August 6, 2015

Reads For The Road: "Turn Right At Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams

by Lindsay Shapka in Book List, Travel Adventures, Travel

Mark Adams' Turn Right At Machu Picchu is everything that I love in a book. It is a non-fiction, well-researched travel tale that contains entertaining characters (that are real people!), vivid descriptions and inspires me to be a better writer and go on more adventures! As you can imagine, I haven't found many books that fit that criterion.

“People used to be travelers Mark... Now they’re tourists. People want hotels, cafes, the Internet. They won’t even camp!”

— excerpt from page 2 of "Turn Right At Machu Picchu"

Adams takes readers through his research and real-life experience on Machu Picchu and other Inca ruins, their rediscovery (and the controversy around who really "rediscovered" it), and what it really was (temple, summer home, tomb). He also recounts some fascinating stories that he is told by locals, and guides who have been exploring the region for years.

It's funny, interesting, and just a really fantastic read.

Reads For The Road: A House In The Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett

by Lindsay Shapka in Book List, Travel, Travel Adventures

I had heard that Amanda Lindhout's story A House In The Sky was a must-read (it has been hailed in Vogue, The Globe and Mail, Outside, The New York Times, and was a part of Oprah's Winter Reading List), but I was not prepared for the incredibly well written, shocking, heart-wrenching test of humanity that I would find within the book's pages.

I don't know if it is because she is from a town only a few hours away from where I grew up, but the way that Amanda writes about travelling (especially travelling solo as a female) feels like she has put into words every unarticulated thought that I have had about my own journeys.

That is until she describes being kidnapped.

“People would say to me all the time, “It must be so hard to travel by yourself as a woman.” But I was finding that it was easier. I was sure about it. If you smiled, if you showed people that you were happy to be there, you were met most often with warmth. The swindlers backed off easily. The tuk-tuk drivers and beggars eased up and became more human, maybe even a bit protective.”

— p 55 from "A House In The Sky" by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett

Yup, I said kidnapped.

While working as a struggling freelance journalist, Amanda and her friend Nigel made their way into Somalia. On a trip outside of the capital city to take photos at a refugee camp, they were both kidnapped by a rouge group of men who immediately demanded ransom from their parents and from their countries, neither of whom who had any money to pay.

Kept hostage for OVER A YEAR, this is the story of what she went through, how she stayed alive through horrific abuse, how she managed to retain her humanity, and how she was saved.

A warning though, once you get started, you won't want to put it down.

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People & Culture Blog Feed

Hawaii 101: What is the meaning of Ti Leaves to Hawaiians?

On my last visit to Oahu, I ended up at a University Men’s Volleyball Game and, before sitting down, was handed a long, slim green leaf. I was told it was a “Ti Leaf” and I was supposed to use it to cheer for the team.

What are these leaves, you ask, and why do ti leaves in Hawaii make an appearance at major sports events?

What do the colors you wear mean in different cultures

What Do The Colors You Wear Mean In Different Countries?

Did you know that your clothing is sending a message?

When you are traveling and meeting new people, first impressions matter — we determine whether people are trustworthy, attractive, friendly, and even intelligent by the way that they look every single day.

10 Fun Facts About The Winter Olympics

Curling, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, Snowboarding, and Ski Jumping — oh my! I don't know about you, but I am an Olymp-addict — and I can never get enough of the Winter Olympic Games!

July 20, 2013

Reads For The Road: Crossing The Heart of Africa by Julian Smith

by Lindsay Shapka in Book List, Travel, Travel Adventures, Destinations

In 1898, British explorer Ewart Grogan was in love. The problem? He was in love with an aristocrat's daughter who didn't think that he was good enough for her. Before he could marry, Grogan had to prove his worth, and so set out on an epic quest to be the very first (English) man to cross the length of Africa from Cape Town to Cairo.

No, this is not the scene from a movie, or from an epic romance novel. This is a real life (rarely told) story that author Julian Smith discovered by chance, and that inspired him to embark on his own adventure — in Grogan's footsteps. Nearly a century after the original adventurer set out to conquer Africa, Smith found himself madly in love, yet terrified by the prospect of marriage (aren't we all).

“Traveling can be the ultimate alone time, which is probably why I ended up doing it for a living. Away from home and surrounded by strangers, you can be anyone or no one, anonymous or camouflaged.”

— Julian Smith from Crossing The Heart of Africa

Deciding drastic measures were needed in order for him to face his marriage fears, he decided to trace the 4,500-mile journey that Grogan took. A strange choice right before a wedding, but one that he committed to regardless.

In the spellbinding Crossing The Heart of Africa, Smith weaves the most fascinating elements of Grogan's original adventure into his own honest, introspective journey through one of the toughest continents in the world. It is a FANTASTIC read.