Around the World in 65 years : 101 Stories and Experiences From the Road Less Travelled

Around the World in 65 Years is an anthology of 101 travel stories and experiences, written by award-winning and acclaimed members of the British Guild of Travel Writers – whose shared mission involves venturing far from the beaten track and communicating what they find there. Sixty-five articles escort readers through both time – pieces from every decade help illustrate how travel has changed since 1960 – and space, with every continent given prominent billing. Join Brian Jackman at the start of safaris in Kenya or Hilary Bradt as she pinpoints challenges facing tourists seeking an authentic tribal experience.

Immerse yourself in an impossible-to-forget 1970s summer in Yugoslavia; take a ride through Indochina along a jungle-lined railway track laid during French rule; discover whether shouting ‘Mouse! Mouse!’ scares off a Uganda elephant; cycle from one end of the Outer Hebrides to the other, without needing a bike lock; knock back vodka shots with beekeepers along Armenia’s Transcaucasian Trail, where Europe greets Asia; gawp at a rodeo in a Louisiana prison; cruise through the Svalbard archipelago on a traditional sailing ship; spend a night in Bolivian hotel made of salt; or visit the world’s smallest republic, hidden deep in the Nevada desert. Along the way, whether in familiar locations or along the road less frequently journeyed, meet fortune-tellers, Azerbaijani fire-worshippers, baboon hunters, Paddington Bear’s less amenable relatives and passionate expedition naturalists – but also grumpy long-distance walkers and a parasite named Barry. Alongside its travel stories, the book also showcases three dozen mesmerising experiences.

Enjoy an all-female lesson on propelling and steering a gondola in Venice, a mask-making class in Sri Lanka or a nighttime visit up a Swedish mountain to watch the northern lights. Around the World in 65 Years is more than just words too. The British Guild of Travel Writers’ celebrated professional photographers also bring far-flung places alive through images.

This remarkable anthology, packed with insight and colour, vibrancy and risk-taking, is a must-buy book for both armchair travellers and for those seeking inspiration for their next journey.