Date: 16 October 2009
The author moves from Washington to Kiribati for two years, imagining a tropical paradise. The reality is, however, somewhat different: no sewage disposal system, almost non-existent healthcare, and a diet of fish, relieved only by sporadic deliveries of out of date tinned corned beef. The island is peopled with eccentric characters, not least the Poet Laureate, an inarticulate young man from England who is there for inexplicable reasons. Most of the best travel horror stories are written with the benefit of hindsight, and this one is a hilarious read. Highly recommended.