The ex-traveler, the timid traveler, the adventurous traveler and the prospective traveler alike will delight at Stan Diamond's recollection of intrepid voyages, thoughtful observations and connections to the people and places few Americans visit. Not all of his trips work out the way he anticipates. At the same time, he makes a compelling case that this kind of travel to less visited places in the world holds a treasure-lore of possibility and offers an endless source of growth for those who undertake it. His sense of humor and respectful attitude toward those he meets along the way make this a delightful read. If you ever wanted to know what you might enjoy at least as much as a cruise, check this out. You might never go on a luxury vacation again.
"So what else is there to worry about beside disease and sanitation, running out of gas or unavailability of medical care! Well, maybe rockslides and landslides, storms and floods, frozen roads and crazy drivers, marauding bandits and slippery thieves, insurrections and civil wars, spewing volcanoes and other such precarious hazards one might stumble upon... Frankly, I do not have any good advice for the reader about such things. Just try to avoid them if you can."
"Unless you have fun along the way, travel is something neither you nor I would be interested in pursuing."
"If we go to places without bringing our sensitivity and kindness along, if we are not tolerant of the ways that others meet daily tasks and celebrate life events and how they arrange their respective priorities in line with their understanding of the world around them, we would be better off not mixing with other societies around the world and they would certainly be better off not having us in their midst."
Stan and Bev mopeding to Hoi An, Vietnam
In this book we follow Stan Diamond's adventurous voyages and fascinating observations in out of the way places in the world as he visits mosquito conventions in New Guinea, navigates rivers filled with floating logs, climbs high into Dogon villages, faces down "banditos," gets stranded in Chinese mountains and flirts with catastrophes galore. His enthusiasm, humor and choice of destinations make for stimulating reading and teach us a great deal about our fellow human beings.
Stan Diamond's adventurous travel to remote corners of the world provides inspiration to the prospective and seasoned traveler alike. As a life-long educator, his observations about the value and meaning of such travel are thoughtful and informative while his encounters with all kinds of people in unusual places offer knowledge, humor, surprise and joy. Stan's memoir begins with his childhood thumbing through pictures in an old World Book Encyclopedia and leads to his development as an enthusiastic voyager to some of the least likely destinations imaginable. From Voodoo ceremonies in West Africa to Candomble rituals in Brazil, from elephant parades to Silk Road market towns, this book explores places where few American tourists tread.
Stan Diamond spent most of his life teaching children, directing schools and writing about his approach to education. In his retirement he transformed those skills to become a popular lecturer, consultant and author. The episodes in this book help the reader understand why he has succeeded in so many undertakings. This story is inspiring and exciting, worth reading just to follow Stan's intrepid journeys or to learn about the world through his pithy observations or even merely to voyage vicariously to some very fascinating places.
