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Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway – An Artist's Illustrated Travel Guide with Cultural Tips from Beijing Through Mongolia to Moscow
An illustrated travelogue that brilliantly captures artist and illustrator Emma Fick’s epic train journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway—from Beijing through Mongolia to Moscow—including more than 200 watercolor illustrations and handwritten text that includes cultural and historical information as well as invaluable travel tips.
In May 2015, on a trip through the Baltics and Scandinavia, artist and illustrator Emma Fick and her boyfriend (now husband) Helvio discovered a worn copy of the Trans-Siberian Handbook at a secondhand shop in Helsinki. Many travelers from around the globe had used the guide to journey on the longest train ride in the world. Emma and Helvio took their find as a sign to embark on their own adventure on the legendary railway that has captured the imaginations and curiosities of many travelers and explorers since its construction a century ago.
A year and a half later, with Trans-Siberian Handbook in hand, they boarded the train in Beijing. Their odyssey was just beginning.
Border Crossings is the chronicle of their unforgettable 26-day, 8-city journey across Asia to Moscow. Emma offers a concise history of the railway and in vivid, visual language, takes you across a vast landscape of rural villages and bustling urban centers, through open food markets brimming with delicacies and a snowy mountain wilderness dotted with clusters of gers—nomadic homes.
Emma’s detailed observations and lush descriptions, accompanied by detailed colorful illustrations, bring this remarkable journey of discovery and adventure—the landscapes, food, people and cultures—to life. Experience drinking salty milk tea, eating shoe sole cake (fried cakes shaped like shoe soles piled high and topped with milk curds and hard candies), and riding camels in Mongolia. In Russia, wander through a snow-draped countryside filled with stands of birch trees, explore the wonders of freshwater Lake Baikal—the source of omul, a ubiquitous and beloved fish delicacy—go ice fishing, and take a self-guided tour of Moscow.
With its hand-drawn maps, its wealth of illustrations of every aspect of the experience—from sleeping quarters on a train to the highlights of a monastery or the details of a memorable meal, Border Crossings is an invitation to experience new destinations and cultures first-hand—to travel the Trans-Siberian Railway as never before, whether you’re a nomad looking for a new vacation destination, an armchair traveler, or just culturally curious.
In May 2015, on a trip through the Baltics and Scandinavia, artist and illustrator Emma Fick and her boyfriend (now husband) Helvio discovered a worn copy of the Trans-Siberian Handbook at a secondhand shop in Helsinki. Many travelers from around the globe had used the guide to journey on the longest train ride in the world. Emma and Helvio took their find as a sign to embark on their own adventure on the legendary railway that has captured the imaginations and curiosities of many travelers and explorers since its construction a century ago.
A year and a half later, with Trans-Siberian Handbook in hand, they boarded the train in Beijing. Their odyssey was just beginning.
Border Crossings is the chronicle of their unforgettable 26-day, 8-city journey across Asia to Moscow. Emma offers a concise history of the railway and in vivid, visual language, takes you across a vast landscape of rural villages and bustling urban centers, through open food markets brimming with delicacies and a snowy mountain wilderness dotted with clusters of gers—nomadic homes.
Emma’s detailed observations and lush descriptions, accompanied by detailed colorful illustrations, bring this remarkable journey of discovery and adventure—the landscapes, food, people and cultures—to life. Experience drinking salty milk tea, eating shoe sole cake (fried cakes shaped like shoe soles piled high and topped with milk curds and hard candies), and riding camels in Mongolia. In Russia, wander through a snow-draped countryside filled with stands of birch trees, explore the wonders of freshwater Lake Baikal—the source of omul, a ubiquitous and beloved fish delicacy—go ice fishing, and take a self-guided tour of Moscow.
With its hand-drawn maps, its wealth of illustrations of every aspect of the experience—from sleeping quarters on a train to the highlights of a monastery or the details of a memorable meal, Border Crossings is an invitation to experience new destinations and cultures first-hand—to travel the Trans-Siberian Railway as never before, whether you’re a nomad looking for a new vacation destination, an armchair traveler, or just culturally curious.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 19, 2022
36 people are currently reading
2764 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
July 4, 2022
This is an ideal arm chair travel experience particularly for those who are time limited. You can have this adventure on the Trans-Siberian Railway in 3 hours, but it is better to have time to savor it over a few days. The itinerary is from Beijing to Moscow with a side trip to Mongolia.
