What do you think?
Old Fools #3
Two Old Fools on a Camel: From Spain to Bahrain and Back Again
In this, the third of the Old Fools Trilogy, Vicky and Joe leave their Spanish mountain village to work for a year in the Middle East. How could they know that the Arab Spring was poised to erupt, throwing them into violent events that would make world headlines?
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2012
About the author
Victoria Twead
112 books198 followersVictoria Twead is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author. Eleven years living in a tiny, remote, mountain village in Spain and owning probably the most dangerous cockerel in Europe, inspired Victoria to write “Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools”. Subsequent books in the Old Fools’ series continue to pop up.
So far, her husband has utterly failed to wrestle the laptop from Victoria’s vice-like grip and she continues to write and publish other authors' books in Australia. Another joyous life-chapter has begun for the pair.
So far, her husband has utterly failed to wrestle the laptop from Victoria’s vice-like grip and she continues to write and publish other authors' books in Australia. Another joyous life-chapter has begun for the pair.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
December 23, 2015
As a Bahraini, I bought this book out of nostalgia, and in many ways it truly entertained me to read a British teacher's experiences with Bahraini locals, culture, and education, as well as the Arab Spring.
However, reading it now, I can't help but notice the Orientalist undertones behind her perspective. The way women were described as exotic with their veils (or the italicized hijab which was referred to so frequently), or her surprise at the lack of camels roaming the streets (in the 21st century Gulf), or the rather annoyingly naive way in which she described the political tensions in the country, all of this was frankly patronizing and ignorant.
I understand that at the end of the day this is a quasi-memoir of a British couple's year teaching in the region, so it is bound to be loaded with their pre-eminent biases, but it felt quite Orientalist to read this as an Arab and not be somewhat frustrated. 2 stars for the trip down memory lane, but no more than that.
However, reading it now, I can't help but notice the Orientalist undertones behind her perspective. The way women were described as exotic with their veils (or the italicized hijab which was referred to so frequently), or her surprise at the lack of camels roaming the streets (in the 21st century Gulf), or the rather annoyingly naive way in which she described the political tensions in the country, all of this was frankly patronizing and ignorant.
I understand that at the end of the day this is a quasi-memoir of a British couple's year teaching in the region, so it is bound to be loaded with their pre-eminent biases, but it felt quite Orientalist to read this as an Arab and not be somewhat frustrated. 2 stars for the trip down memory lane, but no more than that.
November 16, 2014
I found the couple very naive; the points raised in their orientation about local culture was stuff that shouldn't have been as much of a surprise to them. The teaching jobs turned out quite badly with little to offset that downbeat atmosphere; the stories of their colleagues' experiences were largely of the "guess you had to be there" variety to me. The spillover of Arab uprisings to Bahrain was a unique feature, though contributed to the grim tone. As their next book covers life back in Spain afterwards, this one doesn't seem necessary for continuity. In spite of glowing reviews from fans, in all honesty I came away regretting I'd bought it. Really 2.5 stars, but rounding down to
two stars would be unfair. Your mileage may vary.
two stars would be unfair. Your mileage may vary.
January 26, 2017
Won't make a camel laugh
As I always finish what I start I kept going through this turgid drivel.
What a piece of vanity writing! The author is irritating, ignorant and arrogant by turn.
Her constant references to the clothing worn by Muslim women gave me the impression she thought herself superior to them, as she undoubtedly did to her pupils. After all, it was their fault they didn't learn. Not her's for being a poor, unimaginative teacher.
The tale was sadly lacking in the 'hilarity' promised in the introduction.
The first and definitely the last in this sorry saga that I will ever read.
The one star is for inclusion of the recipes even though these are someone else's creation.
As I always finish what I start I kept going through this turgid drivel.
What a piece of vanity writing! The author is irritating, ignorant and arrogant by turn.
Her constant references to the clothing worn by Muslim women gave me the impression she thought herself superior to them, as she undoubtedly did to her pupils. After all, it was their fault they didn't learn. Not her's for being a poor, unimaginative teacher.
The tale was sadly lacking in the 'hilarity' promised in the introduction.
The first and definitely the last in this sorry saga that I will ever read.
The one star is for inclusion of the recipes even though these are someone else's creation.
January 30, 2021
I read Victoria Twead’s books about her life in a small Spanish village many moons ago but somehow missed this delight.
In Two old fools on a Camel, Victoria and Joe move from their small Spanish village to Bahrain to take up teaching posts on a year’s contract.
