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Never Pack an Ice-Axe: Tales From a Travel Writer's Life
You’d think a long-time travel writer would have some great travel tips. You’d think.
Jules learns about travel the hard way, whether it’s setting out on his first European hitch-hiking adventure, writing about offbeat destinations for Rough Guides, or braving the shouty waiters of Naples on the hunt for the world’s best pizza.
Not everything goes according to plan – what happened in Bali stays in Bali – but during a life in travel, Jules has racked up enough useful tips to fill a book. Just not this book.
Hit the road with Jules – from Scotland to the South Pacific – and you’re guaranteed a great story, a good laugh and an occasional heartfelt sob. As long as you don’t listen to his advice, you’ll be absolutely fine.
Jules learns about travel the hard way, whether it’s setting out on his first European hitch-hiking adventure, writing about offbeat destinations for Rough Guides, or braving the shouty waiters of Naples on the hunt for the world’s best pizza.
Not everything goes according to plan – what happened in Bali stays in Bali – but during a life in travel, Jules has racked up enough useful tips to fill a book. Just not this book.
Hit the road with Jules – from Scotland to the South Pacific – and you’re guaranteed a great story, a good laugh and an occasional heartfelt sob. As long as you don’t listen to his advice, you’ll be absolutely fine.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2021
93 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Jules Brown
60 books34 followersI've been a pro travel writer for over 30 years, writing Rough Guides and other stuff, and living in places from Sicily to New Zealand. You might even have had one of my guidebooks along for the ride in your travel bag - in which case, happy to have helped!
I also blog at www.julestoldme.com, sharing travel stories, travel-writing tips, videos and inspiring destinations - see you there, and happy travels.
I also blog at www.julestoldme.com, sharing travel stories, travel-writing tips, videos and inspiring destinations - see you there, and happy travels.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 4, 2021
Fun and fresh writing about his travels. Very enjoyable.
What an intriguing title. I wonder why to never pack an ice-axe? Hopefully, this would be answered and all revealed in the book.
This is a packed bunch of short stories travelling to places all around the globe. These are hand-picked from his extensive career as a travel writer. It's a bit different to his last book, (Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave), where he was travelling to lots of countries, day after day, against the clock. This was an interesting, informative, and entertaining read. A good mix of eloquent description, and fun quips.
Jules takes us on an absolutely jam-packed itinerary: Spain, Sicily, China. And not just far-flung foreign travel; there's also a spell closer to home, in Boscastle, Cornwall. And Port Isaac, of Doc Martin fame. Then onto St. Ives, Penzance, scuba diving in Egypt, a cooking class in Bali, a road trip in Ghana. And that's where he was born, in West Africa. He tells of revisiting his birth place with his parents, 40 years later. And there’s still more: Scotland, Ibiza, Italy, Montenegro, Ireland. Never a dull moment!
It’s not just a “I went here, I went there”, the book is inserted with lots of fun and entertaining comments and quips.
Hassle-free travel. Great chat, and a fair few chuckles along the way.
What an intriguing title. I wonder why to never pack an ice-axe? Hopefully, this would be answered and all revealed in the book.
This is a packed bunch of short stories travelling to places all around the globe. These are hand-picked from his extensive career as a travel writer. It's a bit different to his last book, (Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave), where he was travelling to lots of countries, day after day, against the clock. This was an interesting, informative, and entertaining read. A good mix of eloquent description, and fun quips.
Jules takes us on an absolutely jam-packed itinerary: Spain, Sicily, China. And not just far-flung foreign travel; there's also a spell closer to home, in Boscastle, Cornwall. And Port Isaac, of Doc Martin fame. Then onto St. Ives, Penzance, scuba diving in Egypt, a cooking class in Bali, a road trip in Ghana. And that's where he was born, in West Africa. He tells of revisiting his birth place with his parents, 40 years later. And there’s still more: Scotland, Ibiza, Italy, Montenegro, Ireland. Never a dull moment!
It’s not just a “I went here, I went there”, the book is inserted with lots of fun and entertaining comments and quips.
Hassle-free travel. Great chat, and a fair few chuckles along the way.
July 5, 2021
Never Pack An Ice-Axe is a collection of eighteen short pieces from travel writer Jules Brown, literary snapshots of his travels that cover a range of countries including Norway, Ghana, China, Bali and Ireland, to name just a few.
I really liked the section about walking along the coastline of Cornwall, which is a trip I could see myself doing; I have relatives in Cornwall and I’m sure they could help out with a bit of kit transfer and or washing of clothes! The trip to the Grand Canyon brought back my own memories from visiting the attraction; I’m glad that there wasn’t a murderer on the loose when I went, unlike Jules’ adventure.