Emma Frick and her companion enjoy non-tourist places. They ignore the books and games they brought and fully absorb the life and lore of the trains and the places they visit. Frick's watercolor sketches show the features of the locations, people and accommodations with the text adding to your understanding of the places and local culture.
There are lots of nights in train compartments, sometimes shared. For touring they stay in "guesthouses" that seem to be some kind of AirB&B equivalent. There is a night in a gur (booked like any hotel), They stay in two different nomad encampments that seem to be arranged through the a guest house member. There are nights in hostels, a log cabin hotel and in Moscow with "a local couple in a private room in their apartment". Most accommodations are illustrated by watercolors of the interior and sometimes its setting and/or its construction.
There is a lot on food - shopping for food - the food that comes "with" the train ticket or the lodging and how food is served. The watercolors of the food can be illustrated charts such as pp. 112-113 describing the Mongolian diet or the rating of dining cars on the Chinese, Mongolian and Russian trains on p. 187. Some drawings have arrows showing ingredients such as the layers of the "Herring under a fur coat" on p. 187.
There are portraits people: railway personnel, hosts, vendors at indoor and outdoor markets, but, for me, the highlight was in showing everyday clothing. On p.85 she writes "Mongolian dress has beauty and presence. The folkloric decorations, the vibrancy of the fabric, the furs peering out - it is an absolute symphony of colors textures and forms that brightens everything around." This eye for clothing is everywhere from the street fashion and hats on pp 64 and 65, the nomad family on p. 103 to the ticket collector on p. 177 and "train fashion" on p. 194.
This was a low budget trip and the book itself demonstrates what you can see on a budget. In Moscow you can climb the Chkaloc steps or tour 194 subway stations for $1 - and you can be warm. There are travel tips - why you should stay near a train stop, how to cope with time zones, passport issues and more.
I highly recommend this book for armchair travelers - particularly those with an appreciation for the graphic art form.
Emma Frick and her companion enjoy non-tourist places. They ignore the books and games they brought and fully absorb the life and lore of the trains and the places they visit. Frick's watercolor sketches show the features of the locations, people and accommodations with the text adding to your understanding of the places and local culture.
There are lots of nights in train compartments, sometimes shared. For touring they stay in "guesthouses" that seem to be some kind of AirB&B equivalent. There is a night in a gur (booked like any hotel), They stay in two different nomad encampments that seem to be arranged through the a guest house member. There are nights in hostels, a log cabin hotel and in Moscow with "a local couple in a private room in their apartment". Most accommodations are illustrated by watercolors of the interior and sometimes its setting and/or its construction.
There is a lot on food - shopping for food - the food that comes "with" the train ticket or the lodging and how food is served. The watercolors of the food can be illustrated charts such as pp. 112-113 describing the Mongolian diet or the rating of dining cars on the Chinese, Mongolian and Russian trains on p. 187. Some drawings have arrows showing ingredients such as the layers of the "Herring under a fur coat" on p. 187.
There are portraits people: railway personnel, hosts, vendors at indoor and outdoor markets, but, for me, the highlight was in showing everyday clothing. On p.85 she writes "Mongolian dress has beauty and presence. The folkloric decorations, the vibrancy of the fabric, the furs peering out - it is an absolute symphony of colors textures and forms that brightens everything around." This eye for clothing is everywhere from the street fashion and hats on pp 64 and 65, the nomad family on p. 103 to the ticket collector on p. 177 and "train fashion" on p. 194.
This was a low budget trip and the book itself demonstrates what you can see on a budget. In Moscow you can climb the Chkaloc steps or tour 194 subway stations for $1 - and you can be warm. There are travel tips - why you should stay near a train stop, how to cope with time zones, passport issues and more.
I highly recommend this book for armchair travelers - particularly those with an appreciation for the graphic art form.
July 21, 2022
In this account of a rail journey from Shanghai to Moscow, which is gorgeously illustrated by the author, Border Crossings proves, once again, that a picture is worth a 1000 words
June 8, 2023
The art is GORGEOUS if the stories are a bit thin. I loved learning about all the food though. The actual time in Russia felt so thin too, and rushed, although her horrifying visa misadventure might be to blame. I think I was disappointed right away that so much of it, like half, was actually in Mongolia. I used to dream of going on the Moscow-Vladivostok line of the Trans-Siberian but honestly, this didn’t make me want to do that any more than I already did, which is already a waning desire (not even considering Russia’s current situation). This kind of cemented it. I liked that she wove in some of the bad stuff of travel too, and the exhaustion, and sensory overwhelm. The details she picks up on are incredible too.
May 25, 2025
What a sweet, hopeful book about how endless curiosity leads to better horizons — and so nice to read a travel memoir that thanks the cultures the writer is invited into, rather than othering them.
May 11, 2022
Emma Fick's travelogue is as much a gorgeous art book as it is the memoir of her trip aboard the Trans-Siberian railroad as she travelled from Beijing to Moscow.
This book is incredibly engaging--because it's not a typical photo journal, the reader is drawn to Fick's water color illustrations and hand lettering. And it's so incredibly informative. You're given access to history as well as culture, as we're introduced to food, norms, architecture, and of course, the people she met along the way. I'd recommend this to anyone. It's something I see myself looking through again and again.
Special thanks to Harper Design for the complimentary copy sent to me in exchange for a review.
This book is incredibly engaging--because it's not a typical photo journal, the reader is drawn to Fick's water color illustrations and hand lettering. And it's so incredibly informative. You're given access to history as well as culture, as we're introduced to food, norms, architecture, and of course, the people she met along the way. I'd recommend this to anyone. It's something I see myself looking through again and again.
Special thanks to Harper Design for the complimentary copy sent to me in exchange for a review.
May 23, 2022
I wanted to jump inside this book. All the illustrations are so magical. If you were an Amelia's journal kid you're going to love this one.
October 22, 2024
This is a book that seemed dated - as it shows the journey of a North American author into China, Mongolia, and Russia - and such a journey in recent times would never have crossed my mind given the current circumstances and political situation. However, it's surprisingly recent and, maybe because of that, it might be ageless.
The descriptions are very vivid and, coupled together with the artwork, shows things that I might not be able to see in my lifetime and that's why it's so precious. Today if you have google earth you can pretty much see any place around the globe... but not really breathe, eat, feel, and touch it and all the narrative helps a lot to bring all those sensations of places few would dare to go as a tourist.
Highly recommend!!
The descriptions are very vivid and, coupled together with the artwork, shows things that I might not be able to see in my lifetime and that's why it's so precious. Today if you have google earth you can pretty much see any place around the globe... but not really breathe, eat, feel, and touch it and all the narrative helps a lot to bring all those sensations of places few would dare to go as a tourist.
Highly recommend!!
November 21, 2024
I loved this so much. The illustrations and the handwritten font were beautiful. I loved learning about Mongolian and Russian infrastructure, geography, culture, food, and architecture. The author captured so many tiny details that it really felt like I was on this trip too. I think a graphic travelogue has to be my new favorite thing.
June 8, 2022
The illustrations attracted me to this book but there are too few stories here and too many facts. The Mongolian travel was the most interesting but, still, prosaic.
December 31, 2022
I don’t usually write goodreads reviews, but this book was such a delight I wanted to leave a note. It’s such a treat to read a book as an adult with ILLUSTRATIONS! It reminds me of two books I especially enjoyed as a kid: Aunty Dot’s Incredible Adventure Atlas, and Amelia’s Notebook. The water colors capture the magic of the journey in a way that just words can never quite express (although the prose are enjoyable- descriptive and thoughtful, yet brief). Upon completing the book, I felt like I had been on the journey with the author, but from the comfort of my parents house, while home for the holidays.
April 20, 2022
Lately I’ve been dealing with a case of unquenched wanderlust. This book was just what I needed. I’m a huge fan of beautiful watercolor illustrations and when you add to that a travel adventure on the Trans-Siberian Rail road you’re left with a wonderful book.
I love the idea and romance of the long distance train and hope to on day experience it. The author Emma Fick did a beautiful job bringing this adventure to life.
#transsiberianrailway #trains #traintravel #traintrip #watercolor #travel #adventure #travelbook #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram
I love the idea and romance of the long distance train and hope to on day experience it. The author Emma Fick did a beautiful job bringing this adventure to life.
#transsiberianrailway #trains #traintravel #traintrip #watercolor #travel #adventure #travelbook #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram
November 21, 2022
I didn't want it to end either! What a personal, insightful, loving reflection on the journey of a lifetime. ❤️
November 26, 2022
Graphical travelogue of a 2017 train journey from Beijing to Moscow via the Trans-Mongolian & Trans-Siberian Railway. I feel bad for the timing of this book, since it pretty much coincides with Russia becoming an international pariah, & also more suspicious of outsiders. I feel like not many Americans or other English speakers feel willing or able (or safe) to travel in Russia right now. That said, Border Crossings is full of great factoids & small details about the route, her travel experience, & the places she visited. Over half the book is about Fick's travels in China & Mongolia, which makes me wonder if her troubles with Russian border control on the Russian/Mongolian border soured her on Russia a bit. The food descriptions and illustrations were great, although they give me another reason I'll probably never visit Russia or Mongolia. I liked the section about the Moscow Metro, I wish there was more of it (maybe even a discussion of the secret Metro 2?). I found it interesting how non-standardized the various passenger cars on the Trans-Siberian Railway are. Some are plush & modern, some are old & warmed by coal stoves. Makes me interested in doing further reading about modern Mongolia. A question I am left with is if the carrot & cabbage salad that comes on the side of meals in Mongolia is the same carrot & cabbage salad that comes on the side of meals in Russia, & if it's the same as salat vitaminniy?
March 8, 2025
"Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway" - written and illustrated by Emma Fick and published in 2022 by Harper Design, HarperCollins. "Travel is a series of lessons in humility." Fick discovers this while arranging a taxi ride in Mongolia from to their guesthouse. She and her partner are in the midst of a 26-day adventure riding the railway from Beijing to Moscow. This lovely and fascinating trip is lavishly illustrated with over 200 watercolor images accompanied by lively descriptions of what the pair encountered. I was delighted to imagine it all through this wonderful book.
June 13, 2022
I just loved this. The entire book has been hand drawn and handwritten. A couple ride trains on the Trans-Siberian stopping briefly to visit 2 nomadic families in Mongolia. They go to Lake Baikal and Irkutsk which are places my mother visited and loved. Somehow the hand drawn pictures were more vivid to me than photos would have been. So man different types of food and meals.
I feel so lucky this book was available at the library.
I feel so lucky this book was available at the library.
November 26, 2022
Combo of two things I love: travelogue and graphic novel! I will probably never be on the Trans-Siberian Railway but I did just spend a few days there. Love the cultural information, especially in Mongolia, and the artistic documentation of even the smallest things along the journey.
May 29, 2022
Good artwork, fun fast read
November 11, 2022
Excellent
What a unique book, and lovely look into a travel adventure. The illustrations were gorgeous, and I loved the blend of story telling and travel info this book contains.
What a unique book, and lovely look into a travel adventure. The illustrations were gorgeous, and I loved the blend of story telling and travel info this book contains.
August 23, 2024
4.5 - great travelogue in graphic form.
January 12, 2025
Blew my mind - I didn't want this journey to end.
August 9, 2022
Such a beautiful, interesting travelog, illustrating Fask’s travels on the trans-Siberian Railway. I learned so much about what the railway, and its surroundings are like (i.e. how much of the railway is actually in China and Mongolia!). This would certainly be of some help to someone getting ready to take this ambitious trip, but it is also just a fun read about another part of the world.
June 15, 2022
It was charming and fun to read! I love that the whole thing was written in the author’s handwriting and drawings from her journey. Very enjoyable way to read a book. There were times I’d like to have seen the actual picture, but I can always google it.
May 21, 2022
Loved being part of their journey on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Fick's drawings captured the places they visited.
June 10, 2022
Very engaging travel memoir reminiscent of a journal in its hand lettered text & watercolor illustrations of people, places, & food. Both Fick & her boyfriend come across as enthusiastic travelers & that makes for a delightful read
May 8, 2022
More like 3.5
I love books that are hand-lettered and beautifully illustrated, so was immediately attracted to this travelogue/journal of the almost month-long trip Fick and her husband took from Beijing to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
On one level the book is a useful travelogue, with good advice on train etiquette, packing, and what to expect on side trips. It's also a wonderful food journal, since Fick chronicles many of their meals. And finally it's a gorgeous book to look through, not only because the hand lettering but because almost every page includes one of Fick's wonderful watercolors. She shows us the countryside, the people, the animals, the cities, the architecture, and so much more.
The couple's journey didn't always go smoothly, and Fick relates the problems as well as the successes. For example their trip was almost cut short when Fick had unexpected trouble crossing the border from Mongolia into Russia.
Fick enriches her journal with historical information, notes on cultural norms, and observations and facts about the natural world.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
I love books that are hand-lettered and beautifully illustrated, so was immediately attracted to this travelogue/journal of the almost month-long trip Fick and her husband took from Beijing to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Railway.
On one level the book is a useful travelogue, with good advice on train etiquette, packing, and what to expect on side trips. It's also a wonderful food journal, since Fick chronicles many of their meals. And finally it's a gorgeous book to look through, not only because the hand lettering but because almost every page includes one of Fick's wonderful watercolors. She shows us the countryside, the people, the animals, the cities, the architecture, and so much more.
The couple's journey didn't always go smoothly, and Fick relates the problems as well as the successes. For example their trip was almost cut short when Fick had unexpected trouble crossing the border from Mongolia into Russia.
Fick enriches her journal with historical information, notes on cultural norms, and observations and facts about the natural world.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
July 24, 2024
This was a really good little illustrated travel memoir of a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. It did a really good job of describing what it's like to go on this trip, through both words and illustrations. Some highlights were their time in Mongolia meeting nomadic families and also their excursion to Lake Baikal in Russia with its special omul fish. I was also into their commitment to go to a market in most places they stopped. The tone/vibe/attitude felt right for someone visiting cultures different from their own. Lots of food descriptions, which is of course top priority when traveling (and just in life). And also good descriptions/explanations of the trains themselves.
February 9, 2025
I have never wished to be 20 years younger any more intensely than while reading this terrific book! Every page made me yearn to rush out, buy railroad tickets and set out on this Trans-Siberian journey. Emma Fick 's unique and entrancing tale of the train journey she and her husband Helvio took from Beijing to Moscow made me yearn to pack my backpack and replicate this trip.
Travel books are hard to write! Too often they turn into a dull list of places seen, food eaten and history learned. Emma turns the genre on its head and this journal-style story is crammed with vividly evocative watercolor illustrations and hand-written observations. I learned an amazing amount while falling in love with the intrepid Emma and Helvio who saw, explored, tasted and enjoyed everything they encountered.
Somehow there is a wealth of information, history, geology, and culture shared but it is never boring! I loved the descriptions of the opulent interiors of the Mongolian Gers, etiquette for sharing train couchettes, visits to markets, the views from the train windows, Russian subway stations and the food - especially the food! I'm not sure I'd be as delighted as Emma with "Herring Under a Fur Hat" dish as Emma was but I loved her enthusiasm for sampling so much. I had no idea that the largest fresh water lake in the world is in Siberia or that Russia has ELEVEN time zones! The friendliness of the people was encouraging but there were also real challenges and bureaucratic roadblocks.
The charm of the story diminishes a bit the actual demanding nature of the conditions but it is also guaranteed to amplifiy any traveler's itch residing in readers everywhere.
This is a not-to-be missed book and I sincerely hope that Emma will undertake and chronicle another exotic journey!
Travel books are hard to write! Too often they turn into a dull list of places seen, food eaten and history learned. Emma turns the genre on its head and this journal-style story is crammed with vividly evocative watercolor illustrations and hand-written observations. I learned an amazing amount while falling in love with the intrepid Emma and Helvio who saw, explored, tasted and enjoyed everything they encountered.
Somehow there is a wealth of information, history, geology, and culture shared but it is never boring! I loved the descriptions of the opulent interiors of the Mongolian Gers, etiquette for sharing train couchettes, visits to markets, the views from the train windows, Russian subway stations and the food - especially the food! I'm not sure I'd be as delighted as Emma with "Herring Under a Fur Hat" dish as Emma was but I loved her enthusiasm for sampling so much. I had no idea that the largest fresh water lake in the world is in Siberia or that Russia has ELEVEN time zones! The friendliness of the people was encouraging but there were also real challenges and bureaucratic roadblocks.
The charm of the story diminishes a bit the actual demanding nature of the conditions but it is also guaranteed to amplifiy any traveler's itch residing in readers everywhere.
This is a not-to-be missed book and I sincerely hope that Emma will undertake and chronicle another exotic journey!
April 28, 2022
I was thrilled to receive a copy of Border Crossings A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Flick. This amazing illustrated travel log takes you on a train ride through China, Mongolia, and Russia which make up the Trans-Siberian Railway. This is one of my favorite non-fiction reads of 2022. The book is filled with beautiful watercolor illustrations, amazing facts, and wonderful insights into the culture of the train and the people. I was so absorbed in the author’s trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway that I felt like I was riding along with her.
Some Book highlights for me included:
The dining car and what they serve for dinner changes for the different countries you pass through. So they physically change the dining car itself.
The size of the train track changes in the different countries on the route, and the train rails must be changed. It is called changing the bogies when they lift the car into the air.
I highly recommend this book. I had it out at one of my kids' activities and everyone wanted to borrow the book and buy a copy! I highly recommend you get a copy as well.
I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.
Some Book highlights for me included:
The dining car and what they serve for dinner changes for the different countries you pass through. So they physically change the dining car itself.
The size of the train track changes in the different countries on the route, and the train rails must be changed. It is called changing the bogies when they lift the car into the air.
I highly recommend this book. I had it out at one of my kids' activities and everyone wanted to borrow the book and buy a copy! I highly recommend you get a copy as well.
I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.
February 24, 2023
I cannot fathom someone being on a train for 30 hours and not availing themselves of the shower! While the illustrations of this and when the author focused only on information the book is easily 3/5, with the exception she can't draw horses. Unfortunately the extra pieces of herself as a traveller, boyfriend is well out of the equation, is when the stars fall away. It is very unfortunate that she didn't realise shoes are not to be worn inside until she got to Serbia. One has to assume that she was either not invited elsewhere or she had a lot of hosts that were grim with her shoe-wearing presence until she left! I'm also not sure why she would play into the notion of a "European" Russia and an "Asian" Russia when Russia is in Asia. Furthermore, it was rather aggravating when her Mongolian host said her guide would have a little English and she expresses surprise that he speaks a little English! I also have to say for so-called "seasoned" travellers neither thought to learn a little Russian or Mongolian in order to be respectful and perhaps learn something new or different to assist them in their journey? Since it was undertaken in 2017 I'm sure there was an app then that would have helped them in this regard?
July 25, 2022
My new favorite form of travelogue is the graphic novel. Move over Eat, Pray, Love; I have no use for On the Road; I will shortly have space on my shelves from donating Bill Bryson novels.
Border Crossings is the illustrated journey of Fick and her husband’s trip across China, Mongolia and Russia via railway. Beyond documentation, Fick fills pages with watercolor illustrations - some simple sketches of dishes to sweeping multi-page vistas. I loved the food illustrations, from the various forms of dumplings to candy shops and stolovaya.
I could relate to the various visa misadventures, as well as the desire to learn local etiquette and having to navigate with hand signals. The book made me miss my own international wanderings, and I was impressed by Fick’s ability to consistently change time zones and dive into the local culture.
So often travelogues get stuck in the details, with authors spending entirely too much time describing scenes or conversational minutiea. Fick navigates around all of these sand traps - truly showing the grandeur of the places they visited, as well as the serendipity of the journey itself.
Border Crossings is the illustrated journey of Fick and her husband’s trip across China, Mongolia and Russia via railway. Beyond documentation, Fick fills pages with watercolor illustrations - some simple sketches of dishes to sweeping multi-page vistas. I loved the food illustrations, from the various forms of dumplings to candy shops and stolovaya.
I could relate to the various visa misadventures, as well as the desire to learn local etiquette and having to navigate with hand signals. The book made me miss my own international wanderings, and I was impressed by Fick’s ability to consistently change time zones and dive into the local culture.
So often travelogues get stuck in the details, with authors spending entirely too much time describing scenes or conversational minutiea. Fick navigates around all of these sand traps - truly showing the grandeur of the places they visited, as well as the serendipity of the journey itself.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews