5 comments about Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story.

1. If you love to travel and love the idea of making your passion pay for itself, then this is a must read. An open and honest look at the creation and evolution of Lonely Planet!



2. Tony and Maureen Wheeler talk about all the places they have visited so far, how they built Lonely Planet as a publishing house, and share their personal views on several topics.
   
   The Wheelers' have travelled so widely that even the names of all the places they have been to can be tough to follow! They understandably have to rush through them. The most interesting part of the travel memoir section is the comparison between how the places were in the 70s/80s and how they are now, something the Wheelers' always point out.
   
   Besides being a travel memoir, this is book about building a boot-strapped busines. The Wheeler's show that building a business is more than just pursuing your dreams, it is about keeping a tight leash on finances, building a good team, competing with similar and larger competitors, staying ahead on the technology curve and reacting to external changes. The chapter "All about guidebooks" is an interesting introduction to how guidebooks are produced - from writing them to getting them printed. As a business book, it is similar to the Starbucks story (Howard Schultz, "How Starbucks built a company..").
   
   The book does not come together as a captivating story. In the first few chapters, the authors describe a chronological order, but that breas down in the later part of the book. Chapters like "All about guidebooks", though very interesting on their own, do break the flow of the story. In addition, there are topics that the authors pick up but do not do justice to (e.g. comparison with competitors is incomplete).
   
   An interesting book overall about travel, how travel is changed over the last three decades, and the challenges of building a business even if it is your dream business.



3. Lonely Planet Publications began in 1973 when the authors self-published a unique travel guide ACROSS ASIA ON THE CHEAP. What began as a one-time publication evolved into an entire publishing company specializing in places where few conventional tourists traveled. UNLIKELY DESTINATIONS is a wonderful addition to any travel library: it blends autobiography, business history and travel and covers the authors' personal story and the evolution of their budget travel guide business. Armchair travelers and any familiar with the Lonely Planet lineup of excellent independent-travel guides will relish this expose of how they came to be.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. While the book is well written and covers many fascinating travels throughout the world, including obscure places in Southeast Asia, it is offensive by describing "September 11th and all that." September 11th may have been a joke to wealthy people who live their lives travelling and being paid for travelling, but it was not a joke to the people who lost their lives and the only thing this author can do is complain that there was a "Sept. 11 downturn" in donations to a Lonely Planet Charity. Give me a break. There are more important things than seeing the next 'exotic' destination and playing drums with the natives. While travel is important, and who does'nt love it, is it not the end all, be all. There are times to judge and there are times to take a moment out and say "where did I come from? Did 3,000 of my countrymen just get murdered." There are times and by poking fun at 9/11 and complaining that it led to less donations and pretending that the deaths of people is a joke this book does a disservice both to travelelrs who have morals and to the world. Civilians don't deserve to be murdered and making fun of them is degrading and offensive. Eveyrthing else in this book is interesting but the 9/11 rant spoils it all.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



5. I recommend this book to all fans of the Lonely Planet travel guides. I love how the travel guides are organized. I also loved the TV series and even their calendars so I couldn't resist opening this book when I saw it. Reading this book tells you how the business of Lonely Planet started. It's a story of survival and courage. It's also brutally honest at times. Tony mentions which books were a success and which ones weren't and why. Sometimes the Wheelers meander in their discussions (much like how they meandered in their travels), but you won't mind because the overall story is so captivating. The most amazing thing is how Tony and Maureen managed to travel and raise two children all while running a business. Lonely Planet has always been an inspiration and will doubtless continue to be to its readers.

No comments about Insight Guide New Zealand (Insight Guides New Zealand).

5 comments about Moon Handbooks South Pacific.

1. A great value to anyone planning a trip to the South Pacific! Detailed, informative, educational...what more could anyone want.



2. As one of the editors of Travelers' Tales 30 Days in the South Pacific, I found David Stanley's Moon Handbook, South Pacific to be an indispensible guide during a recent trip through the South Pacific
   
   Sean O'Reilly
   Editor-at-Large
   Travelers' Tales



3. Moon Handbooks South Pacific is the ultimate overview for traveling on any of the island groups of the South Pacific. This 1091 paged book is full of detailed travel information but is still practical sized to tuck in a daypack for easy reference. Furthermore, this book has plenty of fairly detailed maps, complete with accurate distance scales, for easy travel planning or reference while you travel.
   
   There are eighteen chapters in Moon Handbooks South Pacific: Introduction; Exploring the Islands; French Polynesia; Pitcairn Islands; Easter Islands; Cook Islands; Niue; Kingdom of Tonga; American Samoa; Samoa; Tokelau; Wallis and Futuna, Tuvalu; Fiji Islands; New Caledonia; Vanuatu; Solomon Islands, and Resources. The introduction chapter contains an overview on the South Pacific area. This detailed information includes geology, climate, flora, fauna, history, economy, and the government of these islands. The next chapter, Exploring the Islands, contains general information on sports and recreation; entertainment; public holidays and festivals; arts and crafts; accommodations; and food as well as contacts for information and services; health; getting there; and getting around while in the south pacific. This chapter also includes a what to take section. The Resources chapter contains further information on suggested readings and internet resources.
   
   The rest of the chapters in Moon Handbooks South Pacific focus on particular geographical regions, islands, or groups of islands within the South Pacific island groups. The first paragraph or page of each regional section describes a little about the region. After this overview, individual sights, recreation areas, special events, accommodations, food services, information services, and transportation services are depicted in detail. Depending on the size and general amount of facilities in a given region, there may be only one or two entries per category or over a dozen. Each entry contains the location, contacts, costs, and a short paragraph description of the facility or event featured. Several black and white maps and photographs accompany each section, clearly marked with the various facilities described in that particular section.
   
   Moon Handbooks South Pacific is a helpful guide for anyone planning on traveling to any of the islands of the South Pacific island groups. Very complete key information is provided for easy reference while planning or while travel. However, this book may also be just as interesting for the armchair traveler as this book contains ample information about the natural environment, history, and culture on these beautiful islands.



4. South Seas Photography always uses the Moon South Pacific handbook for all the extreme travel and not so extreme adventures.
   Our Surf and photography schedule demands the best and we always find Moons South Pacific Handbook the perfect book in which to explore various locations in Polynesia. It even has Surf locations listed as well! Honest and comprehensive. As the largest beach lifestyle imaging company in the Pacific, David Stanley's book is the perfect guide for all aspects of South Pacific travel. We never travel without it.
   
   Aloha - Karl Meinhardt
   www.SouthSeasPhotography.com



5. I bought this book based upon the previous rave reviews. I guess I wasn't ready
   to entirely believe what I read in them, but they are true. Usually, when
   I buy a "travel book," I think of Fodor's or something from AAA. But this
   is a work of fine literature. It has the stamp of a warrior poet, not just
   a travel maven. Mr. Stanley delivers crafted lectures in this book, and I
   feel he is sitting right next to me as I read it. Now, I know he wants me to
   actually go to these islands myself, but he does such a masterful job of
   discussing the experience and preparing the traveler intellectually and
   emotionally for the trip that sometimes as I read it I feel as if I really
   don't have to get on the plane,that I've been there! Of course, I do plan to
   go, but with this book I feel as if I am extremely well-equipped to
   make the journey. The discussions of historical geology, culture, and
   the extremely thorough descriptions of the islands and their people make
   this book a genuinely living thing. Sometimes books are titled "The thus-and-
   such "COMPANION."" This book should be called "Your South Pacific Traveling
   Companion." It is a living thing.

5 comments about Moon Tahiti (Moon Handbooks).

1. David Stanley's books are always a worthwhile read, and his latest edition of "Tahiti" is no exception. Differing from his earlier "Tahiti: Including the Cook Islands", this book narrows it's focus purely on the islands of French Polynesia - stepping through island group by island group (and within each group, island by island) David does his usual great job of laying out where to go, where to stay, what to see and what and where to eat. I especially like the suggested itineraries that appear near the front of the book, pointing out some of the "can't miss" highlights of a trip to the region. There are also a great collection of maps and (or course) some beautiful photos of the incredible scenery the region is so famous for (these ARE after all, the epitome of the perfect tropical island).
   
   So, I say - buy this book and weep that you are not there yet - but do it with a smile, for the knowledge within is all you need to know to plan the vacation of a lifetime.



2. www.SouthSeasPhotography.com
   uses all of David Stanley's South Pacific Moon guides.
   The Tahiti book is exceptional in every way. Easy to carry, read and understand. Moon's books have traveled with us on every Polynesian adventure from surfing to reef explorations as well as land based excursions. Perfect book for the escapist in all of us.
   
   Karl Meinhardt
   South Seas Photography ( Hawaii )



3. How can I describe how good this guidebook is? Well, I would assert, in the extreme, that it would be better to read this book without visiting Tahiti than to visit Tahiti without reading this book.
   
   This book will double, triple, quadruple...the accomplishments and satisfaction of a trip to Tahiti.
   
   Everything about the islands in French Polynesia is here, all the essential info, enabling a visitor to be knowledgeable, suave, and inefficient, rather than ignorant, bumbling, and frustrated.
   
   I mean everything. Maps, a glossary, conversion tables, statistics, history, culture, arts, lodging and dining (of course, and in great detail for each establishment), transportation, sports, entertainment, flora and fauna, healthcare...all wonderfully indexed.
   
   You must, I mean you MUST, take this perfect guidebook with you to French Polynesia.
   
   And you MUST use it to prepare for your trip. It would take you thousands of hours in front of your online computer to attempt to recreate even a small segment of author David Stanley's research, available for a very modest sum in this book.
   
   The only plan better than taking this book to Tahiti, I suppose, would be to take David Stanley, himself.



4. Excellent guidebook. It covers everything from how to get there, accomodations and dining, maps, money exchange, and suggestions of things to see and do, to the history of the area, which will make what one sees more meaningful.



5. Been using this guidebook and LP's for making reservations for my island-hopping September 2008 trip, and find the listed accommodation prices in the moon edition to be woefully out of date, even accounting for the change in exchange rates. How can the LP Tahiti book, which was released in 2006, have more up-to-date information? Incredible!
   
   Given this, I found it puzzling that so many previous people have rated this book so highly. When you look at their review histories, many are for books by this author. Hmmm.

1 comments about Fodor's Australia 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Note: This review is solely about the Sydney section.
   
   I'm in Sydney now on my one week trip. I had contemplated on purchasing a Lonely Planet version of Australia, but it was a bit old (published in 2005-06). I've used Lonely Planet books in the past for Japan and they worked rather well, but I decided to go for Fodor's because it was a brand new book, therefore up-to-date information...
   
   Well, after reading the parts about Sydney over and over, I have come to some conclusions:
   
   *This book is not for backpackers. There is no section on hostels and all of Fodor's choices (highest recommendation) are extremely pricey. This includes restaurant recommendations as well.
   
   *Some restaurant information are out of date. I went to Costi's Famous Fish Cafe today, looking for some barbecued octopus, only to find out they have completely shut down. I also called to make a reservation at Becasse (a Fodor's choice), but they aren't open on Sundays; they also serve lunch. This goes against what the book said. Who knows what other information is out of date!
   
   *This book does not contain local insider info. I can't think of anything that makes this book stand out from any other travel book.
   
   The plusses about this book is that mentioned a number of things to do near Circular Quay and a tidbit about the Sydney Fish Market. I highly recommend anyone with an appetite for fresh sashimi, oysters, crab, lobster, etc. to go check it out and feast on excellent food. We had to go twice that day because it was THAT GOOD.
   
   A great complement for this book is Sydney mini Street Directory by UBD which provides your mapping needs in a compact book.

1 comments about Australia ABCs: A Book About the People and Places of Australia (Country Abcs).

1. This is a wonderful book to help children learn about Australia. It's beautifully illustrated too!

5 comments about Antarctica: A Guide to the Wildlife, 4th (Bradt Guides).

1. If you are visiting the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands, this guide is a good field guide to identifying, and learning about, the most common Antarctic fauna you will experience, including birds, mammals and cetaceans. (It is not a comprehensive guide for htose desiring in depth information and identification of every species.) José Kirchner



2. I bought this book in preparation for a trip 'South' in December 1999/January 2000 and it was an extremely useful guide to wildlife in general but especially good for penguin information. The drawings by an ancestor of Robert F. Scott's are lifelike, and engaging art as well. The brief summaries of natural and exploration history are accessible and informative. If you are looking for a portable guide to peninsular wildlife get the book--you won't regret it.



3. The price tag may seem steep for the fourth edition of this 144-page paperback - but where else are you going to find details on the wildlife of Antarctica, tailored as a take-along tote for the Antarctica-bound traveler? Color drawings by Dafila Scott accompany nature history descriptions of each creature and discussions of identification specific to Antarctica, from contending with visibility factors to seasonal identification features. Antarctica: A Guide To The Wildlife is a unique and strongly recommended "take-along" handbook essential for any Antarctica-bound traveler.



4. This has got to be the single best guide to Antarctica's unusual wildlife. Everything is covered here, from Gentoo Penguins to Crab-Eater Seals (which don't actually eat crabs). Beautiful illustrations make it easy to identify birds & other animals while your out on the ice. If you're going to the White Continent, you'll want to stash this little book in your daypack. This book was useful when my husband & I visited the Antarctic peninsula, which we chronicle in our DVD "T&T's Real Travels in Antarctica" (also available on amazon.com).



5. This is an excellent guide to the wildlife in Antarctica. Great drawings of the animals and descriptions. It only deals with wildlife south of the Antarctic convergence, so if you are looking for a book which covers all species of penguin, this isn't it. It has a map on the inside cover and maps for each species and where it can be found. It also has a brief history of the wildlife after discovery and the hunting which took place. My only gripe is that I would have liked the maps for each species to be more specific.
   The book is small and not very thick, so very easy to carry around on the boat or in your backpack.
   This book made me even more excited about going to Antarctica, if that's at all possible!!

5 comments about Sydney (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. this got a lot of good reviews and I was a bit disappointed. The format is easy to read, and there IS a lot of good information in the book. This book isn't going to help you find good cheap restaurants. Most of the restaurants and bars listed are expensive. This book is far better than the Rough Guides or Lonely Planet for sure BUT I'll be ordering Frommers to take with me when I go to Australia...



2. I must say I am pretty impressed by this travel guide to Sydney. And I can doubly assure you of that it is excellent because I live here in Sydney! The reason I got this book was because in my experience the best travel guides are generally the ones from DK and this one didn't dissappoint. A travel guide like this is great for people who come to Sydney and stay with me. I can lend them this book to get around town during the weekdays while I am at work - but that said, even I find it useful.
   
   I do a fair bit of travelling around internationallly and tend to take Sydney for granted. Reading through this book there are great little accounts of it's history as well as interesting suggestions for good restaurants and bars. When you've lived in a place for a long time you tend to frequent the same favorite spots over and over so it's nice getting tips for 'best restaurants and bars' that differ from those from other sources. One of the best things here are the walks at the back. I know most of the areas on them modestly well but I must say they are brilliantly planned. Also, as always, the maps of every suburb listed here are excellent for the novice to navigate around this city.
   
   As for shortcomings, these are few and far between but even then it seems you can't please everyone. You can easily list things that could have been covered in better detail - but then again most people who visit here just won't have enough time to cover them all. Chinatown for one gets covered rather superficially. Also there is excessive coverage of St Mary's Cathedral - you can find plenty of far older and architechturally grander churches in any town in Europe. Churches of this size are rare here in Australia so for Australians it is considered worthy of mention but otherwise don't even bother going there. Ditto for the Art Gallery of New South Wales - compared to Boston, New York or any major European city it is laughable, except of course for the wonderful Aboriginal section there. As for the rest of it, I find it an embarrassment that the authors insist on dwelling on it.
   
   Lastly, as for budget restaurants, there are plenty of them listed in this book. There is a book here in Sydney called 'Cheap Eats' if you really wanted a book that listed the best budget restaurants in town. Also if you really think about it, an exceptionally expensive top notch restaurant here is regarded as costing around $70-100 Australian per person, which is around $50-75 US dollars. By European and especially by UK standards - this is pretty damned cheap. Reviews I have read of the finest Sydney restaurants in the international press have all been glowing as well. The ones listed here are pretty good picks although the Sydney Morning Herald guide provides a more up to date view of Sydney cuisine. It's all also a matter of taste and opinion too.
   
   So if you are thinking of visiting this beautiful city buy this book with confidence. Even I learned more than a thing or two from it.



3. I just got back from 10 days in Sydney, and I took this book and also the Rough Guide to Sydney. This book is vastly superior to the other.
   
   The book has a lot of good information, and I really like the format. Every page is color, and full of illustrations and excellent maps. Call me a child of the media age, but it's so much easier to flip through this book, compared to reading through long blocks of text.
   
   The maps are really worth emphasizing. I used the maps to follow various walking trails through different parts of the city, and they were excellent in terms of mentioning things to look out for.
   
   The only disappointment I had was that this book hardly covered North Sydney, which is where I was staying. Now, granted, there aren't really too many tourist activities in North Sydney, but it is an interesting area, and the entire north side of the harbor is worth exploring, in my opinion. The restaurants are great, the neighborhoods are beautiful. Also, there are really some incredible views of the opera house from the north shore.
   
   Best of all, this book fits (snugly) in a back pocket. I highly recommend this book.



4. Just spent a week in Sydney and found the book helpful in terms of the downtown area and Sydney proper. But I really wished it had more in the Outskirts section. There isn't a ton to see in Sydney proper but lots to see on the outer edges, an hour away, etc. Perhaps they need a New South Wales guidebook since the Australia guidebook tries to put too much into it. Anyway - if you're going to spend your whole trip right in downtown, this book works fine. If you get a little antsy for a little more color, keep looking. (And, btw, I usually LOVE Eyewitness travel guides. I have at least 10 others.)



5. This travel guide is one of the best, detailed books on Sydney. I have many Eyewitness Guides for other locations around the world. The detailed maps in the back of the book are very useful when in an unfamiliar place.

No comments about New Zealand Travel Map (Globetrotter Travel Map).

4 comments about Tramping in New Zealand (Walking).

1. This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.



2. This edition is far better than the previous editions. It's new organization and additional information sections are a marked improvement. A new section on Flora and Fauna gives a highlight of any New Zealand tramp. This book acts as an excellent reference book while tramping. Of course, if the book contained every piece of required information, (i.e. highly detailed maps and every step of the way instructions) it would require 1000's of pages. The authors surmount that difficulty by including instructions on how to obtain additional necessary information. The book is perfect for those that are looking into or planning a backpacking trek to New Zealand.



3. By far the best guide available about tramping opportunities in NZ. The track guides are pretty accurate and provide a good overview of what to expect.



4. The book had all the basic info. you need for hiking in New Zealand. It's easy to read with a couple of nice pictures. Enjoy!