Anyone who has read Two Old Fools in Spain will appreciate the contrast in lifestyles this involves as they move from cicadas and chickens to helicopters and camels.
What follows is a well-narrated insight into a very different country with its spoilt rich kids and vastly different rules. But this is more than just a simple story. Victoria and Joe have to face complications they didn’t expect. They arrive in the month of Ramadan where they cannot eat or drink from dawn until dusk in the heat of an Arab summer. There are hateful teachers and the beginnings of the Arab spring to contend with. But they also make new and long lasting friendships which have this young at heart couple acting like teenagers themselves.
But will the friendships be enough for Victoria and Joe to stick out the sand and the bullets, or will they flee home to Spain at the first opportunity?
You will have to read on to find out, and to enjoy the fabulous Middle Eastern recipes which are dotted throughout the book.
In Two old fools on a Camel, Victoria and Joe move from their small Spanish village to Bahrain to take up teaching posts on a year’s contract.
Anyone who has read Two Old Fools in Spain will appreciate the contrast in lifestyles this involves as they move from cicadas and chickens to helicopters and camels.
What follows is a well-narrated insight into a very different country with its spoilt rich kids and vastly different rules. But this is more than just a simple story. Victoria and Joe have to face complications they didn’t expect. They arrive in the month of Ramadan where they cannot eat or drink from dawn until dusk in the heat of an Arab summer. There are hateful teachers and the beginnings of the Arab spring to contend with. But they also make new and long lasting friendships which have this young at heart couple acting like teenagers themselves.
But will the friendships be enough for Victoria and Joe to stick out the sand and the bullets, or will they flee home to Spain at the first opportunity?
You will have to read on to find out, and to enjoy the fabulous Middle Eastern recipes which are dotted throughout the book.
April 28, 2014
I enjoyed some of the events, but I do not find much humor in making fun of other people, so I found that part distasteful. Very little was written about the actual political events in Bahrain, thus I found that disappointing. A great deal was written about socializing with other staff members and playing barroom type pranks on one another. I didn't find those events interesting. My favorite parts involved the stories about the students, the classroom activities, and the challenges that arose in trying to teach in a very different culture. I admire the author and her husband for their brave and adventuresome spirit, but I would not go out of my way to recommend this book to others.
December 17, 2022
After finishing and loving Victoria Twead’s second Two Old Fools book recently, I decided I wanted to read the sequel as I was intrigued about the year the couple spent in Bahrain. I am happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the unhappy circumstances Joe and Victoria found themselves in. For all the problems, they made some wonderful friends in Bahrain and as always, their lives were filled with some highly colourful characters, whom Victoria describes with great humour and perception. I loved reading about her cheeky students and the regular results from her spelling tests had me in stitches. The book also deals with the tragic events of the Arab Spring uprisings which occurred during their stay, so I learnt a lot from reading this memoir. For foodies too, there are great recipes included as chapter separators. My thanks to Victoria for a fascinating, informative and very enjoyable read.
March 29, 2016
A sort of silly book about two married teachers that need money so they go to the middle East as the Arab Spring errupts. It is part of a series which I find surprising because it is poorly written and not vry interesting and so I find it diffucult to understand how more books on the topic by this author could find a publisher.
Oh well, to each their own...
Oh well, to each their own...
August 18, 2018
I read this book because it revolved around my school during my time there. There are a lot of funny and nostalgic moments that made me smile. However, there were a lot of details that I personally found over exaggerating and (to-some-point) stereotypical.
December 16, 2012
Book 3 in the Two Old Fools series. There were some moments I was laughing so loud that people around me thought I was losing it (including the dog). I did really miss El Hoyo, but am so glad to have had another glimpse into life, this time taking the brave step to move to Bahrain to teach for a year.
Thanks for another brilliant read, Victoria. You are a great storyteller :) Can't wait to see what's next!
Thanks for another brilliant read, Victoria. You are a great storyteller :) Can't wait to see what's next!
April 2, 2015
A lot of this seemed to be more of the "I guess you had to be there" kind of story. Things tended to either ramble or digress quite a bit too. I was hoping for more on what was going on in Bahrain, but there wasn't much of that. There were also quite a few references to people in Spain that must have been referenced in earlier books, but were brought up out of the blue in this one.
January 11, 2020
Vicky and Joe have left their beloved Spanish home in El Hoyo, to spend a year teaching in Bahrain. Unfortunately, the children they are hoping to inspire are not too well behaved, and not too willing to learn. Thankfully, they form strong bonds with fellow teachers and lasting friendships are born.
Book 3 of their adventures is peppered with Vicky's witty anecdotes, and includes some very funny conversations. I particularly enjoyed reading about the children's spelling attempts, the challenges of learning their names and keeping discipline in the class.
The frightening events of The Arab Spring force Vicky and Joe to make a difficult decision- to remain in Bahrain for another year or return to Spain.
Book 3 of their adventures is peppered with Vicky's witty anecdotes, and includes some very funny conversations. I particularly enjoyed reading about the children's spelling attempts, the challenges of learning their names and keeping discipline in the class.
The frightening events of The Arab Spring force Vicky and Joe to make a difficult decision- to remain in Bahrain for another year or return to Spain.
August 8, 2021
A year in a foreign country with most expenses paid sounds appealing, unless one is retired and goes back to work at a MOST unusual school full of trials and tribulations. Throw in the harrowing dangers of Arab Spring, a few delightful new friends and many evenings with them at an Irish pub, a large cast of strange people and customs, and Victoria's delightful sense of humor for another wonderful read. I've already ordered the next Two Old Fools volume, as I just cannot get enough of Victoria and Joe. Their adventures are never boring!
July 17, 2026
I went back and forth on stars for this one, but after letting it sit for a minute, I had to go with 2.
It's really hard to find any nonfiction books about Bahrain so I was happy to come across this one for my project. It seemed kind of fun and it was on sale when Audible had their 85% off sale.
Victoria and Joe retired to Spain after careers in teaching. Needing a little more money they decided to try branching out and accepted a one-year teaching contract at the American school in Bahrain. Their pay included lodging and it would help them make a nice little stockpile of money.
I'm just going to randomly list some of my thoughts in no particular order.
*What's the obsession with camels? Because it's a desert people should be riding around on camels? I thought it was kind of dumb, even though I think she meant it to be funny.
*And that was kind of a problem through this whole book. Things Twead wrote to be funny just weren't. They were often actually just rudely making fun of other people and used massive stereotypes.
*Some of the first people she meets are the "three fat ladies" as she calls them. They are, of course, petty, rude, completely unlikable. Another woman, described as having a "voluminous backside" is described as being so stupid she doesn't know when she sits in cat pee. She also loves cigarettes.
*One of the characters has a stutter and it's mocked throughout the book. Every time he tries to say something and is stuttering they all try to guess what he's saying and it's always wrong. When he's calling kids name, they've already moved on, by the time he can get one kid's name out. The audiobook made this seem especially harsh and cruel.
*She mentions her husband "scratching his nethers" three times.
*She jokes about all the boys being named Mohammad. (This wasn't the worst, and I could see this actually happening, like when we joke about all the girls in class being named Madison.)
*Her husband didn't go to their daughter's wedding. Initially the school said he couldn't have the time off, but then the wedding was going to happen when the school was shutting down for the Arab Spring and he still wasn't going.
*She talks about all these bar pranks they play on each other. On one she jumped out like a dog and bit one of their friend's ankles.
*On the same track, her husband dresses in black boxer shorts and a black tie to greet their friends and she laughs about the other woman seeming uncomfortable.
*I liked hearing the stories about the school. It sounded terrible, but as a teacher I could relate.
*I wished there was more about the Arab Spring. I'm going to have to find a book for my project that focuses on that.
Every other book I've read for my Read the World project has made me care more about the people of the country. This book did not and it has nothing to do with the actual people, but the way the author wrote about them. It was very off-putting.
I know this a memoir, but other books I've read in this project have focused on a small subset/time period of the people and I've always left with this feeling of "I'd like to visit," but I got none of that here. I didn't like the way the author spoke about other people. It felt mean.
I bought the first book in this series of memoirs at the same time I bought this one and some reviews said it was better, but I'm not sure I want to journey anymore with the Tweads. We'll see.
