5 comments about Galapagos: A Natural History.

1. I am a biologist that has been working in the Galapagos as a Naturalist leading tours there for the last 6 years. Michael Jackson's book is the "Bible" for the beginning naturalist and certainly more than adequate for the casual "ecotourist". Jackson covers all major aspects of the history, geology, ecology, and biology of the islands. In the "biology" section, he gives a clear, concise, but thorough group-by-group treatment of all major taxa including plants, reptiles, land and sea birds, mammals, and a brief section covering marine life. While there are other guidebooks available, none come close to the accuracy, clarity of presentation, and logical format of this book. Of particular usefulness are the many photos, tables, and graphs which provide a visual representation of many of the topics discussed and a synthesis of large amounts of data.



2. I just recently returned from the Galapagos Islands, and the book that guided me throughout my journey was this book by M.H. Jackson. Very easy to find the animal you are looking, and also helps to discover more creatures to look for. Helped explain things further from what the guides had said. Also helped me in answering many people's questions about different creatures. A Great book! A must for all travelers to the galapagos in search of unique wildlife.



3. Every naturalist guide in the Galapagos has this book. They also sell this book at the Charles Darwin Center in Santa Cruz, and it is a must read. It explains how the islands came about and what makes them so unique. I highly recommend this book!



4. My wife and I bought Jackson's book in preparation for a trip to the Galapagos. The book served us well; when we arrived at the islands we felt that we were almost on a first-name basis with all the fantastic creatures and plants that make the Galapagos such a fascinating place. The book is considerably more than just a field guide; it includes information on the islands' history, their environmental and ecological setting, and the conservation efforts being made to preserve this truly unique place. And, as the title indicates, the book provides a lot of natural history, not just a brief summary of bare facts about each animal or plant. Not only is it a fine guide, it is a most enjoyable read.



5. I would imagine that most visitors to the Galapaos are not naturalists. For those without a strong background in natural sciences, I would highly recommend this book. The book is easy and fun to read, detailed without being tedious. The photos are amazing and the author's passion for the islands is evident. If you only have time to read one book, this is one I would advise a Galapagos visitor to read in advance of their trip.

5 comments about Alive.

1. What would it be like being stranded in the Andes with very little food or water? Well Alive by Piers Paul Read might give you an idea. This emotional, and yet exciting non fiction book accurately depicts the terrible seventy-two days a team of Uruguayan rugby players and their relatives experience. The setting of the book is in the Andes Mountains, Uruguay, Chili, and takes place in 1972. The theme of this book is man's will to survive is more powerful than anything. The main characters of this moderately paced book would be the last sixteen survivors, the two strongest of them being Fernando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, who play a big role in the survival of them all. After being stranded for seventy-two days in the Andes Mountains this small rugby team forms a special bond and learns the true meanings of life. I think this is a very exciting, but gory book and would recommend it to anybody but only if you have a strong stomach because there are many references to dead bodies and eating human flesh. These rugby players show us that with faith and a strong will to survive we can overcome large obstacles.



2. This is the only book I've ever read where I caught myself shielding my eyes so as not to know quite so much about the fine points of cannibalism. I ended up skipping about two pages detailing the butchering of the bodies, which organs are the most nutritious, etc. However, the author was just doing his job and there's only a few pages involving cannibalism.
   
   The plane came down in a snow field at 11,500 feet elevation, higher than the highest mountain in California by comparison. This put them far above the timber line in a frigid place devoid of all life -- not even a fly or a blade of grass. Due to incompetence on the part of search and rescue operations and also a so-called psychic who had the rescuers searching everywhere but the right place, the survivors were presumed dead and left to fend for themselves for 72 days, and would likely have never been found were it not for the daring feats of mountaineering by two of the survivors who went on an arduous 8 day trek out of the mountains and into Chile in search of rescuers.
   
   With no food it was inevitable the group would have to eat the dead if they were survive. As someone explained, your survival instincts and your appetite will not only lead you to eat the dead, but eventually to savor it. Then, when the two expeditionaries finally connected with civilization, a peasant tossed them a crust of bread and their appetite for human flesh evaporated.
   
   As horrifying as it was, there is an upbeat message in this book about the unshakeable will to live, about the utility of human solidarity in the face of death, and the mystical communion between the survivors and their dead comrades who saved their lives by providing the nourishment to survive.
   
   This book has been around a long time. It's a page-turner and millions have read it, especially in South America where this event was known simply as the Andes crash, and the survivors are still celebrated as heroes. Google it if you want and you'll find lots more info, photos, and a Google map reference to the exact spot the wrecked fuselage came to rest.



3. Once I finally got into the book, this was a good story of survival. The men and women who crashed in the Andes had to overcome horrible situations -- injuries from the crash, an avalanche, and then the lack of food. What they did to survive was admirable, even if some may judge them harshly over their decision to eat the flesh of their dead friends.
   
   That being said, though, the story moves so slowly, and the author's writing style is so staid, that it took me forever to actually feel like I was reading something worthwhile.
   
   A good story, but it's a journey to plod through it.



4. This is a very interesting book. My wife and I were living in Uruguay when this occured and I recall all the anxiety until they were found. Also, recently, our son was in a conference in California where Nando Parrado, one of the survivors, spoke. Nando has also written a book about the crash and survival.
   The book Alive is a bit gruesome at points, but realistic about the guys' survival. There was shown a great deal of determination and desire to live on their part.
   In general, very good.



5. It's become a bit of trivial fodder: In 1972, a plane carrying a Uraguayan rugby team and their friends crashed in the Andes. They survived there for over 70 days, doing whatever was necessary to survive, sustained on their faith, and the hope that they could one day break beyond the prison of the mountains and reach civilization.
   
   Since the story HAS become a piece of trivia, it's important that we read something that makes us understand the underlying humanity of the situation. To that end, Read's book is almost a necessity. It details day-to-day life in the crashed plane, and attempts of the Uraguayan families to find their missing loved ones.
   
   The great thing about "Alive" is that it chronicles the event in a somewhat detached manner. At first, this might seem odd; after all, such a tragic event is an emotionally-charged topic, especially once you get down to the human element. However, to tell the tale with emotion is to get LOST in the tale. To overcome this, read uses a scientific, detached description of events, which ultimately leads the reader to ponder the horrific reality these people went through. It is a very successful storytelling mode, which only hits a few snags (he insists upon calling cannibalism "anthropophagy," and admits in the introduction that some of the survivors felt the book didn't go into enough detail about the friendship they felt for each other). Also, there is the fact that this book dates back to 1974, only two years after the events; it would be nice to know how the survivors faced the rest of their lives.
   
   Still, the book is thorough, and it's dry, almost dead-pan style is the only real way of describing the events that unfolded, without getting lost within the maze of emotions (actually, the dry delivery almost makes things even more horrible; don't read this book if you are squeamish). "Alive" is a tale of horrific events that tested the limits of humanity. It is a must-read for anyone interested in what being human really means.

4 comments about The Inca Trail, Cusco & Machu Picchu, 3rd: Includes the Vilcabamba Trek & Lima City Guide (Inca Trail, Cusco & Machu Picchu: Includes Santa Teresa Trek,).

1. As the author of "The Complete Guide to Easter Island" (Easter Island Foundation, 2004), I recently read with keen interest the sidebar "The Incas and Easter Island" in the 2005 edition of "The Inca Trail" (p.97) and thought readers would find it helpful to know that the information in the sidebar is significantly out of date. In one case, it is completely erroneous.
   
   While it is true that Thor Heyerdahl compared Inca and Easter Island stonework and, while they are superficially similar, its vitally important to distinguish between the solid stone masonry of the Inca and the rock-filled veneer of Easter Island ahu (platform) construction. Moreover, only one ahu on Easter Island (at Vinapu) really significantly resembles Inca stonework and, besides, the earliest available date for Peruvian polygonal block masonry is after 1440 ce, while that for comparable stonework on Easter Island is c. 1200 ce, so the parallel isn't particularly robust.
   
   More crucially, when the author says that "Heyerdahl spectacularly proved that it is possible to float from Peru to Easter Island on a raft when in 1948 he did just that aboard his reed raft, Kon Tiki", the reader should know that Heyerdahl's expedition did not go to Easter Island. Nor was Easter Island the expedition's intended destination. The Kon-Tiki raft actually beached in the Tuamotus, 2000 miles northwest of Easter Island.
   
   True, Heyerdahl proved that a raft could drift from South America westward into the Pacific, but rarely given much attention is the fact that the Kon-Tiki raft had to be towed 50 nautical miles out to sea by a tug boat before beginning his long and courageous journey because of the strong Humboldt Current off the Peruvian coast. Hardly representative of the way ancient Peruvian seafarers would have dealt with the daunting task, assuming they even could have.
   
   Finally, to say that it is sad that Heyerdahl's theories have never been accepted by mainstream scientists makes it sound as if he's a misunderstood maverick who will one day be vindicated -- yet I'm constrained to point out that his theories and methods are understood unequivocally and few lament the loss of, say, the Ptolemaic view of the cosmos, precisely because it was wrong and still is. The problem with Heyerdahl's theories isn't just that no Peruvian evidence has turned up on Easter Island but that an overwhelming array of other evidence -- linguistic, socio-cultural, osteological, and genetic -- proves conclusively that the Easter Islanders are the direct descendants of Polynesians. Heyerdahl tried to assert that two waves of settlers -- one Polynesian, another South American -- visited Easter Island (a theory he tried to bolster by references to Easter Island legends which have turned out to be unsupported by scientific fact). But this was emphasized only after the evidence indicating Polynesian origins proved impossible to refute. And while the presence of the sweet potato on Easter Island clearly suggests some form of South American contact, the prevailing theory is that eastern Polynesians visited South America and returned, spreading the sweet potato as they migrated further eastward across the Pacific.
   
   So, if I may be so bold, when the author says that Heyerdahl's theory is an "intriguing possibility", it's really neither. Even a possibility must be grounded in some plausible facts and Heyerdahl's theories don't hold up to scrutiny. There continues to remain some unanswered "mysteries" about Easter Island (though far fewer than most tabloids and "ancient astronaut" authors would have us believe) -- but Heyerdahl's defunct theories aren't among them.
   
   This may all seem like a small matter but, when it comes to Easter Island, the more accurate we can get, the better!



2. Fantastic. Thorough. This book will be our constant companion while traveling to the sacred sites in Peru.
   Thank you.
   Barb



3. For someone who only had enough vacation days to hike the Inca Trail with a few days to spare in Cusco, and a single day in Lima, this book was indispensable. The size was perfect for carrying in a daypack with sufficient pages devoted to the history and culture. My friend and I explored many of the restaurants and sites mentioned by the author and all of the descriptions and directions were clear and accurate. I've already lent the book to two other friends who returned from their trips with the same comments. A very efficient guide book for exploring the Inca Trail and surroundings.



4. excellent, detailed, in depth summary of Cusco's attractions and major treks. Good, clear, informative write ups on the ruins, towns and hikes in the area with maps.

5 comments about Moon Peru (Moon Handbooks).

1. Mr. Wehner's book made our first trip to Peru absolutely effortless! This book is a seamless hybrid of purely pragmatic, yet paints a picture of the culture and flavor of the country well...easy to read, yet with complete and detailed information. This book served as our bible for the entire journey, and returned more dog-eared than most other travel books we've used. I'm a Lonely Planet fan, but this Moon handbook is in a class by itself. Salud!



