Unpacked Again: Travel Disaster Stories

Lonely Planet: Travel disaster stories

by Tony Wheeler

From Ecuador to London, from Morocco to Brazil, from California to Indonesia, bad things can strike a traveller anytime. Illness, imprisonment, mistaken identities, riots, close encounters with bears, foreign toilet ettiquette and stewed rat, it's all in this collection of travel disasters.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Xanthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

As with most anthologies, some of these stories were better than others, given the differing styles of writing and also the experiences. The stories that worked the best, for me, were the ones of mishap and misadventure, but also a sense of 'I can laugh about it now'. I enjoyed the story about the 'kidnapping', as it had the drama and tension, but also the humour I was hoping for.
I found the story of falling off a pyramid rather startling, as I did not expect to read about a death in a book about travel disasters. I guess it all comes down to reader expectations and for me I suppose I expected a book of stories of misunderstandings, getting lost, mishaps and some misfortune. But not a tragic death. That story (plus the one of the young woman arriving alone in India), stood out as not quite fitting in with the rest of the book, due to their stark seriousness.

[Lorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've borrowed a number of Lonely Planet books from the library. Some aren't worth the effort of reading. Some are lovely escapes into faraway places. This is one of the later. You won't find suggestions on meals, hotels or tours but what you get is detail of an adventure. Not travel disaster stories, perhaps, but off the beaten path adventures. My favorite was Daniel Robinson's description of checking out the tourist sites in Cambodia while the war was still very much going on. I can't possibly get to all the places/times (and some I would not want to personally experience) but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got around to reading this one and I'm so glad I did! Some of these tales are uproariously funny! Others certainly made me cringe and be glad I wasn't along on that travel experience! All of them, though, made me appreciate the work that goes into creating the Lonely Planet guides which have helped me travel in Africa and Asia.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of entertaining and interesting travel stories which will leave you shaking your head and amazed at the trouble that travelling can get you into. It also leaves you with the sense that there is so much more of the world you want to explore. An especially good book to take when travelling since the stories are short and it is reasonably light reading.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is good stuff if you a an independent, adventure-seeking backpack-toting traveler to exotic locations everywhere out there.

If you don't care for one short story, you'll find others you will. And with any luck, you'll relate to more than a few things that happen to the various authors. How it all comes back...

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun read for any die hard traveler.

[Saya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't even finish it, awful awful writing and I've had more adventures travelling than the entire lot put together and I think I'm tame - the authors should stick to travel guides.

[Bookend McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dig the story "Doing Brave".

[Bookend McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the story Doing Brave!