Other parts that I enjoyed were the diving trip to Egypt and the return to Ghana with his parents. Jules has traveled widely and offers some good advice. He found the best pizza in Naples, the best pint of Guinness in Dublin and possibly the perfect place to live in Montenegro. This book is definitely good for a bit of armchair travel.
I really liked the section about walking along the coastline of Cornwall, which is a trip I could see myself doing; I have relatives in Cornwall and I’m sure they could help out with a bit of kit transfer and or washing of clothes! The trip to the Grand Canyon brought back my own memories from visiting the attraction; I’m glad that there wasn’t a murderer on the loose when I went, unlike Jules’ adventure.
Other parts that I enjoyed were the diving trip to Egypt and the return to Ghana with his parents. Jules has traveled widely and offers some good advice. He found the best pizza in Naples, the best pint of Guinness in Dublin and possibly the perfect place to live in Montenegro. This book is definitely good for a bit of armchair travel.
July 5, 2021
What a terrific book this is, engaging, funny and touching. There is just so much to enjoy. Jules recounts several memorable stories from countries he has visited, some far flung, some closer to home for me. I’m delighted to note that Scotland made such an impression on him and that he didn’t mind the rain. His love of travel and his desire to give his readers a real sense of a place is apparent. I love his sense of humour and, as in his previous book, I had to stop reading at points as I was laughing so much! He is such an accomplished writer who has the knack of taking the reader with him and helping us to discover new places and learn new facts as well. This book has taken me to Bali, Ghana, Sicily, Egypt and Ireland and I have relished every trip.
The final chapter has him pondering a place to call home on planet earth and I will confess to reading this with a huge lump in my throat. It’s indescribably poignant.
Finally, I must say that I will certainly never ever pack an ice axe.
The final chapter has him pondering a place to call home on planet earth and I will confess to reading this with a huge lump in my throat. It’s indescribably poignant.
Finally, I must say that I will certainly never ever pack an ice axe.
June 10, 2021
More deliciously irreverent tales from a rough guide travel writer’s life, this book is jam-packed with stories to make you laugh out loud and, on occasions to make you cry.
Jules transports the reader to far off places with all the skill of a really good travel writer. I learn much from Jules’ travel memoirs. I know not only not to pack an ice-axe, but also not to ask for chicken whilst on the road in China, nor to get into a discussion about pizza in Naples. Funny though his writing is, Jules can also turn the tables in the emotive department. Whether it’s curing a broken heart by long distance trekking, discovering his roots in Ghana or finding a place to call home, this writer can have the reader swapping tears of laughter for genuine tears in a matter of a chapter. A clever skill and it makes the book all the more human for it.
Jules transports the reader to far off places with all the skill of a really good travel writer. I learn much from Jules’ travel memoirs. I know not only not to pack an ice-axe, but also not to ask for chicken whilst on the road in China, nor to get into a discussion about pizza in Naples. Funny though his writing is, Jules can also turn the tables in the emotive department. Whether it’s curing a broken heart by long distance trekking, discovering his roots in Ghana or finding a place to call home, this writer can have the reader swapping tears of laughter for genuine tears in a matter of a chapter. A clever skill and it makes the book all the more human for it.
October 14, 2021
What a great title!
I happily went along with our chatty guide, Jules, dropping in on random places all over the world. I enjoyed the fact that he had “never found a place yet that doesn’t have something to recommend it.” He writes of many places I am unlikely ever to visit, plus some which I do know. No spoilers but, yes, I remember, the museums in Hull were excellent!
I laughed as I recalled my own experiences learning to dive, his account rang so true, except for the location (a first open-water dive under the remains of Herne Bay pier for me!)
It is great to travel with someone who sees the funny side of almost everything, especially the absurd situations which travellers get themselves into. I also enjoyed his musings on origins, and the value of “a place to call home”.
A thoughtful and fun read.
I happily went along with our chatty guide, Jules, dropping in on random places all over the world. I enjoyed the fact that he had “never found a place yet that doesn’t have something to recommend it.” He writes of many places I am unlikely ever to visit, plus some which I do know. No spoilers but, yes, I remember, the museums in Hull were excellent!
I laughed as I recalled my own experiences learning to dive, his account rang so true, except for the location (a first open-water dive under the remains of Herne Bay pier for me!)
It is great to travel with someone who sees the funny side of almost everything, especially the absurd situations which travellers get themselves into. I also enjoyed his musings on origins, and the value of “a place to call home”.
A thoughtful and fun read.
August 8, 2021
A treasure-trove of experiences
Another fabulous collection of travel stories from this brilliant travel writer.
This is the third book I’ve read from this author, and I’m always drawn in by his enchanting, sardonic style of writing. I find myself pulled in and swept along by every story.
In this volume, there is the usual mixture of places visited across the years. Sometimes the stories touch on similar themes to ones in previous books, but they are always told with a refreshing new twist.
All of Jules Brown’s books reflect his love of life and travel. This one is a treasure-trove of experiences and the perfect read for anyone looking for travel inspiration.
Another fabulous collection of travel stories from this brilliant travel writer.
This is the third book I’ve read from this author, and I’m always drawn in by his enchanting, sardonic style of writing. I find myself pulled in and swept along by every story.
In this volume, there is the usual mixture of places visited across the years. Sometimes the stories touch on similar themes to ones in previous books, but they are always told with a refreshing new twist.
All of Jules Brown’s books reflect his love of life and travel. This one is a treasure-trove of experiences and the perfect read for anyone looking for travel inspiration.
February 1, 2025
In this entertaining second book Jules travels around England, up to Scotland (to see Nessie), over to Ireland and off to Spain, Portugal, Ibiza, Italy, Sicily, Montenegro, Norway (on an unusual ‘cruise’), America, China and Bali (a cookery course). He goes to Norfolk Island to see where the convicts were taken years ago. He travels to his birth country Ghana with his parents, 40 years later. We join him on his PADI diving course in Hurghada, Egypt. Jules tells captivating and engaging stories in a very readable way. Even if you have travelled to the places that Jules visited, you are sure to discover interesting new facts and his observations will often amuse you. You may decide to add countries to your bucket list. His is a life well travelled. Recommend.
October 10, 2024
Very entertaining read. Some chapters made me want to visit and others didn't, but that wasn't because of the writing but because of the narrative of the place.
June 18, 2021
Are you fed up of not being able to travel? Tired of being on lockdown? Well, I can't magically get you on a plane to an exotic destination, but I can get you virtually
to many places around the globe, courtesy of this fabulous book. From Takoradi in Ghana (his birthplace) to Hull in England (my birthplace), via Naples - I now know where to get the best pizza in the world: Dublin - and I now know where to get the best Guinness in the world: Bali, Ibiza, Scotland, and many other places. My favorite chapter was about my birthplace, Hull. It's been fashionable for years to unfairly trash this city, but Jules didn't jump on that particular bandwagon, and instead described a place that, but for the depredations of the Luftwaffe, could have been as beloved as York. Each chapter has it's own flavor, a point to make, and as you'd expect from a travel writer, fabulous descriptions. Loved this book. A fitting follow up to Don't Eat The Puffin, and hopefully the second in a series of memoirs.
to many places around the globe, courtesy of this fabulous book. From Takoradi in Ghana (his birthplace) to Hull in England (my birthplace), via Naples - I now know where to get the best pizza in the world: Dublin - and I now know where to get the best Guinness in the world: Bali, Ibiza, Scotland, and many other places. My favorite chapter was about my birthplace, Hull. It's been fashionable for years to unfairly trash this city, but Jules didn't jump on that particular bandwagon, and instead described a place that, but for the depredations of the Luftwaffe, could have been as beloved as York. Each chapter has it's own flavor, a point to make, and as you'd expect from a travel writer, fabulous descriptions. Loved this book. A fitting follow up to Don't Eat The Puffin, and hopefully the second in a series of memoirs.
June 10, 2021
An entertaining and enthralling read.
Jules is a master in the art of travel and travel writing, and this book is a delight for the senses. He takes you with him on a journey around the world, covering both the exotic and the more mundane with equal panache. It is the small details that bring this book to life and make you feel you are right there with him through each chapter and destination.
Whether he is in Bali, Norway or Hull, Jules recounts his adventures with humour and his love of travel and exploration shines through every page. He revels in meeting people, wandering down the side streets of life and illuminating the small corners and moments that many people miss as they charge along on a guided tour, map in hand. Jules savours the journey itself and his books are a mine of usual tips and information.
And just when you think you have him sussed out as a travel writer, he lands you with a journey of a different kind, sharing his final story with such tenderness that he left me in tears.
And the ice axe? You’ll have to read the book to find out about that!
Jules is a master in the art of travel and travel writing, and this book is a delight for the senses. He takes you with him on a journey around the world, covering both the exotic and the more mundane with equal panache. It is the small details that bring this book to life and make you feel you are right there with him through each chapter and destination.
Whether he is in Bali, Norway or Hull, Jules recounts his adventures with humour and his love of travel and exploration shines through every page. He revels in meeting people, wandering down the side streets of life and illuminating the small corners and moments that many people miss as they charge along on a guided tour, map in hand. Jules savours the journey itself and his books are a mine of usual tips and information.
And just when you think you have him sussed out as a travel writer, he lands you with a journey of a different kind, sharing his final story with such tenderness that he left me in tears.
And the ice axe? You’ll have to read the book to find out about that!
June 18, 2021
Interesting information about a variety of travel destinations, told with lots of humor.
July 27, 2024
I’ve just finished reading Jules Brown’s Never Pack an Ice Axe, which I loved. (I am still bemused about how I missed it before as I bought it ages ago). There were so many excellent stories in this book. However, my favourite has to be is A Road Trip in Ghana, where he goes with his parents to revisit their youth and his birthplace. It’s not only a lovely glimpse into Ghanaian life, but a delightful revelation for Jules when he sees snatches of how his parents lived as a young couple. “Who knew? Parents are people too!” His observations are funny, fond and affectionate. Just lovely! Oh and I loved the Sicily chapter too… wonderful. The point of this book is that it’s not just about travel; it’s about the author’s experiences in countries ranging from Scotland to the far east. Sometimes he’s searching for the perfect pizza; another time he’s on a quest in Dublin. No matter what or where it is, Jules Brown can captivate the reader with his descriptions, insight and humour. Really great stuff!
September 10, 2021
Jules Brown's descriptive writing and sense of humor make this one hell of a good read, you know it's good when you feel you have to read aloud to your husband who keeps asking what you are laughing about! A tale of two satay's in Bali along with the `sound' comparisons to monkey's being tortured cannot be erased from my mind, neither can I forget the raw chicken on a bus in China. Totally identified with the hilarious observations on Italian driving and parking and one of my favorite places Sicily. This book had a good mix of travel destinations and humor, but the reader also gains more insight into who Jules Brown is, from birth, to figuring out his place in the world, heart warming romance and ending in sadness (no spoilers) you will have to read it. This book has it all and is a 5+ read.
March 25, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, a fun look at world travel by a travel writer. The author was working in London after college when he was bitten by the travel bug. He found a way to be able to travel and get paid for it. Some of his first jobs were a bit rough, to say the least, but he always found something positive about most places he found himself in. Though mostly written in the first person as he travels alone, my favorite chapters were when he took his then-new girlfriend on a "summer" holiday to Scotland. The combination of his English reticence and her Irish frankness was hilarious. I also liked his trip to Ghana with his elderly parents to visit the land of his birth (and subsequent leaving as a 10-month old). I won't tell why you shouldn't pack an ice-axe, but it sounds like sound advice.
September 9, 2021
I read one other book by this author and had high hopes for this one—the title sounds fun. He has a chapter on 18 different countries but I didn’t find many very interesting. My hopes where that each country would give more info on the country but to me they just seemed to ramble and only a couple made me want to visit that country. This is just the way I feel and many others may like it. I am now going to read Don’t eat the Puffin by this author so I have hopes that I will enjoy it.
July 29, 2021
Laugh and travel at the same time
I like to read about other people’s travels If the
Stories are well written and humerus. This author is an excellent writer and very entertaining.
I like to read about other people’s travels If the
Stories are well written and humerus. This author is an excellent writer and very entertaining.
February 10, 2025
Amusing and a little meandering at times, this is a relatively entertaining overall, if your ok skim reading parts of it. If your interested in reading about decent pizza places in Naples then this may well be the read for you...though it won't do a great deal for the Ullapool tourism board!
August 17, 2025
Always pack more than one book.
This is some of the worst storytelling and travel writing I’ve ever read. The obvious demographic for this book is white British people who summer at the seaside and think Spain is exotic.
This is some of the worst storytelling and travel writing I’ve ever read. The obvious demographic for this book is white British people who summer at the seaside and think Spain is exotic.
August 28, 2021
I laughed, I cried...
It was so much better than any other travel memoir!
Interesting experiences from all corners of the planet, told with a disarming frankness.
It was so much better than any other travel memoir!
Interesting experiences from all corners of the planet, told with a disarming frankness.
September 15, 2021
A DAMN GOOD BOOK!
I won't go on and on about it and no spoilers either. Just be sure and read it, you'll be glad you did.
I won't go on and on about it and no spoilers either. Just be sure and read it, you'll be glad you did.
February 11, 2022
Another fun one. I love a bite size travel story so a collection of them is fantastic.
May 23, 2022
Perfect reading material for me. We’ll written, entertaining and fun. Easy to dip in and out of
October 31, 2022
Wanderlust
Great stories that make me want to visit the countries and just explore. Sparks of emotion and wanderlust in ever chapter.
Great stories that make me want to visit the countries and just explore. Sparks of emotion and wanderlust in ever chapter.
June 6, 2024
5/10
July 10, 2024
This fun collection of essays by a travel writer had me chuckling, longing to re-visit favorite spots, and inspired to travel to new ones. If you're looking for an enjoyable escape to places all over the world written in an inspiring and often humorous style, this is the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews