The Book
ROAM
THE ART OF TRAVEL
It’s really hard to write something about your own book that doesn’t make you sound like a vain twat but the truth is – I love it, as does my mum. My wife’s not so sure, but she’ll change her mind soon enough if we end up starving. Instead I’m going to quote from something entirely impartial – the press release put out by my publisher.
“Packed with humour, hilarity and wit, Roam will have you laughing out loud. Dean covers topics from wildlife to romance, from tourist traps to religion… Dean’s useful battle-tested tips will help travellers to be savvy and stay safe. Dean has tested these – so you don’t have to! And from these experiences he delivers his counsel candidly. With stunning photographs, Roam endeavours to motivate readers to shrug off the restraints of daily routine and societal expectation, pack their bags and take to the road.”
Roam around…
Take a look inside the book that thrilled my grandmother. She described it as, ‘the best book ever to end up on the sale table in the annual croquet club fund raiser’. High praise indeed. Click on the thumbnails below to view sample spreads.
Roam inside…
Books aren’t easy things to write and I had to write this one twice. A freak conincident during which my back-up files on my lap-top were destroyed when my boat sunk in Papua New Guinea and my home computer was stolen back in New Zealand meant that I had to start over. All up, Roam took 15 years to research and a year to write – thats about 128 author years.
To read an extract from ROAM: the art of travel, about the time I caught body lice in Mongolia – Click here
Buy an Autographed Copy
An autographed copy of ‘ROAM: The Art of Travel’ costs US$29.99 and post and packaging costs another US$9.99 anywhere in the world. That’s pretty good value for a 271 page, full colour book. To buy a copy just message me via the contact me page.
Roam a little further…
If you have bought a copy of Roam you may have noticed that scattered throughout the book are references to this website and promises that here you’ll be able to view slideshows, peruse galleries and download additional tips. Apparently I have to make good on those promises – it’s in my contract – so here they are… as promised.
Pg 16 What Ya Packing?
[column32]Everyone has their own heart-felt opinion about what goes and what stays. I’ve found that once you have decided on what you’re taking, halve the clothes and double the money. Here is what I would take if I was backpacking in a climatically temperate Third World country, say Australia, for two months.
PACKING CHECKLIST (PDF)
FIRST AID CHECKLIST (PDF)
Pg 29 This is Crap
View the toilet that brought tears to my eyes when forced to use it in Uzbekistan. Watch for the rat as it scurried between the piles of shit on the floor. I believe it brought an air of authenticity to the experience.
RATS, CRAP AND ALL (FLASH MOVIE)
Pg 63 Climb Aboard the Peace Train
One third of the globe in a three and a half minute, somewhat boring, slideshow – much like the Trans-Siberian itself but without the hangover.
TRANS-SIBERIAN SLIDE SHOW (FLASH MOVIE)
Pg 67 Watching your Steppe in Mongolia
Things were going splendidly until we tried fording a swollen river in our Russian-made jeep. We almost made it, but not quite. We were in a very remote area, and hadn’t seen another car for days so we decided to strip to our undies and try pushing the minivan to the bank, but it was trapped in the rocks and swirling water…
MONGOLIA MOVIE (FLASH MOVIE)
Pg 92 Suck and Blow
Call them what you will – hookah, ghalyun, chillam, hubbly bubbly or shisha – the hardest thing about waterpipes is knowing when to start sucking – the spluttering afterwards will comes naturally. Here’s a movie clip of mine and Steph’s first foray into the belly of Iranian culture.
SMOKING PIPES (FLASH MOVIE)
Pg 100 But it Tastes Like Chicken
As one Korean man told me, “But I like pets… particulary dog served with rice”. What would be banned by health authorities in one country is served up as a delicacy in another. Follow the link below to see photos of weird food from weird places and, for those of you with insect infestations, a receipe for Chocolate Cricket Chip Cookies.
WEIRD FOOD – EXTREME CUSINE
Pg 123 The Tribe Vibe
If you would like to see more pictures of the Kenyan Samburu (like the lady pictured in Roam on pg123), Turkanain, Rendilli and El Molo tribes, this is the gallery to go to.
KENYA (PHOTO GALLERY)
Pg 134 A Highland Fling
Who would have thought that Highland Shows, started by missionaries in the 1960s to promote goodwill, would be frequently credited as one of the most impressive anthropological displays on the planet. See the highland tribes shake their birds-of-paradise tail feathers in a gallery of images from the Mt Hagen Show in Papua New Guinea.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PHOTO GALLERY)
Pg 176 I See the Light
Photography seems needlessly complicated to me. When you strip aside all the bullshit, photography is based on a few simple principles. All the rest is just ‘bells and whistles’. Download the PDF file for a short, free tutorial on photography and PhotoShop.
SEE THE LIGHT (PDF)
If you want see something a little more in depth, check out the FREE PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMERA RAW TUTORIALS on this site.
Pg 188 Rules of Engagement
[column32]It seems that old men in parks all around the world have nothing better to do than play board games with one another. They love to be challenged by foreigners, so don’t be surprised if a crowd gathers to watch you play. If you know these four strategy-based board games – chess, backgammon, go, and the African bao game – you’ll never be without friends – especially if you’re really bad at them, for in board games, everyone loves a loser.
CHESS RULES (PDF)
BACKGAMMON RULES (PDF)
GO RULES (PDF)
BAO RULES (PDF)
Pg 232 Game On
There’s more to the migration than wildebeest and zebra. If you are planning a trip to East Africa’s Masai Mara and Serengeti National Parks, expect to see whole herds of animals, only without the cheesy
SAFARI SLIDESHOW (FLASH MOVIES)