In Search of A Good Travel Read

Hitchhiking Vietnam:
A woman’s solo journey in an elusive land

This is the saga of a remarkable young woman (carrying an illegal video camera in her backpack), who hitchhiked by all manner of transportation through Vietnam.While enduring several arrests and physical discomforts, she learned to drive a passenger train, planted rice with farmers, found out about Hmong marriage customs, saved several leopard kittens from a thriving black market and found herself an honored guest of many remote hill tribe villages. A perfectly charming touch -- the author starts each chapter with an excerpt from a letter to her mom.

Annapurna: A Woman’s Place

In 1978, a team of 13 women became the first Americans to reach the summit of Annapurna I, at 26,540 feet the tenth highest peak in the world. Arlene Blum, the leader of the expedition, recounts the story of this historic achievement in her wonderful book, reissued this year for the 20th anniversary of the ascent. Blum’s clear, engrossing prose takes the reader from the early planning stages to the successful climb itself. The challenges faced by Blum and her team went beyond altitude, exposure, avalanches and exhaustion. The team encountered resistance to even the concept of women attempting such a dangerous climb. We’ve come a long way, ladies!

Asia for Women on Business

For American and European professional women, doing business in Asia is no simple matter. This how-to book clearly and concisely covers every aspect of the Asian business experience, from jet lag to protocol to after-hours socializing. Checklists summarize winning strategies for handling all manner of situations, and the authors give specific information and advice for Asia's "Four Tigers," Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. Don’t leave home without it!

Gutsy Women: Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road

Award-winning author, Mary Beth has produced yet another of her travel gems. In “Gutsy Women,” she has packed hundreds of tips on hygiene, budgeting, romance on the road, and dealing with the emotions of arrival and departure. Chapters on the first-time traveler, solo traveler and older adventurer are simply stuffed with first-person advice from other women travellers the author has interviewed. Beyond being a book on travel, Mary Beth says “It is about living, the rewards of risk-taking, feeling, learning, loving, about the strength to be ourselves, to take steps toward making our dreams real.”
P.S. JW’s Editor, Evelyn Hannon, is one of Mary Beth Bond’s quoted “Gutsy Women.”

The Traveler's Handbook

The “Bible” of world travel -- beautifully indexed and cross-referenced.This book contains the facts about the world for traveler's - from the weather in Colombo in April to the currency of Burundi and every other question you can imagine. It also includes excellent essays on choosing destinations, interpreting maps, packing, choosing tour companies and everything else you need to know to venture out on your own.

Solo: On Her Own Adventure

From a day hiking in the Adirondacks to bodyboarding with dolphins off the California coast to pedaling across New Zealand to mountain biking the Alaskan tundra, each contributor to “Solo” describes the inspiring challenges and exhilarating rewards of going it alone. This colorful collection of 22 stories from wonderful women writers provides a glimpse into the fears, realization and inspiration each author feels before, during and after her travels.

Islands in the Clouds: Travels in the Highlands of New Guinea

Isabella Tree’s remarkable journey takes us to the heart of the remote and beautiful highlands of Papua New Guinea and Iran Jaya - one of the most extraordinary and dangerous regions on earth. The people of the highlands were affected little by European colonization and retain much of their native culture today. Isabella travels across this country hunting with natives as well as seeing it through the eyes of western culture. She combines both her own experiences and pieces of history to tell a remarkably comprehensive tale about the history, life and culture of the highlands of New Guinea. Perfect for both the road warrior and the stay-at-home armchair traveller!