Read The World
1. Afghanistan: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
2. Albania: Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
3. Algeria: The Algerian War⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
3. Algeria: Algeria: Chasing Calamity⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
4. Andorra: All You Need to Know About Andorra by Jonas Hoffmann-Schmidt ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
5. Angola: The History of Angola by John Kaenda-Nakale ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
5. Angola: Nzingha: The Great Warrior of Angola by Desree Crooks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
5. Angola: I Still Dream of Angola by Ursula Tillmann ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
6. Antigua and Barbuda: A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
7. Argentina: A Flower Traveled in My Blood by Haley Cohen Gilliland ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
8. Armenia: The Hundred Year Walk by Dawn Anahid MacKeen ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
9. Australia: Mutiny on the Bounty by Peter FitzSimons ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Apr 2026)
10. Austria: A Little History of the World by EH Gombrich ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
11. Azerbaijan: Black Garden by Thomas de Waal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
12. Bahamas:
13. Bahrain: Two Fools on a Camel by Victoria Twead ⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
32. Canada:Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir by Julia Zarankin ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
47. Denmark: The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
---
60. Finland: The Finnish Guide to Happiness by Melanie Dower ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
60. Finland: The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (June 2026)
61. France
62. Gabon
63. Gambia
64. Georgia
65. Germany: German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture by James Cave and Niklas Frank ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (June 2026)
---
133. Palau: Wreck of the Mentor by Eric Jay Dolin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
134. Palestine State:
135. Panama: Ghosts of Panama by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
144. Russia: Dead Mountain by Donnie Eicher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
---
156. Sierra Leone: Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
169. Sweden: The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
---
186. United Kingdom: The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place by Kate Summerscale ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
a. England: Life at the Bottom by Theodore Dalrymple ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
b. Northern Ireland Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (March 2026)
It's really hard to find any nonfiction books about Bahrain so I was happy to come across this one for my project. It seemed kind of fun and it was on sale when Audible had their 85% off sale.
Victoria and Joe retired to Spain after careers in teaching. Needing a little more money they decided to try branching out and accepted a one-year teaching contract at the American school in Bahrain. Their pay included lodging and it would help them make a nice little stockpile of money.
I'm just going to randomly list some of my thoughts in no particular order.
*What's the obsession with camels? Because it's a desert people should be riding around on camels? I thought it was kind of dumb, even though I think she meant it to be funny.
*And that was kind of a problem through this whole book. Things Twead wrote to be funny just weren't. They were often actually just rudely making fun of other people and used massive stereotypes.
*Some of the first people she meets are the "three fat ladies" as she calls them. They are, of course, petty, rude, completely unlikable. Another woman, described as having a "voluminous backside" is described as being so stupid she doesn't know when she sits in cat pee. She also loves cigarettes.
*One of the characters has a stutter and it's mocked throughout the book. Every time he tries to say something and is stuttering they all try to guess what he's saying and it's always wrong. When he's calling kids name, they've already moved on, by the time he can get one kid's name out. The audiobook made this seem especially harsh and cruel.
*She mentions her husband "scratching his nethers" three times.
*She jokes about all the boys being named Mohammad. (This wasn't the worst, and I could see this actually happening, like when we joke about all the girls in class being named Madison.)
*Her husband didn't go to their daughter's wedding. Initially the school said he couldn't have the time off, but then the wedding was going to happen when the school was shutting down for the Arab Spring and he still wasn't going.
*She talks about all these bar pranks they play on each other. On one she jumped out like a dog and bit one of their friend's ankles.
*On the same track, her husband dresses in black boxer shorts and a black tie to greet their friends and she laughs about the other woman seeming uncomfortable.
*I liked hearing the stories about the school. It sounded terrible, but as a teacher I could relate.
*I wished there was more about the Arab Spring. I'm going to have to find a book for my project that focuses on that.
Every other book I've read for my Read the World project has made me care more about the people of the country. This book did not and it has nothing to do with the actual people, but the way the author wrote about them. It was very off-putting.
I know this a memoir, but other books I've read in this project have focused on a small subset/time period of the people and I've always left with this feeling of "I'd like to visit," but I got none of that here. I didn't like the way the author spoke about other people. It felt mean.
I bought the first book in this series of memoirs at the same time I bought this one and some reviews said it was better, but I'm not sure I want to journey anymore with the Tweads. We'll see.
Read The World
1. Afghanistan: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
2. Albania: Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
3. Algeria: The Algerian War⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
3. Algeria: Algeria: Chasing Calamity⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
4. Andorra: All You Need to Know About Andorra by Jonas Hoffmann-Schmidt ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
5. Angola: The History of Angola by John Kaenda-Nakale ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
5. Angola: Nzingha: The Great Warrior of Angola by Desree Crooks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
5. Angola: I Still Dream of Angola by Ursula Tillmann ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
6. Antigua and Barbuda: A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
7. Argentina: A Flower Traveled in My Blood by Haley Cohen Gilliland ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
8. Armenia: The Hundred Year Walk by Dawn Anahid MacKeen ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Mar 2026)
9. Australia: Mutiny on the Bounty by Peter FitzSimons ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Apr 2026)
10. Austria: A Little History of the World by EH Gombrich ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
11. Azerbaijan: Black Garden by Thomas de Waal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
12. Bahamas:
13. Bahrain: Two Fools on a Camel by Victoria Twead ⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
32. Canada:Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir by Julia Zarankin ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
47. Denmark: The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Feb 2026)
---
60. Finland: The Finnish Guide to Happiness by Melanie Dower ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (May 2026)
60. Finland: The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (June 2026)
61. France
62. Gabon
63. Gambia
64. Georgia
65. Germany: German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture by James Cave and Niklas Frank ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (June 2026)
---
133. Palau: Wreck of the Mentor by Eric Jay Dolin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
134. Palestine State:
135. Panama: Ghosts of Panama by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
---
144. Russia: Dead Mountain by Donnie Eicher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
---
156. Sierra Leone: Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (July 2026)
169. Sweden: The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Jan 2026)
---
186. United Kingdom: The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place by Kate Summerscale ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
a. England: Life at the Bottom by Theodore Dalrymple ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Dec 2025)
b. Northern Ireland Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (March 2026)
September 13, 2014
I was really interested in this book as I wanted to learn about the country and customs and all the reviews said how funny it was. I was very disappointed.
It was about a couple who were British, but had lived in Spain. They went to earn money and teach in Bahrain for at least a year or maybe more. I was really horrified at the way the school was run. The students were also disgusting to my way of thinking. They were spoiled and undisciplined and used to their parents buying them anything.
Some of the things the author pointed out were things I had never thought of - the fact that there is really no countryside to enjoy. The students didn't have any pets. They thought people who were poor were of no value.
It did describe the "Arab Spring" uprisings and that was interesting, although I think I would have left the country before the authors did.
Unfortunately, I guess I have a different sense of humor. I didn't find the book funny and the practical jokes they played didn't really appeal to me.
All in all, I'm glad I read the book, but will not seek out any others by the author. I found it rather depressing.
It was about a couple who were British, but had lived in Spain. They went to earn money and teach in Bahrain for at least a year or maybe more. I was really horrified at the way the school was run. The students were also disgusting to my way of thinking. They were spoiled and undisciplined and used to their parents buying them anything.
Some of the things the author pointed out were things I had never thought of - the fact that there is really no countryside to enjoy. The students didn't have any pets. They thought people who were poor were of no value.
It did describe the "Arab Spring" uprisings and that was interesting, although I think I would have left the country before the authors did.
Unfortunately, I guess I have a different sense of humor. I didn't find the book funny and the practical jokes they played didn't really appeal to me.
All in all, I'm glad I read the book, but will not seek out any others by the author. I found it rather depressing.
August 25, 2013
3.5 stars, I liked it a little less than the other two books. At the end of the book Joe says they didn't like their year away, and that's quite obvious from the beginning. There's more complaining, and a bit more of a negative or pessimistic feel.
What I loved so much about the first two books were the funny situations Vicky and Joe got into in Spain, all because of cultural differences and language difficulties. In this third book, the other people they interact with are also Westerners, and though they did end up in situations that were (supposed to be) funny, it didn't come close to what I'm used to. Also, they met some Western people in Bahrain whom they didn't like and those people are often made fun of, which wasn't very nice.
Still, I enjoyed catching up with Vicky and Joe again, and it was interesting to read about the political issues going on in Bahrain and how they were experienced by people who were there. I can't wait to meet them again in Spain though!
What I loved so much about the first two books were the funny situations Vicky and Joe got into in Spain, all because of cultural differences and language difficulties. In this third book, the other people they interact with are also Westerners, and though they did end up in situations that were (supposed to be) funny, it didn't come close to what I'm used to. Also, they met some Western people in Bahrain whom they didn't like and those people are often made fun of, which wasn't very nice.
Still, I enjoyed catching up with Vicky and Joe again, and it was interesting to read about the political issues going on in Bahrain and how they were experienced by people who were there. I can't wait to meet them again in Spain though!
November 22, 2020
I loved the Victoria Twead's first two books about her life in a small Andalusian village, so I was eager to hear about the adventures she and her husband Jim had when they decided to take a year to go teach in an American school in Bahrain. But while Twead writes with the same cozy style, there was barely a page - and certainly not a chapter - when I didn't want to smack someone. The people at the school are just plain horrible and the students are worse. Maybe she played it up for comic effect, but it just didn't work for me. Then there is also a fair amount of time spent to what happened in Bahrain during the "Arab Spring" movement, which occurred while they were there. While she does talk about the government's actions in firing on protestors, there really isn't a big sense of outrage either. The "we're only visiting" vibe doesn't sit well.
December 22, 2012
Another brilliant read from Victoria, I read this in a day and I am sure I will revisit it again as I have the previous 2 books.
I did wonder how different it would be moving from the El Hoyo I have come to know and love, but Victoria writes so well that you instantly feel like you are with her on the journey. I really did laugh out loud on many an occasion but it was also very eye opening regarding the troubles hat were encountered in Bahrain.
Thanks again for a brilliant read and I will be looking forward to reading more from Spain.
I did wonder how different it would be moving from the El Hoyo I have come to know and love, but Victoria writes so well that you instantly feel like you are with her on the journey. I really did laugh out loud on many an occasion but it was also very eye opening regarding the troubles hat were encountered in Bahrain.
Thanks again for a brilliant read and I will be looking forward to reading more from Spain.
May 22, 2014
Not content with retiring to a 'crazy mountain village' in Almeria; Victoria and Joe decide to brush off the Spanish cobwebs and move to even warmer climes to spend one last year teaching children in Bahrain. Swapping mules, chickens and kittens for camels, parrots and terrapins,
Live vicariously, plunge yourself into 'Two Old Fools on a Camel', meet her larger than life characters and eavesdrop in on her faultless dialogue.
Only Victoria Twead could pull something like this off - what's next? Koalas, Crocs and Kangaroos?
Live vicariously, plunge yourself into 'Two Old Fools on a Camel', meet her larger than life characters and eavesdrop in on her faultless dialogue.
Only Victoria Twead could pull something like this off - what's next? Koalas, Crocs and Kangaroos?
June 11, 2014
A fine theme. A yeAr teaching in Bahrain. And the parts about Bahrain, teaching in a private school for immensely wealthy students-- not always easy, and the Arab spring as it evolved in Bahrain were wonderful. The third or so of the book describing evenings spent in the local bar with a retelling of jokes and anecdotes -- not so much. "you had to be there" I expect. It all became quite boring read soberly. Too bad there wasn't more on the Bahrain experience. Rather disappointing in all.
May 28, 2015
I stumbled upon Victoria Twead's real life trilogy, and have loved all the adventure! Now I'm on the lookout for memoirs from ordinary people living extraordinary lives, and having a wonderful time in my travels with them! I love this genre so much more than fiction. This is a marvelous version of the non-fiction I almost always read! And it is all thanks to Two Old Fools, to whom I am very grateful!
December 26, 2012
As a fellow teacher, I loved this book. Victoria has captured the chaos of teaching and interacting with many different personalities in a very foreign land. It is the small details that capture the reader such as gathering at smokers corner and parent interviews of which Mahammed. Victoria includes you in her world as a friend observing with her.
April 7, 2016
Vicky and Joe Twead decide to take teaching positions in Bahrain for a year, and this book describes that experience. What makes this more unique than usual is that they are in Bahrain during Bahrain's Arab Spring in 2011.
This is the third book in a series of the Twead's life in retirement, and I enjoyed this book.
This is the third book in a series of the Twead's life in retirement, and I enjoyed this book.
September 30, 2020
Victoria Twead’s unique memoir takes place on the island of Bahrain, which becomes its own character in this yearlong teaching foray at an American school for well-to-do Bahraini students. In addition to this informative narration, the book is filled with yummy Arabic recipes courtesy of Nadia Sawalha.
January 6, 2025
predictable, patronizing, shallow, naive.
This is the second book of theirs that I have read and I will not read a third. Their British smugness oozes off the page and their ignorance and lack of understanding (or attempt to learn) local culture is appalling. The book reeks of colonialism and superiority.
This is the second book of theirs that I have read and I will not read a third. Their British smugness oozes off the page and their ignorance and lack of understanding (or attempt to learn) local culture is appalling. The book reeks of colonialism and superiority.
March 25, 2015
I think this was one of the first books I bought for my kindle when I first got it and I have just finished it. I don't think of it so much as a book but as the author found someone who would pay them to publish their journal.
May 29, 2013
not one of her best but OK
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2015
A great adventure of the British retirees, settled in Spain, in a Bahrain private school during the Arab Spring. Feels like following old friends!
February 11, 2016
My Mom ordered this one and while it was an interesting glimpse into the lives of teachers in the Arab world, it really was not worth more than the $1.99 paid for it.
April 29, 2016
I expected a travelogue, not a day to day journal of the problems of teaching in Bahrain.
November 13, 2016
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews