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Up The Creek Without a Mullet: A hair-brained journey across the globe
After acquiring a fascination with the dubious 1980s haircut while travelling around Eastern Europe, Simon Varwell discovered a village in Albania called Mullet, and a mission was born.
From Albanian slums to the windswept landscapes of Ireland's County Mayo, the mission took him across the world in search of obscure locations – eventually creating an inadvertent media storm when the mullet hunting hit the big time Down Under in Australia.
Up The Creek Without a Mullet was originally published in 2010 by Sandstone Press. Here, his first book is proudly re-issued by the author.
From Albanian slums to the windswept landscapes of Ireland's County Mayo, the mission took him across the world in search of obscure locations – eventually creating an inadvertent media storm when the mullet hunting hit the big time Down Under in Australia.
Up The Creek Without a Mullet was originally published in 2010 by Sandstone Press. Here, his first book is proudly re-issued by the author.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2010
5 people want to read
About the author
Simon Varwell
3 books5 followersSimon Varwell is a compulsive traveller, a keen amateur photographer, and spends too much time having "what if ..." moments.
His first two books, Up The Creek Without a Mullet and The Return of the Mullet Hunter, chart his search for places around the world with the word "mullet" in their name. His third book, The Next Stop: Inverness to Edinburgh, station by station, tells the story of a journey to all twenty three railway stations between Inverness and Edinburgh.
He lives in Inverness, in the Highlands of Scotland.
You can find out more about him at www.simonvarwell.co.uk.
His first two books, Up The Creek Without a Mullet and The Return of the Mullet Hunter, chart his search for places around the world with the word "mullet" in their name. His third book, The Next Stop: Inverness to Edinburgh, station by station, tells the story of a journey to all twenty three railway stations between Inverness and Edinburgh.
He lives in Inverness, in the Highlands of Scotland.
You can find out more about him at www.simonvarwell.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 7, 2010
It was while travelling around eastern Europe with a friend that Simon Varwell developed a certain fascination with that [insert adjective of your choice here:] hairstyle, the mullet. Back home in Inverness a year or so later, in 2002, Varwell discovered that there was a village in Albania named Mullet — and was taken with the notion of trying to visit everywhere in the world with the world mullet in its name. Up the Creek Without a Mullet chronicles the author’s travels up to 2005 (in Albania, Ireland, and mostly Australia), searching for mullets – places and haircuts alike.
There’s a danger, I think, that this sort of travel writing can come to seem gimmicky, if the quirky reason behind the journey is given more weight than the journey itself. I’m pleased to say that doesn’t happen here, to the extent that I often felt as though the mullet-hunt was somewhat in the background; not forgotten about (on the contrary, it’s often on Varwell’s mind, to the point that he even wonders at times whether his ‘mission’ is all worth it), but it’s the cement that holds Varwell’s travels together — and, like cement, it’s not necessarily what you see first. Indeed, with Varwell’s often finding the ‘mullet’ places to be disappointingly ordinary, it’s his travels between that provide the greatest amount of interest.
Varwell himself proves a likeable companion for the journey through his book: he has a dry wit (at one point, he describes Sydney’s rail system as ‘reliable, good value, and regular, all novelties for a Scottish traveller’ [114:]), writes engagingly about the places he visits, and makes Up the Creek Without a Mullet a very personal account. The idea behind Varwell’s journeys may be daft, but he’s well aware of that; and his genuine enthusiasm shines through, making this book a very satisfying read.
However, in case you were wondering: I’m keeping my hair short.
There’s a danger, I think, that this sort of travel writing can come to seem gimmicky, if the quirky reason behind the journey is given more weight than the journey itself. I’m pleased to say that doesn’t happen here, to the extent that I often felt as though the mullet-hunt was somewhat in the background; not forgotten about (on the contrary, it’s often on Varwell’s mind, to the point that he even wonders at times whether his ‘mission’ is all worth it), but it’s the cement that holds Varwell’s travels together — and, like cement, it’s not necessarily what you see first. Indeed, with Varwell’s often finding the ‘mullet’ places to be disappointingly ordinary, it’s his travels between that provide the greatest amount of interest.
Varwell himself proves a likeable companion for the journey through his book: he has a dry wit (at one point, he describes Sydney’s rail system as ‘reliable, good value, and regular, all novelties for a Scottish traveller’ [114:]), writes engagingly about the places he visits, and makes Up the Creek Without a Mullet a very personal account. The idea behind Varwell’s journeys may be daft, but he’s well aware of that; and his genuine enthusiasm shines through, making this book a very satisfying read.
However, in case you were wondering: I’m keeping my hair short.
December 8, 2013
It started as an afternoon spotting mullets on people whilst walking around in Albania and developed into a challenge to visit places that are called Mullet, or have Mullet in the name.
He travels to three place to start to achieve this aim, Ireland, Albania and all the way to Australia. He find other places in America and Canada, but he does't make it there because of funding.
It is along the lines of Round Ireland with a Fridge, a kind of slightly pointless quest, but one that will bring a smile to your face. Varwall is not the best travel writer for this type of thing, but the writing is not too bad, but overall is not an exceptional travel book. There is the odd funny bit, and it may even make you chuckle.
He travels to three place to start to achieve this aim, Ireland, Albania and all the way to Australia. He find other places in America and Canada, but he does't make it there because of funding.
It is along the lines of Round Ireland with a Fridge, a kind of slightly pointless quest, but one that will bring a smile to your face. Varwall is not the best travel writer for this type of thing, but the writing is not too bad, but overall is not an exceptional travel book. There is the odd funny bit, and it may even make you chuckle.
July 2, 2015
Fun light read about a man with a mission. Many giggles along the way.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews