5 comments about Lois on the Loose.

1. Great fun read. Not a great amount of detail on doing a trip of this sort but that's not what the book is about...it's about a fantastic adventure.
   I get a kick out of certain movie stars doing a round the world trip with a support team, video...on big BMW bikes....and then reading about a woman who does N and S America on a 225cc dirt bike without support. Too bad there isn't any video. Now she's gone and done Africa N to S....hopefully she will continue to ride and write...there is still a lot of East to West.



2. As an avid motorcyclist (I currently own two)and Central American traveler I was extremely excited get my hands on this book. My disappointment in it is almost beyond words. I feel obligated to write my first Amazon review as a warning to others.
   
   My first impression was how in the world could an author compress such an epic journey into such a small book? After a thorough reading I'm all too aware of how that is possible. She simply blew through the entire journey as fast as possible and seemingly learning as little as possible.
   
   For her "Glory ride" she chooses to travel through thousands of miles of Latin America but, by your own admission, doesn't bother learning any Spanish beforehand. Then she proceeds to complain endlessly about communication difficulties. She breaks just about every possible cultural taboo wherever she travels then proceeds to complain about not being treated respectfully. It seems the author's paranoia of host country nationals is more fueled by her chronic total disregard of indigenous culture than by any malevolent intent on the part of those she encounters along the way. The rich Gringa bikes through the Third World staying in ultralow budget accommodations and complains incessantly about a perceived lack of cleanliness by her first world standards.
   
   The author mixes all of this with an unbelievable dose of hypocrisy by berating almost every other traveler she encounters! There may be more insensitive and disagreeable travelers in this region but, in my experiences and author would have to rate close to the top on the obnoxious scale! She chooses to travel with only one set of clothing and by her own admission is almost constantly filthy and stinks yet sees fit to complain when she is treated better than her appearance and demeanor would justify.
   
   This book will tell you nothing about the cultures of central or South America because the author knows nothing of those cultures. This book will tell you nothing of the technical details of riding a motorcycle in this region because the author doesn't know anything more about motorcycles than how to add fuel and oil.
   
   This book is a how to not travel! She blows down the road so fast and so blind as to not really experience anything. This is a classic example of having made the trip but never taken the journey.
   
   The only redeeming feature of this book is that this time at least the "ugly American" was an ugly Brit. In a nutshell the whole story is painfully sordid and poorly rendered. If you must read it borrow the book from someone or a library. Please do not support this person in her ego trip by financially rewarding her!



3. I really liked this book. It was a light, easy read, & I almost finished it in one sitting -- didn't want to put it down. Lois sounds like a really great person -- someone you'd like to meet, but I know there isn't much chance of that. I wished for a few more specific details about the places she passed through, as well as more photos & maps. I read the book as research for a similar trip. I look forward to any other things she has written. Thank you.



4. One of the many books I've read on motorcycle travel. A good read, not many insights into what and what not to do on motorcycle travel but a very entertaining book and as an Ex-pat in the US, I loved her humour and quirky insights.



5. I'm not a big book reader, too much riding or other things to do. This book, I just couldn't put it down! What an adventure, I want Louis to go on another trip. This book has excitement and disapointments. If you have ever gone on a bike trip, you can relate to Louis with either someone she traveled with, or it makes you see yourself in how she explains her companions. Louis- if you are out there, YOU GO GIRL!!!!!

1 comments about South America Ski Guide.

1. I was lucky enough to cross paths with Chris at Villarrica-Pucon. He is an excellent skier and knows what he is doing in the backcountry. His guide covers everything from trail and hotel descriptions to detailed instructions for backcountry excursions at every area. Skiers and snowboarders of every ability and budget will find this guide useful. I found his guide indispensable during my ski trips in Chile and Argentina

No comments about Argentina, Un Mundo de Paisajes =: Argentina, a World of Landscapes = Argentina, Um Mundo de Paisagens.

1 comments about Desert Memories: Journeys Through the Chilean North (Directions).

1. I've lived in Chile and I've lived in the desert (but not Chile's Norte Grande). Ariel Dorfman writes very compellingly about the many complex aspects of desert life - the mining-based economy, the range of people who come from elsewhere, the relation of the desert as "periphery" to those "other places" who live off its wealth. Also he does justice to the desert's beauty, native peoples, transportation systems. He involves himself in the narrative, almost Woody-Allen style at times, but this book isn't in the British travel narrative mode of "here are all the awful things that happened to me." Rather, it's a story of extraordinary people and places - world-class scientists, grass-roots activists, byzantine networks of in-laws (few Chilean memoirs would be complete, lacking these!). It's a measure of this gifted writer's absolute skill that he has so many funny moments, and fine descriptions of the desert's landscape, and the pathos of people working to reclaim the ghost towns of the mining industry, all in one book. One of the book's most moving moments, for me, is the chapter that ends with the narrator observing of one town citizen who'd returned to a reclaimed ghost town, that there was no need to ask if he'd kept the key to the house he'd been forced to leave thirty years earlier.

   The title is absolutely right: memory and time are crucial to the desert. In writing of Chile, one of the most complicated and interesting country of the world, Dorfman brings with him his experience, contacts, broad awareness of this land. The narrative is beautifully structured, too. Dorfman, in all, is getting better and better with time. There are many wonderful books about Chile's extraordinary history, its many-layered social class structure, its heart-breakingly beautiful geography. The field of social and ecological memoirs/travelogues about Chile is a very crowded one, with some top-notch writers (think Darwin, just for starters...). Desert Memories is one of the best books there is for anyone considering a trip to this country.

No comments about Jaguars and Electric Eels (Penguin Great Journeys).

1 comments about Bolivia: The Bradt Travel Guide.

1. Bolivia, named after Simon Bolivar, Latin America's greatest Liberator, is an undiscovered gem and David Atkinson's guide on Bolivia has a wealth of background information and his cultural, economic and ecological commentaries are excellent. Bolivia is one of the top ten nations in the world for bio-diversity and Bolivia is the home for 22 national parks and 60 protected areas - Atkinson's coverage of these areas is exemplary.
   
   David has a great descriptive writing style and the sidebars throughout the book are gems. He provides good background information on the standard "must visit" locations: La Paz, Sucre, Potosi, Uyuni, Santa Cruz, Rurenabaque, Lake Titicaca and Copacabana.
   
   However, if you are going to travel to more remote locations; or if you are going overland into Brazil; or if you seek to journey into the Bolivian Amazon then this guide falls short. No Coverage.
   
   Also the guide's "health" section is paltry and it skims over the health problems that you could encounter in Bolivia. The maps are sophomoric and the city maps are cluttered and difficult to use (however, this is true of all Bradt guides).
   
   Finally, this guide could have been a strong contender among Bolivia Guides, however Atkinson's accommodation and restaurant recommendations are dismal. Some of the properties I checked out were closed, and, I found far too many of the hotels/hostels listed in this guide to be hovels, dumps or worse. A guide MUST give it readers reliable and accurate recommendations.
   
   Though there is enough in this guide to make it a nice addition to another guide, if I had to buy just one guide, I would select "Lonely Planet: Bolivia 2007 (highly recommended - see my review). Conditionally recommended

No comments about Entangled Edens: Visions of the Amazon.

3 comments about Traveling Literary America: A Complete Guide to Literary Landmarks.

1. I'm sure I'll be using this book as a reference for many years to come. If you do any kind of book-related traveling, you'll be glad you picked up a copy.
   
   Welborn crossed the U.S. several times while researching the book, and her diligence shows. The guide is loaded with excellent facts and useful tips, and it couldn't be easier to navigate.
   
   The book lists over 200 homes, museums, exhibits, memorials, etc., and it's divided into sections by region of the country. It includes historical information about each author and his or her work, as well as little-known tidbits that will make your journeys infinitely more interesting.
   
   If you're looking for a thorough reference on author homes and other literary landmarks, this is the book for you.



2. Anyone who loves books-which presumeably includes anyone reading this review website, will love Traveling Literary America. It is a hefty (more than 500 pages) and features more than 200 literary sites in nearly all 50 states, including author homes, memorials, poetry walks, exhibits and museums. What's more, author B.J. Welborn offers descriptions of towns associated with a particular writer (Jack Kerouac's Lowell, Mass; Willa Cathers "Catherland" in red Clouod, Neb); unusual literary treasures (Yiddish Center in Amherst, Mass); art colonies (MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire); hiking trails (Edna St. Vincent Millay Poetry Trail in New York), and sidebars on literary movements (Romanticism, the Beat Generation). There is a lot of fascinating stuff in here.



3. Ever since I visited Cross Creek (Rawling's home), I've been on the look out for more author's homes or related sites to visit. It was such a great experience to see her place after reading her books.
   Now with Traveling Literary America, readers can visit places associated with Dr. Seuss, Mark Twain, Jack London, Edgar Allan Poe and other admired authors. Besides such well known authors, he includes more offbeat literary figures such as poet Joyce Kilmer's home (New Brunswick, NJ) and songwriter Woody Guthrie's birthplace (Okemah, Okla).
   I can't wait to see some of these places and having the book on hand allows me to fit them in wherever I travel in the US.

No comments about Barbados Insight Guide (Insight Guides) (Insight Guides).

3 comments about Let's Go Brazil 1st Edition (Let's Go Brazil).

1. I bought this book for my short trip to Brazil: Rio and Iguaçu in Dec 04. I had purchased other travel books from lonely planet, rough guide, etc. I think Let's Go guides are easier to read for someone from US (no strange UK terms :). Back to Brazil book, all the basic information is well organized and concise. For people who likes more details and less traveled spots, this book will not be good enough, although I find that one can always talk to people at the hotel or hostel to get more precise info. Also maps are small and not very detailed.



2. Hey, I am Brazilian. Brazilian guidebooks on Brazil are lousy and package-tourist-who-hires-expensive-cars-oriented. So, I gave Let's Go a try - I used many of Let's Go guidebooks before.
   
   To say it shortly: rubbish. I come from Porto Alegre, a dull Southern city, with no beaches at all. Let's Go, nevertheless, calls it "beachside beauty". If I had used its maps to find my way, I would be lost in my own city and reappear in the seediest and dodgiest parts of it.
   
   Don't buy it.



3. I just returned from a four week trip around Brazil. I took this guide and the Moon Handbook of Brazil.
   
   This book gave pretty good restaurant recommendations. The hotels that were recommended were mainly for budget/student travelers, so we didn't use them much. The maps were good, thank goodness! However, the book didn't give much background information on the history or culture of the country. It was also lacking information on the northeast coast, which is where we spent most of our time.
   
   If you're looking for a real budget guide, this may be the book for you. I found it to be rather incomplete though.