Bookatrip

Instant attraction turns Polly Greeks and Nathan Gray into lovers, and together they trek 500 kilometres of the Great Wall, including many of its most remote and dangerous sections. In Embracing the Dragon, Greeks vividly recounts her remarkable journey over jagged mountain passes, into villages which have never seen a European woman and through a blizzard that nearly claims her life. She also traces her increasingly tempestuous relationship with her lover and with the wall itself. Embracing the Dragon will enthrall those who thrive on adventure or only dream of it and all who are captivated by the history, mythology and crumbling might of the world's greatest man-made structure.

"For most of her life, freelance documentary filmmaker and free spirit Karin Muller took Walt Whitman's advice to heart and lived life on her own terms. Or so she believed - until she woke up one morning and realized that she was "living" in a soulless apartment in Washington, D.C., "casually dating a divorce lawyer who was casually dating at least two other women." Something had to change. Rather than resisting, she thought, maybe the answer was to go with the flow. From years of judo practice she knew that the Japanese had a word for the seemingly effortless state of harmony she longed for: wa. Yes, wa is what she wanted." "So begins Karin's yearlong quest to deepend her appreciation for such Eastern ideals as unquestioning commitment and single-minded devotion to detail. With only her Western perspective to guide her, though, she discovers in sometimes awkward, often awesomely funny interactions just how maddeningly complicated it is being Japanese. Along the way, she - and we - get to know the cultural biases and all-too-human quirks of an absorbing cast of characters."--Book jacket.

Some go to Tibet seeking inspiration, others for adventure. The award-winning journalist, Claire Scobie, found both when she left her ordinary life in London and went to the Himalayas in search of a rare red lily. Her journey took her to Pemako, where few Westerners have set foot and where the myth of Shangri-la was born. It was here she became friends with Ani, an unusual Tibetan nun who was to change her life. Through seven journeys in Tibet, Claire chronicles a rapidly changing world -- where monks talk on mobiles and Lhasa's sex industry thrives. But it is Ani, a penniless wanderer with a rich heart, who leaves an indelible impression. Together, in a culture where freedom of expression is forbidden, they risk arrest. And they forge an abiding friendship, based on intuition and deep respect. Evoking the luminous landscape of snow peaks and wild alpine gardens, Claire Scobie captures the paradoxes of contemporary Tibet, a land steeped in religion, struggling against oppression and galloping towards modernity. Last Seen in Lhasa is a unique story of insight and adventure that can touch us all.

Race To Dakar is the story of actor and Long Way Round adventurer Charley Boorman's assault on the most dangerous race on earth - The Dakar Rally. From Portugal to Senegal via 10,000km of some of the harshest and most treacherous riding conditions imaginable Race To Dakar is an extraordinary story of the limits that we push ourselves to in the pursuit of adventure. This 2 disc DVD of the 7 part TV series takes us from the pre trip preparation and race training, through to the highs and lows of Charley's Dakar trip. Extras include unseen and extended footage, dramatic crash sequences, exclusive post trip interview, epic montage, outtakes, photo gallery and details of the bike build and support team.

After their fantastic trip round the world in 2004, fellow actors and bike fanatics Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman couldn't shake the travel bug. And after an inspirational UNICEF visit to Africa, they knew they had to go back and experience this extraordinary continent in more depth. With the Long Way Round team assembled once again and with two new BMWs loaded up for the journey, Ewan and Charley will set off on a new adventure, facing very different challenges. Riding from John O'Groats right down to South Africa, they will discover spectacular but unforgiving terrain, rich cultures and unforgettable local characters. Long Way Down tells their story - the drama, the dangers and the sheer exhilaration of riding together again.

"When Paula Constant and her husband, Gary, attempt to break away from the conventional 9-to-5 routine, a few weeks lazing in a resort or packed in a tour bus is not what they have in mind. What starts out as an idle daydream to embark on 'a travel to end all travels' turns into something far greater: an epic year-long 5000-kilometre walk from Trafalgar Square in London to Morocco and the threshold of the Sahara Desert"--Publisher.

An account of the hardships and hilarity Fran Sandham experienced during his epic solo journey on foot across Africa, from the Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean through Namibia, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

1st ed. Helen Thayer 64 and husband 72 are two adventurers who set out to walk the Gobi with two camels and do it! Their endurance in such an extreme climate, the experiences they have and the local people they met along the way, make an interesting read . Taking into account the age of these two and the extreme nature of the environment the word inspirational comes to mind. Highly recommended for armchair fans with a taste for adventure .

You must die once is an epic story. After the death of his spiritual adviser, Ian Robinson vowed to deliver his ashes to Mt Kailas, Tibet's most sacred mountain. His journey through some of the world's toughest terrain, alone on horseback, ended in disaster when he was arrested and deported - only to come back two years later. The story of both journeys is enthralling - travel writing at its very best. Fighting cold, exhaustion and runaway horses, he camped in high mountain valleys with wolves, dicing with the elements and altitude sickness. But it is his account of his spiritual and emotional journey, told with wit, warmth and insight, that transcends the ordinary to make this an inspirational account of one man's determination to fulfil a promise.