Himalayas and Sri Lanka.
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It seemed a terrible shame to meet my end in Iowa; I couldn't imagine anywhere more disappointing to die. If I were a betting man (read more)

It seemed a terrible shame to meet my end in Iowa; I couldn't imagine anywhere more disappointing to die. If I were a betting man I'd have reckoned on the most dangerous thing in this state being sheer boredom. The scenery hadn't changed for weeks and I was slowly dissolving into stimulation-deprived madness.

My current predicament, then - attempting to escape through cornfields from a gun-toting alcohol-soaked rancher - was not something I expected. Just months after graduating from university, Leon received disastrous news: he had been offered a job. Terrified at the prospect of a life spent behind a desk, without challenge or adventure, he took off to cross America on an overloaded bicycle packed with everything but common sense. (hide)

Discover Fiji with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to trek through the forests and highlands (read more)

Discover Fiji with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to trek through the forests and highlands of Viti Levu, kick-back on the idyllic Mamanucas and Yasawa Islands or snorkel and dive some of the world's best reefs, The Rough Guide to Fiji will show you the ideal places to sleep, eat, drink and shop along the way. Inside The Rough Guide to Fiji- Independent, trusted reviews written in Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and insight, to help you get the most out of your visit, with options to suit every budget.- Full-colour maps throughout - navigate the backstreets of Fiji's lively capital, Suva or the popular tourist hangout of Nadi without needing to get online.- Stunning, inspirational images- Itineraries - carefully planned routes to help you organize your trip.- Detailed regional coverage - whether off the beaten track or in more mainstream tourist destinations, this travel guide has in-depth practical advice for every step of the way.
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Thoroughly revised and revamped with expanded coverage for its tenth edition, The Rough Guide to India is the ultimate travel guide (read more)

Thoroughly revised and revamped with expanded coverage for its tenth edition, The Rough Guide to India is the ultimate travel guide to one of the world's great travel destinations. From the majestic landscapes of the Himalayas to the tropical backwaters of Kerala, the Rough Guide covers this endlessly fascinating country in unparalleled depth, with crystal-clear mapping and stunning photography throughout. Rough Guides' team of experts bring you all the major headline sights, from the "Golden Triangle" of Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan to the beaches of Goa, and insider knowledge on new and off-the-beaten-track destinations, such as up-and-coming beach resorts and newly created wildlife reserves, with the most reliable background coverage available.
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Now in its twelfth edition, The Rough Guide to Italy is full of painstakingly researched information and inspiration to help you (read more)

Now in its twelfth edition, The Rough Guide to Italy is full of painstakingly researched information and inspiration to help you enjoy every moment of your Italian adventure. Whether you're after action or relaxation, Italy won't disappoint - from touring Tuscan hill towns to wine-tasting your way around Friuli-Venezia Giulia, lazing on the Amalfi Coast to shopping till you drop in Milan, brushing up on Renaissance art in Florence to kitesurfing in Sardinia, Rough Guides' expert tips and jaw-dropping photos give you everything you need for the perfect stay in Italia. And although it's hard to go wrong with food in Italy, we've got the lowdown on the most authentic rustic trattoria, Michelin-starred restaurants and favourite aperitivi haunts, not to mention the best places to learn how to cook like a local.

Full-colour maps throughout - at regional and city level - ensure you won't lose your way. There are also suggested itineraries to help with planning, reliable reviews of the best places to stay, from welcoming agriturismi to stylish city-centre hotels, and in-depth and engrossing sections on Italy's history, art and architecture and groundbreaking film industry, and finally a handy language guide. You can make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Italy. (hide)

Discover Laos with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Rough Guides' expert authors have done all the hard (read more)

Discover Laos with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Rough Guides' expert authors have done all the hard work for you: seeking out the best guesthouses, sampling sizzling street food and trekking to remote hill villages, then writing it all up with our trademark blend of humour, insight and practical advice. Whether you plan to lounge on laidback islands in the Mekong river, explore ancient Khmer temples or tour the Bolaven Plateau's coffee plantations, this new edition of The Rough Guide to Laos will show you ideal places to sleep, eat, drink and shop along the way, with options to suit every budget.
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Rough Guide to Nepal is the most passionate and knowledgeable guide to this inspiring country. Discover Nepal's highlights with stunning (read more)

Rough Guide to Nepal is the most passionate and knowledgeable guide to this inspiring country. Discover Nepal's highlights with stunning photography, itineraries and colour-coded maps, and detailed, up-to-date descriptions of the country's best restaurants, lodges, shops and hotels, for all budgets. There's solid practical advice on what to see and do, from rooftop bars in Kathmandu to meditation retreats in Boudha, and from riverside adventure resorts on the Bhote Koshi to tiger-spotting safaris in Chitwan and Bardia national parks.

All the finest Himalayan treks are covered in detail, from the Annapurna Sanctuary and Everest Base Camp treks to the less-trodden trails of the Upper Mustang. Dedicated chapters are devoted to mountain biking and whitewater rafting, and there is unrivalled detail on Buddhism, Hinduism and the many ethnic groups that make Nepal a unique destination. (hide)

The Rough Guide to Turkey is a must for all discerning travellers heading to this fascinating country that straddles Europe and Asia. (read more)

The Rough Guide to Turkey is a must for all discerning travellers heading to this fascinating country that straddles Europe and Asia. This is the most comprehensive and informed travel guide on the market, offering insightful coverage taking readers from the stunning trails of the Lycian Way on the Turquoise coast to the iconic dome of Aya Sofia, and from legendary sites such as Troy and Ephesus to the fairytale landscapes of Cappadocia. Packed with practical advice on everything from how to buy the finest kilims (rugs) to details on catching dolmuses, The Rough Guide to Turkey has all you need to find the best places to stay and eat, with trusted reviews you can rely on and options to suit all budgets.

Complete with stunning photography, itineraries to help plan your trip and detailed maps to navigate your way through even the most maze-like towns, it's easy to see why The Rough Guide to Turkey is such an invaluable addition to your suitcase. (hide)

I hereby bet Tony Hawks the sum of One Hundred Pounds that he cannot hitchhike round the circumference of Ireland, with a fridge, (read more)

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 batchelor 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. (hide)

'During certain hours, at certain years in our lives, we see ourselves as remnants from the earlier generations that were destroyed...I (read more)

'During certain hours, at certain years in our lives, we see ourselves as remnants from the earlier generations that were destroyed...I think all of our lives have been terribly shaped by what went on before us.' Twenty-five years after leaving his native Sri Lanka for the cool winters of Ontario, a chaotic dream of tropical heat and barking dogs pushes Michael Ondaatje to travel back home and revisit a childhood and a family he never fully understood. Along with his siblings and children, Ondaatje gathers rumours, anecdotes, poems, records and memories to piece together this fragmented portrayal of his family's past, his father's destructive alcoholism and the colourful stories and secrets of ancestors both disgraced and adored throughout centuries of Sri Lankan society. In an exotic, evocative portrait of the heat, wildlife, sounds and silences of the Sri Lankan landscape, Ondaatje combines vivid recreations of a privileged, eccentric older generation with a deeply personal reconciliatory journey in which he explores his own ghosts, and how his family's extraordinary history continues to influence his life. (hide)