2. I have lived in Peru as a child and as an adult and I go back there every year, often traveling to new locations so I always check out any new guidebooks on Peru. I used the first and I have just received a copy of the second edition which is equally rich in content.
   
   The authors make a great team: Ross is a journalist and mountain guide, Renee is an architect while Kazia Jankowski is a food writer. They traveled throughout the country to research this book which is filled with an abundance of facts, advice, maps and photos.
   
   The first feature that stood out for me are all the interspersed articles, these really give you an insider's perspective on Peru. Using Ayahuasca to kick Addictions; Camisea Gas Fields: The Last Place on Earth; Advice from a Reformed Terrorist; and Peru's White Gold are just some of the well written and informative pieces. The Truth Behind Hemingway's Caboblanco; and The Who's who of Paracas Birds are among the lighter topics to be found.
   
   For easy reference the guide is broken down into nine regionally defined sections. The only bone I have to pick with the authors is that Arequipa didn't get it's own chapter. But, as I read the write up on my favorite Peruvian city, under the Lake Titicaca and Canyon Country section, I immediately forgave them as they were able to really cover the ins and outs of Arequipa. Two additional sections are entitled "Discover Peru" and "Know Peru". These are very useful to the reader; as well as including the usual pieces on the country history, health and safety and a Spanish phrasebook there is also a Quechua basics and a great list of recommended reading and Internet Resources, as well as a section on Volunteering in Peru.
   
   Another unique feature is the index; apart from having a comprehensive alphabetical index there are six highlighted boxes with a very helpful thematic index, these are titled: Ancient Cultures; Beaches; Hiking / Backpacking; Inca Sites; Reserves and Protected Areas. And believe me when you are rushing around the country and having to make quick decisions it's all about a good index!
   
   This useful guide is a practical book for the traveler and explorer and is packed with invaluable advice such as: "Lima is an extraordinary city, but it takes a little getting used to. The country's leading museums, churches and restaurants are here along with nearly eight million people... It is the maximum expression of Peru's cultural diversity (and chaos)...But do yourself a favor and see Lima at the end of your trip, not at the beginning. That way you have a better chance of understanding what you see and not becoming overwhelmed in the process."
   
   Whether you are going to Peru as an independent traveler or you are on an all-inclusive deal you will get more out of your trip if you glance over this guidebook before you set off.



3. Seems to be fairly complete and provides most of the information on what to see and how to see it that I was looking for. Information is presented in sort of a reverse order starting with specific in-country locations with "how to get there" and other practicalities at the end. Seems to be slanted toward backpackers but also mentions mid-range and upscale properties.



4. This second edition has managed to improve upon what was already an outstanding guidebook. Ross and the other authors went back to Peru to review and update the information and recommendations from the first edition, and have produced what any traveler should find a most reliable and comprehensive resource. The book provides plenty of information and perspectives on the "classic" destinations, but more importantly includes insights and recommendations on many wonderful locations that are not well recognized and off the beaten tourist paths, and that is what makes this second edition so special.
   
   For any traveler searching for ways to turn a "trip" into a lifetime experience, this book WILL NOT disappoint!



5. After reading reviews of the Peru books I went with Moon and was not disappointed. We had only one week to visit (summer 2008), and focused on Cusco and Machu Picchu. Used this for everything from hotels to place to eat - and had a great vacation!

5 comments about The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey.

1. Seen the movie long before the book, but this book was very interesting to see how Che's thoughts began to form before he became only known as Che. Pictures in the centre were an added bonus. It's a quick read with concise notes (they are journal notes afterall), and it gave me a greater understanding and feeling of compassion for Ernesto Guevara - someone who I didn't know a lot about and in the USA you hear about how bad he is. Good thing I live in Canada, with an open mind.



2. I'm so pleased that you had this earlier English translation of The Motorcycle Diaries and that it arrived in time for my Spanish class presentation. I also read the newer edition that came out with the movie in 2004. Your book had a much better translation. Thanks for your help. Sometimes older books are better books.



3. If this book were written by any other person, I'd give it 2 Stars. But because it's by Che, you at least get some insights into him, and that makes it a 3.
   
   This was a turning point adventure for Che; it's the trip that turned him from curious medical student to doing down the path of revolutionary. For that alone, it's worth the read.
   
   But if you're looking for an even better book about Che, and with all the adventure, get "Chasing Che" by Patrick Symms. It's an excellent read.
   
   And if you're looking for a motorcycle adventure book, look no further than One-Man Caravan by Robert Fulton. Imagine traveling around the WORLD on a motorcycle BACK IN 1932. Complete with pictures, drawings and great writing ... simply a masterpiece within the genre.
   
   Back to Motorcycle Diaries ... I think this book could have been so much more. Che was a good writer, but he stumbles on himself a lot. And, because he actually wrote this book AFTER the adventure was over, it feels like there is a lot of glossing over and "story fill" that robs it of the spontaneity it could have had.
   
   Still, if you're into Che, it's probably on the "must read" list.



4. Che Guevara... Whether you respect him or not there is absolutely no denying the fact that he had a profound impact on the history of Central America and the Caribbean. This book is plainly and simply about a young man on a journey to become the person everyone knows in history. He sets out as a college student in his early twenties on the motorcycle La Poderosa II with Alberto Granado. When he returns a year later he has aged a hundred years. It is almost as though he has become a different person.
   
   On his journey he saw the impoverished and the ignored. He saw indifference and hate. He saw racism and inequality... especially inequality.
   
   This journey across the poor and rich regions of Latin America made Ernesto Che Guevara exactly who he was. In his travels he found he could not understand why some should have more than others. His communist views developed from seeing the unfair treatment of the poor. He was ready, by the end, to do whatever it took to win equality for all: even fight. As he said at the end of his book: "I feel my nostrils dilate, savoring the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood. The enemy's death; I steel my body, ready to do battle, and prepare myself to be a sacred space within which the bestial howl of the triumphant proletariat can resound with new energy and new hope."
   
   Although a few things are lost to us English speakers through the translation and Argentine dialect this is a book which is full of rich detail and of deep internal struggle. This book was written in 1952, but edited and assembled much later. This causes some very Communist views to appear that were clearly added well after the original writings.
   Still this is a great read to see the mind of a genius in a time when the world was still reeling from the shock of a great world war and gearing up for the middle of the cold war. Che Guevara would go on in life to befriend Fidel Castro and be his right hand man in the Communist regime over Cuba. Che Guevara, whether you like him or not, is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential people in history.



5. I understand that he was an important historical figure but his adolescent writings are pretty uninteresting.
   I much preferred the movie over the book.

5 comments about Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island.

1. I have used LP guides all over the world, mostly for the maps and hostel listings...so when I went to Chile, I happily bought the Chile guide. I threw it out two weeks later. The maps were incorrect again and again, information was just plain wrong, the listings unhelpful. We ended up walking all over one town looking for a hostel that had been misplaced on a map, we missed buses, and were shocked at how horrible "the best hostel in [a certain town]" was. Fine adventure and all, but after I trashed the LP, we used my friends' Rough Guide instead (which thankfully had correct info) and we saved our time and enjoyed ourselves for the rest of our trip.



2. thanks to lonely planet we found chilestay apartments at www.chilestay.com an inexpensive alternative to a hotel. also, lonely planet provides a comprehensive and updated information about places to visit and enjoy.



3. I usually don't like the LPs but this one worked out great. I left it in Santiago with my sister. The thing about travel books is that they are just guides to give you ideas. Never go by the book, it makes for a boring life. The best adventures I have every had in South America were the ones that were not planned that goes for life too. The Easter Island part was good because it gave alot of info about the history and culture and gave directions to the museum so that we could get even more info if needed. I also like the Spanish vocab in the back because my Spanish is Mexican border now and guess what a sopa in SA is a bread and here in border land it is a soup. winter in Santiago you want soup not bread. Buy it and see the world the best thing in life is to follow you heart and dreams.



