5 comments about The Roads of Arkansas.

1. A more detailed road map of Arkansas would be hard to find. Very detailed has every interstate and dirt road



2. You'll be all mapped out for road and river travel in the Diamond State -- nice sights and streams previews in front sections also. If you intend an extended backwoods venture by truck, RV, or ATV this will be an essential tool. Hunters and campers will also benefit (and bird watchers, paddlers, big boaters, hikers, runners). Don't leave home without it! Jeff at ARKATENTS -- arkytents@bigfoot.com



3. If you have a passenger who helps keep track of landmarks, this is a great guide. We use it for backroad traveling. But beware, you will put some miles on your vehicle.!!!



4. It probably is very difficult to find a comprehensive map on Arkansas and for backroads, this is probably ok. However, be aware that this book is 13 years old and doesn't even have the airport for Northwest Arkansas on it!!
   We are moving to NW Arkansas and found it difficult to use to get around during our recent tour due to age of map and growth in that area.



5. This atlas is designed for back roads travel. For that it is wonderful. I wish I could get maps like these for other states. I have been using this atlas for over 10 years now. I never go to Arkansas without it.

2 comments about An Odd Odyssey: California to Colombia by bus and boat, through Mexico and Central America.

1. Some years past, a colleague suggested a year of travel instead of my intended return to school. It took thirty years to fulfill that suggestion. David Short didn't require any more prompting than a dull, dirty and dangerous job. His destination, prompted by a world-traveling grandfather, became Central America, specifically, the Panama Canal. The journey lasted just short of six months and resulted in this account of his adventures. A spirited read, An Odd Odyssey should inspire anyone of nearly any age to pull up stakes at least once in a lifetime and venture somewhere distant. Short's account shows how richly rewarding travel can be to those willing to make the effort.

   There are two kinds of travel books - the "guidebook" with sights, prices, accommodation ideally suited for those seeking comfort instead of adventure. Glossy photos, usually portraying conditions found on movie sets, detailed maps, prices listed. The other type is the personal journal, which, properly done, imparts a far better sense of "being there" than does the guidebook. Short's chronicle is the second type, a vivid sharing of his thoughts, experiences, disasters, even love. The means of travel was by bus. Just finding one was fraught with hazards - timing, crowding or even just running. Once boarded, there was the issue of finding the proper seat: "Sit in the rear. Bandits will shoot through the front window." On a limited budget the "guidebook" hotels were out of the question for Short. Many havens he found for a night's rest became adventures in their own right. Weather, ever a primary topic for travellers, added its own quirks - a major Caribbean hurricane being the most spectacular.

   These minor discomforts aside, Short's recital of his travels points up the many benefits of journeying solo. One of these is that you don't remain alone for long. Not every acquaintance is a welcome companion, but none are dull. They bring their lives into his view, and to ours. Short meets former convicts, travellers from Europe, Canada and Australia. Not limiting himself to fellow "gringos" he deals well with the local residents. Although a few are not as friendly as he - he's robbed twice and has the usual tangles with bureaucrats, cheating taxi drivers and sullen hoteliers. Still, he maintains his equanimity, exhibiting strength in adverse circumstances. In this modern age he can turn to internet cafes, at one point spending more on email and 'net surfing than on accommodation and food.

   Short is a learner, eager to know the current and historical conditions of the lands he visits. Teotihuacan, Tikal and the world's largest stone sphere. His account leads you along with him in fine descriptive prose. He shares his learning without becoming pedantic or opinionated. His judgments result of thoughtful assessment and it's easy to agree with them. The book becomes not only the tale of his journey, but a guidebook without gloss or sham. By the end of it, we envy his adventures and his ability to relate them. It's hard not to embark on a similar jaunt with the aim of duplicating his effort for your chosen locale.




2. This book is several books in one. In addition to his varied personal experiences on the road, it includes some well researched history of the countries he visits, both ancient and contemporary. He talks about the big people in history, like Cortes, Clinton, Subcomandante Marcos, Leon Trotsky, Frida Kahlo and Manuel Noriega. He then gives equal attention to the little people he meets along the way, like the Mexican museum curator whose family had been guarding an ancient relic for several generations. He even travels to Paul Gauguin's house with a Playboy Bunny he met in a youth hostel. But he also engrosses the reader with his thoughts about his personal life, most interestingly, his romance with a Nicaraguan girl. Hurricane Mitch, which strikes when he is Guatemala and devastates the region, adds a sinister backdrop to his odd holiday, but in the end he achieves his goals despite numerous setbacks. It is a little bit like a collection of short stories, since it is written in diary form, so each day represents a new thought, and a new mini adventure. The stories about the crocodile and the monkey I almost wouldn't have believed except that he included photos in the book. I especially liked his description of his climbing of the volcano... and was left feeling it is much more enjoyable - and safer - to read his description of it than to attempt such a feat in real life.

No comments about Washington D.C. (America Series - Mini).

No comments about Houston (America Series).

No comments about Senor Nice: Straight Life from Wales to South America.

No comments about Florida and the Southeast (National Geographic's Driving Guides to America).

1 comments about Costa Rican Spanish In Your Pocket (Globetrotter In Your Pocket).

1. The title gives the impression that the book contains specifics of Costa Rican Spanish, but this is not the case. Spain was mentioned a couple of times, but I could find nothing about Costa Rican Spanish. Since that was what I was interested in, it was of no use to me. Far better is the SmallPlanet book on Costa Rican Spanish. It is very complete, giving the idiosyncracies of that country's Spanish usage, and is very well-organized into different situational contexts.

No comments about Compass American Guides: South Carolina, 4th Edition (Compass American Guides).

2 comments about Touring the East Tennessee Backroads (Touring the Backroads).

1. This is a must for anyone wanting to see East Tennessee and get everything you can out of it! The book is easy to read and very informative. Maps are at the beginning of each section showing your possible journey, so you can take the entire journey or a portion and know exactly what you will find and see. The directions are excellent so you can't get lost. Now the only downfall...it is very similar to another book I purchased so don't waste your money this book has it all.



2. This and it's sister publications are some of the most detailed, informative tour guides you will find! We simply love this series and the way it is written. There are few commercial details, i.e. hotel recommendations, restaurants etc.If you need that buy the Frommer's or Fodor's books but this one will take you way off the beaten path and bring you back again much more informed than when you left. You can't go wrong with any of the books in this entire series.....I know, I have them all!

No comments about Florida (America Series - Mini).