Zibaldone-Paul Theroux Style

Apparently Paul Theroux has a sort of zibaldone regarding travel. 'The Tao of Travel'.  It is a hodge-podge of museings by various writers writers.  With a fair bit of Mr. Theroux sprinkled in, for good measure.

The book came out in 2011.  And I recently discovered it in my local library.  (If you can't actually travel, then the library is the best option, until you can). 

The reviewers don't seem to like it much.  And Hugh Thomson makes some excellent points in his review at the Independent.  Theroux does "make a great deal of himself", and perhaps he doesn't "exude inner calm.". but perhaps he tries to find that sense of peace.  A sense which only comes when he leaves home, and strikes out into the world, with no other purposed than to see it.  He doesn't desire to conquer it, or master it, or rule it.  

Too often in life that is what many of us find ourselves doing.  And here in this book are examples of others who did life a little different.  Saw life a little different.  Perhaps that is enough.  

I know it makes me long to get on a train, or a ship and see a view different than the one I see now, and will see tomorrow, and that I have seen for way too many months.  

The Dream Reborn

Thanks to Mark Jolly I can dream once again of heading to a beautiful Mexican beach.  Mexico: Four little hot beach towns - Mexico- msnbc.com
From Puerto Escondido in the North to Huatulco in the Southeast and Mazunte and San Agustinillo in the middle, this part of the coast of Mexico sounds like a bit of paradise.

With beaches like this
and this

I am definatily making plans to leave the cold, wintery (though back to its normail rainy self this week) NorthWest.

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African Walk About

In 1997 Fran Sandham left England and walked across Africa, coast-to-coast. He published a book about his adventures called Traversa. This is definitely on the must read book list.

I love to travel but I don't believe I have the cajones to attempt this feat. I think I will stick to the arm chair on this adventure. Of course, if there are trains involved I am there.

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Cathay Pacific Spreads the Love to Economy Class

In welcomed travel news Cathay Pacific has made considerable changes to economy class on its flights serving San Fran, The Big Apple and L.A. According to Sean O'Neal at the Travel Tips section on msnbc.com Cathay Pacific has installed new seats which "have a hard-back shell and slide forward as they recline . . . and the entertainment library for . . . coach as expanded to include more than 100 movies, 350 TV shows, and 900 music CDs."

Now that is CHANGE I can believe in.

These improvements should take off the edge from what can often be rather bumpy flights, to and from Asia, at least in my experience. Cathay also offers a virtual tour of not only economy class, but first class and business class.

If only the other airlines would spread the love to economy class that would make life traveling a little better

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