4. We just returned from 6 months in South America. We traveled with the Footprint guidebooks but had many opportunities to use the Lonely Planet, as that is what everyone carries.
   
   Almost everyone who was carrying this book complained about it. It is full of errors and the maps are hard to read. Hostal Nancy, in Puerto Natales, for example, is shown on the complete opposite side of town.
   
   Do yourself a favor and try out another guidbook. Get away from the Lonlely Planet people. Look at Footprint or Rough Guide.



5. I visited chile in early 2007-I credit this book with the best time of my life...I you go to Lake region around Puerto Montt, this book will tell you all the cool hostels to stay...Organized information and useful...lots of good restaurants and hostels. Also recommend Argentina guide from same publisher...

No comments about Brazil (Country Guide).

5 comments about Frommer's Buenos Aires (Frommer's Complete).

1. I never like dining suggestions in Frommer Travel Guides. The very best are expected, quality food at high prices. But their best values are usually not the best values in that respective city/country. What I did like from this book was the side trips, which I highly recommend. Particularly nice was my buquebus trip to Colonia, Uruguary. I went in the winter and it was very scenic and a nice contrast to Recoleta, the neighborhood where I ended up renting an apartment in Buenos Aires.



2. Blah. How in the world did this get 4.5 stars? Not well laid out which make it dense and difficult difficult to read. You can get better and of course fresher information searching the NYT. And no introduction of practical stuff - one of the only entries on crime is where one of the Bush twins had her pocketbook lifted. I lament the end of the great Access guides.



3. 
   The trouble with travel books like Frommer's is that they don't tell the negative side as thoroughly as they do the positive. That's why I like Rick Steves' European guidebooks. He is opinionated and quick to tell both sides of the story.
   This Frommer's book on Buenos Aires was useful on our trip last week but did not discuss how massive and basically filthy and jammed with traffic the city is. The sidewalks were littered with broken pavement, garbage and dog droppings, even in the best of neighborhoods.
   In one section, Frommer's relates a day trip via ferry to nearby Uruguay; it made it sound as if one were visiting the Magic Kingdom. In truth, it was just a few streets and shops; certainly not worth the trouble.
   There was no warning about counterfeit Argentine currency. Apparently color laser printers are pretty common down there because there are plenty of homemade 20, 50 and 100 peso bills that look perfect to the untrained eye. A warning would have helped here.



4. I really felt like the book helped give me a great glimpse into the culture of the city and its nearby areas. The information on the nearby sidetrips to San Antonio De Areco is also excellent. I stayed at a horse ranch based on a recommendation in the book, and it was a phenomenal travel experience.
   
   James



5. Would be better if there was more information on hotels, but in general, a good book

5 comments about South America (Shoestring).

1. A must have four the traveler people! The go to South America



2. Used this book for a three month trip through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. A friend who travelled with me had Footprint's guide to South America. While Lonely Planet had far and away the better maps, everything else about the Footprint book was better -- more information, more current information, and most importantly, broader coverage! There were many small towns that were not even included in the LP book. Even in the major cities, Footprint covered more sights and did so with more detail. If you are picking up a second book for a trip, by all means get the LP. But if you are only buying one, go with Footprint until LP seriously expands this edition.



3. This is a useful if flawed guide for backpackers and other budget travelers. This thick book (1,150 Pages) covers lodging, conditions, airports, regulations, and other vital information for 13 countries. The information is practical, useful, and substantial, and one can travel South America with this guide. But in trying to cover 13 countries the book is unavoidably limited on information for any one nation, city, or place, and the maps are at times less than adequate. There is also some out-of-date information (Argentina's Peso is NOT equal to one U.S. dollar) so travelers are advised to check other sources.
   
   If you will be traveling to only a couple nations in South America you would be better advised to buy a travel guide for each country. However, if you will traverse through many countries in this fascinating continent, this book is still a valuable reference tool.



4. I was very, very disappointed in this book and would have returned it but I had highlighted one article before looking at the book completely. This is probably a good book for a college student who will stay in hostels but as for a book to help find hotels and sightseeing places, it missed the mark completely.



5. Lonely planet is a great travelling guide - it gives you just enough information to get you by when you're in need, and leaves enough blanks for inspiration of your own.

5 comments about South American Handbook 2008 (Footprint - Travel Guides).

1. I have only been in five of the fourteen countries covered in this handbook, but of those I have travel through, I found this all-in-one guide to be succinct, reliable and valuable. That said, it does not replace the comprehensiveness of a specific country guide. Basically, this handbook is a digested compilation of the specific country handbooks that Footprint produces. Thus, if you are only visiting one or two countries, buy those handbooks. If you are going to explore South America and want only one guide, this guide will be valuable.

   Each country section is condensed, comprehensive and reliable. Though smaller towns will be omitted, the most important cities, towns and sites will be covered. Each country has been segmented into regions, as noted by the country's map, and within each region Footprint covers the top two, three or four cities or towns in a region. Basic travel information is given at the beginning of each country.

   As with all Footprint Handbooks this guide has excellent color maps. In the back of the guide you will find ... exceptional color maps of South America. Also, throughout the book, I found the b&w maps of regions and cities to be very good.

   Another impressive aspect of this guide is found at the beginning, in the 'Essentials' section, where there is a very good discussion of bringing and using a car/SUV throughout South America. This section also includes information on motorcycling and a section on cycling throughout South America.

   Though each country section does have a 'futher reading & useful websites' section, this is very basic. The section on health/vaccination is bare bone basic.

   On the "downside" I often found that the brevity of the restaurant and lodging remarks were so terse (or no remarks at all) that they were not helpful, i.e.,. Hotel Barros Arana (Chile):modern, or a restaurant remark: good not cheap, or a hostel: helpful. Also I find the intrusive paid advertisements for hotels, tour companies, hostels, calling cards and travel
   services throughout the book (a half-page, a full-page, a quarter page) offensive. The purchase ... should be more than enough to make a profit, but Footprint chooses to afflict its readers with uninvited advertising to increase its profits.

   For those using glasses, the small type that the publishers uses will cause you to strain to read in low or poorly lighted areas. Also, the pricing for accommodations is a cumbersome rating system that could be simplified. It is not user friendly. There is no pricing guide for restaurants.

   That said, this is an adequate, to good, guide for those who are going to visit a multitude of countries while in South America. The information is current and reliable. Especially recommended for those that plan to motor through South America. Recommended




2. I ordered this product in Peru and paid maximum costs to have it delivered within one working week. A month later the product still hasn't arrived due to importtax of 175% of the price of the book that i have to pay in cash in the capital Lima (while i'm in Puno). Amazon claims it's not their problem even though they do not at all warn you when ordering the product and promise to have it delivered quickly.
   Let it be a warning: even though Amazon says they can deliver anywhere in the world, they cannnot!! It is impossible to order a book in another country without leaving your house and paying a lot extra.
   It was the last time i ever ordere anything with Amazon unless they make an explicit warning ( not some little line in the general conditions) when ordering to another country then the US.



3. Informative for helping me plan my trip to Peru and Chile. Better yet was that it arrived the day after ordering it. Thanks!



4. I have traveled in South America four times with this book. It is fantastic for low-budgeters like me. I am a woman, 52. I travel alone. It gives all the info I needed about even small towns. It's by far the most extensive - and the price is so cheap!!



5. In preparation for a trip to South America, I purchased a number of books on the different countries as well as South America in general. By far, the Footprints offered the best information, maps, and tips for successful navigation through the country. Unfortunately, this is such a thick guide that it will not make the trip with us, but it has helped lay the foundation for efficiently exploring all that South America has to offer.