The ticket to your dreams

Accepting change is hard. Most people don’t have a choice, when the world changes – they eventually have to change with it. My mother on Facebook is a great example of this; it was the only way she was going to keep up with her grandchildren’s lives. I have to admit though – I’m a bit scared of the day I need to try to teach her how to use Twitter – that just may be the scene of my head exploding and brain matter going everywhere.

But actually making change, creating it from your own idea or desire for an end product; that’s about impossible for people. Creating changes in your life that society or no one person didn’t dictate can be seen to be as challenging as climbing Mt. Everest, starting a career break movement in the US, or teaching my mother how to use a cell phone.

But change has to happen if you want to save money to accomplish your travel dreams, or any dream for that matter. You have to be strong enough, have willpower, accept sideways glances and sometimes ridicule, and you have to follow through no matter how much the world around you is against you. However I can guarantee that when you persevere, and the willpower wins, the world will pay you back in ways that you can’t even understand now.

See Warren and Betsy on MarriedwithLuggage.com

Warren and Betsy Talbot know this. They are experts at making change in order to achieve their travel dreams. That’s why I was excited to hear that they wrote a book to teach others how to save enough money to travel or achieve any dream. The ebook, Dream Save Do , is not simply about saving money for career break travel; it’s about saving money to accomplish whatever dreams you have. It’s about how to make change in your life; how to take control of your finances and mindset in order to achieve goals.

I met Warren and Betsy in 2010 as they were preparing for their career break travels. They agreed to be our inaugural Seattle Meet, Plan, Go! hosts.  They have since been traveling for one year now and have decided to turn their 3 year planned career break into a lifestyle of location independent work and travel. Their first big project was writing the Ebook Dream Save Do which describes a focused way to think about money differently and how it can be used to fund your dreams. They took the processes they used to change their lives and save loads of money to create a plan with concrete steps that apply to everyone so that others can do the same. They continue to track every dollar spent on their travels at their Around the World Expenses Blog They live what they teach.

Saving money isn’t rocket science. It’s willpower and the ability to make change in your life. There is no way to get rich quick, just as there is no effective way to lose 20 pounds in a week and keep it off. The ebook provides concrete ways to save money, change your life, and provides you the inspiration you will need in order to follow through.  Woven among the concrete steps is their story of how they did it; the successes and the failures, the a-ha moments and the tears. It’s theory put into practice.

Kindle Version on Amazon $9.99

The book covers:

Dream: Defining your Dream, Creating Dream Porn, Determining the cost of your Dream, and Setting a Date
Save: Create the Vault, Calculate Current Spending, Resolving Credit Card Debt, Creating your Phrase to Save, Cutting Expenses, Revising Spending Habits, Where to ‘Find’ Money, Performing a Monthly Review
Do: Publicizing your Dream, Screwing up and Getting Back on Track, Learn to Handle Peer Pressure, Planning Your Holiday Spending, Enjoying the Saving Success

It’s sold on Amazon in a Kindle version for $9.99

But my personal take-aways from the book was how to :

Achieve goals
Create change in your life that you and others can be excited about.
Look at our consumption based society differently
Look at how we live differently
Achieve goals (yes, I know I said it already, but it’s such a strong message in this book. If you don’t like to achieve goals, then don’t get the book – you will be disappointed.)

As I read through the guide, I highlighted things that really spoke to me such as,

•  “We were trying to let money dictate our lifestyle instead of the other way around.”
•  “A budget is limiting only in your spending. Your imagination has no limits.”
• “You will learn to assess the value of everything – what it costs you in more than just money and whether it is worth having. It will become second nature, and you will be surprised at how often you truly want to say no to something when many people just accept what is offered without evaluating the true cost. You will be more discerning about what comes into your life and therefore what comes out of your life. “
• “People notice what is different from them. You can dye your hair blond, get a tattoo, or wear a cowboy hat in the city to get attention. Or you can stop spending and see how many people take notice. Some will think it an oddity, and some will consider it a challenge to their own spending habits. Either way, you’re setting yourself apart and opening your self up to scrutiny.”
• “…money is a means to an end, not the end itself.”

Why should you consider buying this book if you have a dream of doing extended travel?

Because the first thing I hear from people I speak to is – “You have to be rich to take travel like you do– right?” And it’s normally followed by “How much does it cost?” People’s biggest perceived hurdle to extended travel or career breaks is financial. Now I’ve just given you a way to shatter that perceived financial hurdle and understand how you personally can save money live the life you are dreaming of.

No more excuses.

Buy Dream Save Do today.

Warren and Betsy also collect dreams for others – here’s mine – Be a Solid Gold Dancer.   What’s your dream you want to save for? Please share in the comments!

A Mongolian boy watches television in his ger in the Gobi Desert

We are seduced by video.  It’s everywhere – your tv, the internet, your phone, and in your car.  You can’t escape it.   And I’m willing to bet that most people want to be a part of video, behind the camera or in front of it; we are fascinated by it.  In my world of travel writing and blogging, video is becoming more and more prevalent.  Seeing a place, hearing a place, watching the people move around a place has an impact much greater than words.  It supplements the words and sets expectations about a destination.

If you are looking to learn more about how you can take your amateur travel videos up a few notches to well-produced, effective videos which really impact people, then I’ve got the ebook for you.  Lisa Lubin is a Emmy award winning television producer and I’m proud to call her my friend.  She has taken her television production talents and turned it into a consulting business.  Video is the largest growing component on the web. LLmedia video consulting will help elevate the level of your video to get your business where it needs to be to compete in today’s market.  In addition to offering one on one consulting  at LL Media, she also recently came out with a new ebook for the beginning video enthusiast:

Video 101:  Tips and Tricks for Awesome Visual Storytelling.

The first thing that struck me about the book was the cover.  It was a book about video story telling and here was Lisa with her Canon SLR camera.  That seemed odd to me; but it just goes to show you how behind the times I am when it comes to video.  People today shoot high quality video on their SLR’s.  I of course own an old SLR that doesn’t have this feature and now of course I want one.  Damn you Lisa!

The 2^nd overall thing that struck me about the book was how many similarities there are to photography, or at least the kind of photography I like to do – photo journalism.  It’s about telling a story – whether that be with still shots or moving picture…the goal is the same.  To provide the viewer with a story and knowledge that goes beyond what they may initially see.  This also explains why Lisa is such a great photographer!

The Book

The book is organized into 4 main sections:

• Story
• Shoot
• Writing
• Editing

And a bonus section on the Top 10 Commandments  of Visual Story Telling

A Glossary of terms is also provided so not only will you shoot like a pro now, you’ll sounds like one too when you start to infuse words like “B roll” and “natsound” into your vocabulary!

Within each section there are Tips sprinkled in like this one,

“You do not want to ever completely pre-interview a subject. You want the on camera interview to be as natural as possible. Pre-interviewing can take away any  spontaneity to their answers. Of course give them an idea and ask them some things, but do not ask them everything.”

At the end of sections she provides a ‘tear sheet’ that you can easily print out and take with you to make sure you have all of your bases covered.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the book and even though I haven’t shot much video yet, it helped me really think about how to tell a story to my audience.  It made me think about my photography and journalism.  But it also introduced me to new concepts around interviewing and editing that I hadn’t come across before.  Lisa studied journalism in school, I studied accounting…nuff said.

For those of you who travel and want to capture a high quality video story of your travels – this will certainly give you the tools and theory to get you started.  Or if you simply want to improve your journalism, it will provide tips that apply to writing, photography, and video production.

Whether you shoot video to sell a product, inform, promote yourself or your blog, spread your ideas, entertain, or porn (ok…I just threw that one in to see if you were reading) – then Lisa’s book will be a great jumping off point to give you direction and ultimately get you making good, effective videos.  Yeah…and it probably does apply for porn too come to think of it.

Click here to view more details and purchase the Video 101 ebook.

Lisa working as a television producer before her travels

Have you ever noticed that little blue image at the bottom of my blog before? Go ahead…take a look now…I’ll wait until you scroll down…

Yes – that’s right, I’m the member of an elite travel blogging team that travels the world to bring you the best stories and content inspiring you to dream and hopefully buy a ticket of your own one day! I don’t just do this just for you, but for millions of people, people who read LonelyPlanet.com. This team is called BlogSherpas…and we work hard to carry travel information down mountains, over rivers, and through deserts to our audience. We don’t wear special uniforms or have funny hats, but we do wield laptops, cameras, and carry anit-diarrhea meds.

This elite traveling team has now banded together with their cameras and has brought you one of the coolest, most-inspiring, ebooks you’ll see this year. Before I go any further…we are bringing it to you for FREE. No strings attached…just beautiful photos from across the planet that will will give you a travel jolt!

The Planet D Photography for Lonely Planet Blog Sherpa

Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers takes readers on a world tour featuring almost 70 countries, and introduces the world of professional travel blogging. Within it, each blogger, hand picked by Lonely Planet, shares a collection of stunning photos that capture the essence of their travel.

“From an experiment born of our Innovation team, the Lonely Planet Blogger program has grown to encompass some of the most experienced travel writers around the globe.  The original concept was simple: get the best travel bloggers out there to share their thoughts and ideas with as large an audience as possible. Lonely Planet had the audience and some stunning content, but by inviting in great bloggers we broadened our content offering while exposing these writers and photographers to a new audience. Our mission was to shine a light on the best travel writing and images on the planet.” –Lonely Planet Editorial Team

The ebook features some of my favorite photographers such as Dave from the ThePlanetD, Barbara from HoleintheDonut, Georgia from GingerBeruit, Todd from Todd’sWanderings, Abigail from InsideTheTravelLab, Keith from VelvetEscape, and many more. I was proud to have my photography among this great elite travel group!

UnpoppedCollar photography for Blog Sherpa

And, if photos aren’t enough, then be sure to visit each Sherpa’s travel blog, and check out the other Blogsherpa contributions in the “Blogs We Like” section of each Lonely Planet destination page (lower left corner). Such as this page about Sri Lanka.

The ebook is FREE and I’m not going to make you do anything for it.  I personally get tired of jumping through hoops for things online.  However – do know that this book took a lot of time, effort, and money on all of our parts and it is a professional publication.  So – if you are interested in good karma, then please consider doing one of the following prior to downloading the free book.  These are all of my projects that I work diligently on to inspire others to travel.  I would appreciate your support.

• Sign up for my Ottsworld Monthly Newsletter – the best of Ottsworld each month for the ‘busy people’
• Sign up for the Meet Plan Go Newsletter a wealth of inspiration & ‘how-to’ career break travel advice
• ‘Like’ Meet Plan Go on Facebook – we have an awesome career breaker community on Facebook – Join them!

Enough talking…start viewing…for FREE! Dig into the 88 pages of color, excitement and passion for travel that jumps out at the reader and beckons, “Come, join me on this globe.”.

Download the Ebook – Click Here

100 Sporting Events You Must See Live

An Insider’s Guide to Creating the Sports Experience of a Lifetime By Robert Tuchman

Click to purchase from Amazon

Every night I sit down to watch people around the world play in the snow. I love the Olympics. It brings back family memories of sitting around the television after dinner, watching Dorthy Hammil in her pink outfit with perfect hair, do the perfect Hammil Camel.

I got my own pink leotard and had my hair cut to match, and went to my skating lessons every week. However my fascination with skating quickly waned and I gave up before I could ever master going backwards. My Olympic hopes were dashed. However I still love to watch the Olympics and the whole new slew of winter sports around snowboarding and freestyle makes me dream of being young and fearless again!

Sports bring the world together whether it’s the Olympics, the World Cup, or the Tour De France. Nothing brings the world of sports together more than the Olympics. Sure, it’s great watching it every night on TV, however we all know that great sporting events are better live than via television. It’s my wish that in my lifetime I’ll be able to go as a spectator to the Games. So when I came across the book The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live by Robert Tuchman I knew it would make my list of ‘must sees’ grow way beyond the Olympics!

Robert Tuchman is a sports addict. He is the founder of TSE Sports & Entertainment, a sports marketing company. He’s had the opportunity to attend many of the events in person.

Regarding live sporting events, Tuchman says, “For a brief moment in time, boundaries that separate members of society disappear. Cultural differences become meaningless. There are no differences in ethnicity, income level, or age. We are united in cheering, jeering, and just enjoying the sporting event. This is the greatest gift of sports, its ability to bring people together.”

Palio Horse Race Siena Italy

Consider this a bucket list for sporting events. It’s a tough job to try to pick out the top 100 events in the world – what criteria do you use? Robert Tuchman tells us that he didn’t look at ticket sales, nor is the list partial to any team or region. Objectivity was paramount in determining each selection. In the end it was about the energy of the event, not the number of people who attended it or the revenue it generated or the television ratings it drew.

The book brings together sporting events and travel; the entire experience. You’ll be able to find out the significance of the sporting event as well as the history behind it. In addition, you can find out how to buy tickets to the event, which airports to fly into, the best hotels to stay in, the perfect restaurants to enjoy a meal at, and all the attractions you’ll need to see while in town. I was quite impressed by the amount of useful information that was provided for each event. All easily summarized in one place.

Now…on to the list!

It contains big well-recognized events as well as small town sporting events. I like the variety that he chooses. Some traditional and some that people might even argue aren’t a sporting event at all! After going through the list I realized I had only attended 6 of the 100.

Some of my favorites were:
Iditarod
College Baseball World Series
New York City Marathon
Liverpool vs Manchester United at Old Trafford
Monaco Grand Prix

Some of my surprises events:
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Westminster Dog Show
Harlem Globetrotters Performance

Events I wish were included:
The Palio Horse Race in Siena Italy run on July 2nd and August 16th. I actually attended this event in person and it was an energy that I will never forget.

Overall, I liked the book. It’s more of a reference than a book that you read cover to cover. You’ll certainly come away with some new travel plans! It’s a nice gift for the sport lover. Similar to the book 1000 Places to see Before you Die, there is also a checklist in the back so that you can keep track of your progress; that should satisfy the truly anal planners!

If you are interested in purchasing the book, go to Amazon and check it out!
The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live: An Insider’s Guide to Creating the Sports Experience of a Lifetime

Oh yes – the Winter Olympics are also on the list! I certainly wish I were in Vancouver now cheering on the athletes!

Let’s start our own list! Leave a comment and tell me what sporting events have you traveled the world to see?

Tales from Nowhere
Unexpected stories from unexpected places – A Lonely Planet Anthology
Edited by Don George
Authors – various

A fellow travel friend gave me this book a couple of years ago as he thought I’d enjoy it considering my fondness for travel writing and traveling to ‘out of the way’ places. I took it and promptly put it in my big pile of books that people tell me to read and I never get to. Somehow the book made it on my shortlist of packing items when I went to Vietnam and there is sat in Vietnam for a year barely touched. Miraculously it also made it on my short list of things I brought back with me from Vietnam as I thought I might need a good travel book as I trekked the Annapurna circuit for a month. A month in the mountains of Nepal would surely yield plenty of free time to read; something I rarely get. The Himalalayas finally made me slow down and get to Nowhere.

The book is a compilation of short stories written by well known travel writers from around the world. Lonely Planet decides upon an anthology topic and then puts the request out to writers to submit articles appropriate to the topic. The editor weeds through the thousands of submissions and compiles the book. There were two previous books to this one, The Kindness of Strangers, and By the Seat of My Pants. However Tales from Nowhere peaked my interest for two reasons; many times I’ve felt like I’ve been to nowhere; when you travel for 3 years, you are bound to come across nowhere (my most recent was the Gobi Desert). Second I like short stories as it’s similar to what I do in my blog posts, and they’re easy to pick up read a couple and put the book down again. As a writer myself, I read this book as a pupil of sorts. After all, I think one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read good examples from people who know way more than you; check. I read these eloquently written descriptions of far off places; all of my senses were transported to the author’s version of Nowhere. I can only hope that some of their descriptive skills can rub off on me as I often times look at a place I’m traveling in and think, ‘this is impossible to describe’.

The stories cover places from all over the globe:
Borneo, Thailand, Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Vietnam, Kansas, Cambodia, Mexico, Easter Island, Pig Island, Malawi, Kenya, Israel, Death Valley California, Sri Lanka, Australia, Italy, Timbuktu, Antarctica, Yap, and various ocean crossings.

This was a diverse group of Nowhere places, and I had been to many of them leaving me fond memories. As I read through the stories one thought kept invading my head, Nowhere is somewhere to somebody. Nowhere can be anywhere; anywhere where the sense of familiar is gone. As the editor puts it, Nowhere is usually full of initial intimidations and later illuminations, which is the life cycle of travel. He goes on to say, “Everything is relative, and we’d all do well to heed this humble, humbling lesson.”

For travel lovers out there or other travel writers, this anthology is worth a look; it may even give you some new travel inspiration or you may in turn want to cross some places off your ‘must visit’ list! Hopefully it won’t take you two years to finally crack open the front cover as it did me!

A good thought to consider – for anywhere in the world – “When you open yourself up to the world, the world always responds with grace.” – Don George

Please leave a comment and let me know where your ‘Nowhere’ is!  We’ll probably compile quite a list!

If you decide to purchase the book new, please support me by purchasing on Amazon through this link – thanks!
Tales from Nowhere (Travel Literature)

See the Ottsworld Travel Store

I’ve been busy working in retail this weekend…actually, I’ve been building a store!  No, it’s not a brick and mortar store, it’s an online travel store for Ottsworld readers.  Of course this little project that should have been rather simple ended up taking me about 4 hours, but it’s done now; mission accomplished!

Check out my Amazon store that I’ve added to my site; you can find it in the top navigation under “Travel Store”  I’ve filled it with items that I love and use.  Many of these of the items I used on my Around the World travel – essential for traveling.  There are travel books, travel guides, and travel gear.  I’ve also included the books I used on how to take a career break/gap year and travel, inpirational books I love about finding a new career or making changes, and some of my other random favorite books.   You get all of the security, shipping, discounts and ease of using Amazon.com, but the benefit is that Ottsworld get a small little piece of the $pie for referring you. 

So, if you are considering purchasing a travel guide or supplies, please do so through my store and it helps support Ottsworld (and then purchase more things on Amazon while you are at it!!)  This way I can keep bringing you great travel stories and advice…who wouldn’t want that?!

Shop till you drop!

Shop for and Purchase Bikes of Burden

Who needs a trunk and four wheels – it’s overrated!

As you all know – I am fascinated with the motorbike culture in Vietnam.  I’ve taken many hours watching traffic in complete amazement.  I have tried to capture this crazy phenomenon in photos and in video – but I have a hard time doing it justice.  However I recently came across this book – Bikes of Burden by Hans Kemp.  Hans had to log hours and hours on a motorbike to get these shots…his poor lungs!

It’s simply a photobook, but it does the best job of capturing what the motorbike culture is like.  These pictures depict what I see every day here.  If you are looking for a book for a Vietnam enthusiasts or a motorbike enthusiast – check this out!  It’s great coffee table conversation!
Preview it on Amazon – Bikes of Burden

Like what you read?  Then keep reading!

The Motorbike Diaries – vol. 8

Photo: Indian girl practicing English

After a failed climb of K2 in Pakistan Greg Mortenson set out on a mission of another kind – one that required an immense amount of perseverance and passion beyond K2. This is the true story of Greg Mortenson’s journey to “promote peace one school at a time” I thought that I would like this story – it has all of my favorite elements – non-fiction, global travel, athleticism/drive, and giving back; yet I not only liked it, I loved it. I can say that it is my favorite book I’ve ever read. Finally – I have an answer for stupid online dating questionnaires…”What’s your favorite book?”

Photo: Kids at a village school in Vietnam
After his failed attempt on K2, Greg wandered into an impoverished Pakistan village, Korphe. He was lost and disoriented but was moved by the kindness of the people who took care of him. Korphe was a hearty village – it had to be to survive in the barren mountains, high altitude, and harsh winters. After seeing the village kids had no school, but as an alternative sometimes gathered to draw lessons with a stick in the dirt – he vowed that if the Pakistan government couldn’t provide a school – he would.

One of the things that I loved about Greg was that he was a man of his word – something that I try to live my life by and have the utmost respect for. Greg had no idea how to make school commitment happen, but he was scrappy and determined. His journey was full of learnings and strife as he came to really understand the Pakistani people in this region, their Muslim religion, their language, their customs, how they did business, and their pace. All countries have a pace – I believe America to be the fastest pace country I’ve ever been in. Pakistan’s pace was SSSLLOOWWW.

Photo: The world is a mixture of religions
His journey turned from one school to many schools, to water supply solutions, to women’s vocational centers, to Afghanistan, and eventually a NGO called Central Asia Institute. His initial contributor to the school was a rich old man that felt America was always pulling for the Buddhists (think Richard Gere) – but no one was trying to help the Muslims. Greg’s journey started years before 9/11 – however the books spans that timeframe and it was fascinating how it evolved from simply a book about an NGO building schools, to a testament on how to fight terrorism through education of kids. Education of kids in impoverished areas is the key to many issues the world faces today and something I believe strongly in.

This book made the reader really think about religion, morals, empowering women, politics, global travel, and culture. I read the book with a highlighter in hand – marking my favorite passages that moved me. This should give you a bit of flavor of the book:

“I used to assume that the direction of ‘progress’ was somehow inevitable, not to be questioned. I passively accepted a new road through the middle of the park, a steel and glass bank where a 200 year old church had stood…and the fact that life seemed to get harder and faster with each day. I do not anymore. In Ladakh I have learned that there is more than one path into the future and I have had the privilege to witness another , saner, way of life – a pattern of existence based on the co-evolution between human beings and the earth.” From Halena Norberg Hodge author of Ancient Futures

“The bridge strengthened the village’s maternal ties, and made the women feel a whole lot happier and less isolated. Who knew that something as simple as a bridge could empower women?”

“When I lost him and thought he might die out on the ice, I was awake all night, praying to Allah that I might be allowed to save him.”

“That day, Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I’ve ever learned in my life,” Mortenson says. “we Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We’re the country of thirty-minute power lunches and two minute football drills. Our leaders thought their ‘shock and awe’ campaign could end the war in Iraq before it even started. Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them.”

“Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities, “ Mortenson explains. “But the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they’ve learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls.”

“I wish Westerners who misunderstand Muslims could have seen Syed Abbas in action that day,” Mortenson says. “They would see that most people who practice the true teachings of Islam, even conservative mullahs like Syed Abbas, believe in peace and justice, not in terror. Just as the Torah and Bible teach concern for those in distress, the Koran instructs all Muslims to make caring for widows, orphans, and refugees a priority.”

“A village called New York has been bombed.”

“We share in the sorrow as people weep and suffer in America today,” he said, pushing his thick glasses firmly into place, “as we inaugurate this school. Those who have committed this evil act against the innocent, the women and children, to create thousands of widows and orphans do not do so in the name of Islam. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, may justice be served upon them.”—Syed Abbas

“These two Christian men have come halfway around the world to show our Muslim children the light of education,” Abbas said. “Why have we not been able to bring education to our children on our own? Fathers and parents, I implore you to dedicate your full effort and commitment to see that all your children are educated. Otherwise, they will merely graze like sheep in the field, at the mercy of nature and the world changing so terrifyingly around us.”

“I request America to look into our hearts,” Abbas continued, his voice straining with emotion,”and see that the great majority of us are not terrorists, but good and simple people. Our land is stricken with poverty because we are without education. But today, another candle of knowledge has been lit. In the name of Allah the Almighty, may it light our way out of the darkness we find ourselves in.”

Photo: African school kids
All I can say is – read the book. I’m not sure that it will be your favorite all-time book, but I think you will enjoy it. The reason why it’s my favorite book is very personal to me. As I read through the pages those old, familiar feelings came back to me, the ones that make me want to drop everything and go back and do volunteer work. As I was reading it, I kept thinking about how purely happy I was when I was teaching the kids in India…I had passion (See Spice Diaries posts). A passion that made me smile so hard it hurt, and cry so hard that you forget how to breathe. This book reminded me of what I need to do, of what makes me happy – and that is making a difference in the world. This book came at a pivotal time for me in my travels, one where I’m confused about going home, looking into a directionless future…it grounded me again. It provided me a glimpse of what my future could be if I have the perseverance and drive to make it happen.

If you do decide to buy the book please purchase it through the Three Cups of Tea website www.threecupsoftea.com . Then click on the Amazon link . By clicking through their website before going to Amazon via their link – they get some proceeds that goes to the NGO.

Snowflower and the Secret Fan is a fictional book set in 19th Century China – fittiing for all of my China travel in Oct. and Nov. I actually read this book for my sister’s book club. I must start with I normally don’t read fiction – for some reason it lacks the ‘thrill ‘ factor for me. However, this book was a direct connection to the old traditions of China – and since I would be traveling through China I thought it would it would be a good choice.

The book is a fast read – set in 19th century China where being a woman was as low on the totum pole as you could get. Your worth depended on how small your foot could be bound – Lily, the main character had bound feet that were 7 centimeters…and this was considered erotic and beautiful. However the book was mainly about Lily’s relationship with her best friend and la-tong, Snowflower. These two young women had an intense friendship full of pain yet endures through lies and deceit. (The makings of a good Chinese Soap Opera if you ask me). You learned how women tried to carry on communicating with their friends in a culture where they had no rights or freedoms. The story was ultimately about their relationship, betrayal, and how it evolved

I have to admit that I had trouble with the story mainly because the women characters in the book were soooo weak – probably more a product of their time than anything that was under their control. I was fustrated by the main character in always doing what she should instead of doing what she wanted to do. Yet – this was a sad fact of the culture in which she grew up. These women’s only purpose in life was to have babies…male babies…that’s it. How could this not invoke my inner feminist?! Yet – life was very different back then. I realized that if I had lived back then, I would have ended up a servant with big, ugly feet for the rest of my life…which in actuallity might not have been that bad. I came to the conclusion that I would have rather been a servant than in the main character’s positions.

My favorite part of the book was learning about the foot binding which led me to do some more research on it on Google. A fascinating subject that will leave you in disbelief.

I just finished the book Holy Cow, a memoir about an Australian’s experiences living in India. It was recommended to me to be a a good book to read before you came to India to get a feeling for the country – or to scare you off. Of course I didn’t end up starting the book until I had left India – so it took on a slightly different purpose for me. Instead of teaching me about all of the idiosyncrasies and craziness about India that I would experience – it made me laugh about all of the organized chaos in India that I experienced. It made me sad that I left India with all of it’s quirkyness.

 Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure

Sarah did a good job of describing India in all of it’s contrast, religions, billions of people, and color. For the first half of the book I read it with a big grin on my face – reminiscing about the experiences I had in India. However – about halfway through the book it became more about her religious journey than about the idiosyncrasies about India and it’s culture. I must admit, the religious journey didn’t interest me nearly as much – I skimmed most of it. However – when I got back into the non-religious aspectsof the culture – I once again welcomed the chapters with big smiles and anticipation.

The religious journey she took was a great, humorous education about the various religions in India and how they all co-exist together. I did enjoy the Indian take on Christianity. They intertwined it in their existing culture – and it took on a new look and excitement for me.

It’s a good book to read for an introduction to travel in India! She has a wonderful, dry, sarcastic sense of humor and a thirst for understanding of other cultures and religions. She made me happy with laughter and sad with memories at the same time. So, if you are planning a trip to India, I would recommend this book, a good source of fun information about the people, and the cows.

Shop and Purchase My Sister’s Keeper: A Novel

I don’t really read Fiction anymore, but this book, My Sister’s Keeper, did the impossible – it made me a believer in fiction again. While in Morocco, one of the women in my tour group had brought this book and over the 3 weeks we were there, 4 of the people in the group had read it (all in about 3 days max). They kept on raving about how good it was and that you just couldn’t put it down. I was skeptical – but intrigued at the same time. The premise of the story did sound interesting to me, but I’m so sick of ‘Oprah Endings’ that are as if they were made specifically for Hollywood so that we can all continue to live in our optimistic world where the girl gets the guy, and all of the strife that the characters had throughout the book is all wrapped up in a nice little bow of goodness so that everyone can leave happy. Ok – that rant was probably more than you were asking for – but it’s important to know that I don’t like cleancut stories – the messier the better – the more screwed up the people are – I love it – especially if they stay screwed up – because life isn’t always about good endings and I like authors who are not afraid to write about that. A good abrupt ending that leaves you hanging in disbelief and despair…well – that’s ecstasy for me.

I took My Sister’s Keeper once the 4th person in our trip finished it – I figured that I would give it a try and see if it was really any good. I would have plenty of free time in Egypt while on a sailboat or in buses or trains – so I would need something to read after all. It took me 3 days to read the book, and I was utterly blown away. I didn’t want to put it down. The story is about a young girl who has leukemia and her parents decide to have a 3rd child, genetically engineered, in order to be an exact donor match for the sick child. There had been multiple successful donations given by the younger sister, Anna, to her sick sister, Kate, which was key to keeping Kate alive. However, when it was time to yet again donate another part of her body, Anna at age 13, decided that she had enough. She wanted control over her own medical decisions and body; therefore she sued her parents for control of medical decisions to her body. That’s the premise, and the book then takes you on a journey through each one of the characters throughout the lawsuit. It makes you question life and death decisions, and children’s rights.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the fact that each chapter represented a different character’s point of view. The whole story was told through about 6 main characters (the mother, father, Anna, brother, lawyer, and guardian). The writing style was clever – and it allowed you to see everyone’s point of view. For me, I immediately had an opinion on what I thought the outcome of the trial should be, however as you read the different character’s points of view, it certainly made you waffle. I loved Anna’s character – she was a bright, sarcastic 13 year old that was tough – maybe even a little too mature to be believable at times. As it came down to the end, you were shocked, satisfied, surprised, and stunned all at the same time. I honestly didn’t want it to end. Yet I was exhausted and my mind was spinning.

The writing and the characters were brilliant – something I haven’t experienced out of a fiction novel for quite some time. All I can say is – if you haven’t read it already – pick up a copy and give yourself 3 days…that will be all it takes as it grabs you by the hand and won’t let go until 440 pagers later.

The Secret History is an older book..not old like Moby Dick…but old like in it was a best seller in 1992. My friend Miles brought it for me as it’s one of his favorite books. I must admit – I haven’t been reading much Fiction lately – but it was fun to get lost in a story again…one that didn’t make me cry and be horrified by world history.

I really enjoyed the book – it was a bit slow the first 90 pages, but once it got over the hurdle…it sprinted! The book is about 6 college students in a little New England college studying classic languages. They all seemed rather normal in the beginning – sure, each of them had their quirks and they wouldn’t necessarily be people that I would hang out with – but they were decent none the less. The plot is about how they went from this normal existence to a place that was manipulative, incestuous, and evil. They went too far and couldn’t really undo what they had done, so they spent the 2nd half of the book living with trying to cover up their actions and descending further down a spiral of lies and deciet. If you know me…you know that I don’t like romantic fluff; instead I like the strange, depressing, grim stories…and this was one of them!

I enjoyed the writing style the most. It had this way of giving you just enough information to capture your interest, to want more, and then it would pull away….like most of the men I am interested in! In the prologue it eludes to the fact that this group of friends committed a murder… so there was no big surprise element to the book..instead it was more of a journey through how they got to that point and how they scrambled afterwards and mentally crumbled. There was a ton of irony to deal with…such as the fact that one of the boys was the pallbearer for the man that he murdered….that weighs heavy on the mind and it was fun to read about – it gave your mind a lot to chew on.

Overall- I liked the book, and I liked the break from the normal historical or travel memoirs that I’ve been reading. It wasn’t light fluff…it was definitely meaty!

Shop and Purchase Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind (P.S.)

This is the 2nd book that I’ve read in a series of memoires by Loung Ung. She survived the Genocide in Camodia in the first book, and she has gone on to share the story of her integration into America at 9 years of age in the 80′s. As I’ve traveled around Asia I’ve always been intrigued with the thought of what the locals in these small towns and unique cultural background would think of America. This book gave me some insight into this. Ung traveled to America with her oldest brother and his wife after escaping Cambodia and leaving the rest of her siblings behind. When they left, they promised to come back and get the rest of the family in 5 years…but that never happened. Instead Ung grew up in Vermont and her other siblings grew up in a war-torn Cambodia…barely surviving in their village lifestyle.

This was a story of sisters…a touching story that was cleverly written. One chapter would be about Ung acclimating to America and her continued struggle with her memories of the war and losing her parents; and the next chapter would be about her sister, Chou, growing up during that same time in a poor Cambodian village. It was a wonderful way to really explore the contrasts of the lifestyle and the family bond that still existed.

If you’ve read “First They Killed My Father”, then this is a great follow up! It also gives you insight into how Cambodia rose from the war-torn state they were in and eventually opened itself up to the West. A wonderful read about family!

 Shop and Purchase: First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (P.S.)

This is the story of the Cambodia genocide that happened a mere 30 years ago. Since I am going to be in Cambodia and specifically wanted to see the Killing Fields of Phnom Penh, I felt that it was important to better educate myself about the subject. Loung Ung tells the true story of the the tragic events that her family was a part of from 1975 to 1979. I have to be honest – this was a hard read. I had to get out Kleenex more than once as it was so moving and completely depressing. However – the story needed to be told.

Loung wrote the book from a child’s perspective and voice – which made it even more gripping. Loung was 5 years old when her family of 9 fled from Phnom Penh and left their middle class life behind to run from Pol Pot, starve, and work as peasants, and perish. As a young girl, all of these experiences manifested itself into a deep anger and hatred that she expressed very vividly in the book. Her childhood and her family were taken away from her.

“Kim tells me that from now on I have to watch out for myself. Not only am I never to talk to anyone about our former lives, but I’m never to trust anyone either. It is best if I just stop talking completely so I won’t unintentionally disclose information about our family. To talk is to bring danger to the family. At five years old, I am beginning to know what lonliness feels like, silent and alone and suspecting that everyone wants to hurt me.”

If you are prepared for a tear-jerker, then I recommend the book – especially if you are traveling to the area anytime in the future. It brings you up to date on some of the torrid history of Cambodia.

The Girl in the Picture – The story of Kim Phuc – by Denise Chong

This is the story about a picture which I’m sure you’ve all seen – a little girl, Kim Phuc, running down a road, naked and burned by napalm – her picture was snapped and it changed her life. Nick Ut was the photographer who captured the screaming little girl on film and the rest of the world quickly saw the side of the Vietnam War that no one wanted to see or admit, innocent people effected. It is about her struggle for recovery, and her struggle for her life after the war under the communist regime.

I really enjoyed this story as a way to get me in touch with the history of the Vietnam War from the perspective of the poor, local Vietnamese village people. It not only covered the history of the war (American and Vietnam), but it covered what it was like for a poor, village family in South Vietnam before, during, and after the war.

Much like the recent movie/book, “Flags of Our Fathers”, this picture which made history transformed Kim Phuc’s life. She was used as propoganda by her own government, yet she was also provided privledges that others never had. It was a miracle that she lived through her severe napalm burns, and her life of recovery, love, faith, and heartache was fascinating to read.

I recomend this book to anyone that wants to learn more about Vietnam and the war in general!

 Shop and Purchase: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

This book was recommended to me by Keith and Jaqui from South Africa – it was wonderful! This is a true story about three generations of women in China. It covers a vast amount of Chinese History from their family perspective and stories. It spans from 1909 to 1978 from life among the warlords, various wars, Chiang Kai-shek, Communism, Mao, the famine, and the Cultural Revolution. I was spellbound by this book. When I started this book, I knew nothing about China except that I liked the tea, the food, and an occasional fortune cookie – I was completely ignorant of it’s torrid history, communism, and most importantly – Mao. Not only did the book tell the story of women’s role in China, it was a story about family ties, and tradition. Jung’s grandmother was concubine for a war lord, Jung’s mother was a senior Communist official, and Jung was brought up in the middle of the Cultural Revolution. The book really gave you a great glimpse into Communism – the fundamental ideas behind it, and what happens when the wrong person has all of the power. For about 80% of the book – I was in disbelief that these things really happened – most of it was absolutely unthinkable to me. The only downside to reading this book is that it makes you want to go to China! Of course that’s one of the few countries that’s not on my itinerary this year! So – I have already decided that I will have to come back and do China for a month or so! If you want to learn more about Chinese history, wrapped among a touching story about family – then pick up this book…it was a great read!

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Suffering will make you a better Communist”

“Father is close, Mother is close, but neither is as close as Chairman Mao”

“As a child, my idea of the West was that it was a miasma of poverty and misery, like that of the homeless “Little Match Girl” in the Hans Christian Anderson story. When I was in boarding nursery and did not want to finish my food, the teacher would say ‘Think of all the starving children in the capitalist world!’ In school, when they were trying to make us work harder, the teachers often said ‘You are lucky to have a school to go to and books to read. In the capitalist countries children have to work to support their hungry families.’”

Shop and Purchase: Me Talk Pretty One Day

David Sedaris is brilliant – he tells story after story about his life with such humor – and strangely (or maybe disturbingly) you can relate to many of his stories! His dry sense of humor is just what I love. Every time I read his stories I think of my friend Miles for some reason. I think Sedaris reminds me of him – very dry and sarcastic – and gay.

This was a fun, light-hearted read that made me laugh out loud. Especially the stories about his parents and his thoughts on living in NY. His thoughts around learning a foreign language were perfect – I feel like it’s everything I thought while I was learning Italian, but not able to put in words (not even English!). If you are looking for a fun read – get this book!

My favorite quotes from the book:
“Visiting Americans will find more warmth in Tehran than they will in New York, a city founded on the principle of Us vs. Them. I don’t speak latin but have always assumed the city motto translates to either Go Home or We Don’t Like You, Either.

“Call me naive, but I seem to have underestimated the universal desire to sit in a hard plastic chair and stare at a screen until my eyes cross.”

“Follow seven beers with a couple of scotches and a thimble of good marijuana, it’s funny how sleep just sort of comes on it’s own.”

 
Shop/Purchase West with the Night

Non-Fiction, written in 1942

Beryl was a female who grew up in Kenya – and she shared her absolute love of the country through this book. She shared her experiences as a little girl growing up on a Brittish East Africa farm and hunting with the tribe people, racing horses as a young adult, and finally how she became a pilot and flew the first flight ever from England to North America. This woman was talented! Her life was fascinating and what she was able to accomplish was remarkable. However – her love for Africa will make you want to go to Kenya – so read with caution!

My favorite quotes from the book:
“It is no good telling yourself that one day you will wish you had never made that change; it is no good anticipating regrets. Every tomorrow ought not resemble every yesterday.”

“But memory is a drug. Memory can hold you against your stregth and against your will.”

“Courage lives in a man’s stomach, but there are times when it is not at home – and the stomach is sour.”