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The Last Grain Race (Picador Books)

Eric Newby

The Last Grain Race (Picador Books) Eric Newby List Price: $16.50
By: Picador
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Exciting sailing adventure 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.

In 1938 Eric Newby was eighteen years old. He left a dead end job with an advertising agency in London and signed as an apprentice seaman on the four-masted sailing ship Moshulu for a trip to bring back a shipload of grain from Australia. Moshulu was one of a dozen sailing ships still engaged in the grain trade and the 1938 trip was destined to be the last of the merchant sailing era.

Newby is undeservedly less well known than other writers who have imitated him. His books, "A Small Place in Italy, "On the Shores of the Mediterranean" and "The Big Red Train Ride" have been imitated by other authors. His writing style is spare and matter-of-fact; he doesn't try to impress the reader with overblown prose instead letting the facts speak for themselves without florid editorial comment.

There's a funny account a trick played by the Belfast stevedores on the sailors of Moshulu. Among the tons of rocks loaded into the hold were two dead dogs. The decomposing dog carcasses fill the ship's hold with an overpowering odor that plagues the men as they dump out the ballast and load the grain months later off the shore of Adelaide.

The Last Grain Race goes into great detail describing the operation of a sailing ship, complete with obscure jargon names for the sails and rigging. Newby seems to have been working too hard on the trip to completely enjoy and appreciate it. The books gives a glimpse at a lost world of merchant sailing ships and the quiet life of sailors at sea, now exchanged for sparsely manned giant container ships crossing vast oceans in a matter of days.

Moshulu returns to Queenstown, Ireland on June 10, 1939 after a pace-setting 91-day passage by war of Cape Horn. It had taken 8 months for a round-trip in which Moshulu brought 4,875 tons of grain from Australia to Ireland. Newby leaves the ship a full-fledged Ordinary Seaman. World War II will start in a few months and obliterate the peaceful world of merchant sailing ships.

Editorial Review:

At the age of 18, Eric Newby signed on as an apprentice on the four-masted sailing ship Moshulu of the Erikson line for the round trip from Europe to Australia and back, outwards by way of the Cape of Good Hope and round Cape Horn. This was to be an historic voyage, a dramatic personal adventure.

Streetwise Sydney Map - Laminated City Street Map of Sydney, Australia - with integrated monorail lines & stations

Streetwise Maps

Streetwise Sydney Map - Laminated City Street Map of Sydney, Australia -  with integrated monorail lines & stations Streetwise Maps Amazon Price: $7.95
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Streetwise Sydney Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Sydney, Australia - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated monorail lines & stations

This map covers the following areas:
Main Sydney Map 1:10,000

Sydney is Australia’s premier city. There’s an attitude of let’s have fun that permeates everything in this city. If there’s a celebration to be had, Sydney does it up big. This is one of the best cities in the world in which to celebrate New Year’s Eve and the festivel mood continues on throughout the year.

The largest city in Australia but not the capital (Can you name the capital? Answer below), Sydney has double the space of New York and half of the population. What you’ll find is a city built around the water preserving much of its open space. The Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are the impressive landmarks that symbolize the city. Projecting out into Port Jackson, the Opera House is probably best viewed from the top of the Harbour Bridge, but that excursion may not be for the faint of heart. Climbing to the summit takes about 3 ½ hours, start to finish, and reaches a peak of 134 meters (439.63 feet). Some say it’s the best way to conquer a fear of heights…you decide.

The Rocks, the old town historic section of Sydney, is located across from the Opera House. First settled in 1788, the European Colonists' homes and businesses have been restored and now house trendy restaurants, boutiques and galleries. The Rocks Market, held every weekend at the north end of George Street and Playfair, is a wild streetmarket featuring everything imaginable.

Next to The Rocks is Circular Quay, the center for water traffic in the harbour. Ferries, cruises and jet boat rides leave from here and you can pick and choose among the destinations. One spot to consider is Fort Denison, located in the center of Sydney Harbour. Originally a prison, then turned into a fort after two American warships circled the island in the middle of the night, you can now visit the museum or watch the harbour traffic while enjoying lunch in the café.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, covering 30 hectares, is an oasis in the center of the city. Two aspects of the garden are of particular interest: Cadi Jam Ora, the First Encounters Garden and Mrs. Macquaries chair. Cadi Jam Ora is a garden devoted to the Cadigal people, the Aboriginal inhabitants of central Sydney. The garden, filled with plants native to the area during their time, tells the story of the Cadigal people and their first encounters with the Europeans during the settlement/invasion. Mrs. Macquarie was the wife of Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales in the early 1800’s. The Macquaries lived in Government House, located within the Gardens and open to the public for tours, and Mrs. Macquarie used to walk out to a rocky point overlooking the Harbour and watch the ships come in. A chair carved out of the solid stone is where she used to sit and nowadays it’s the best location to take pictures with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as your backdrop.

Our STREETWISE® Sydney Map is fully indexed to include street names, cultural sites, points of interest, government and school locations, hospitals, hotels, parks and reserves, pedestrian walkways and places of worship.

Our pocket size map of Sydney is also laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. The STREETWISE® Sydney map is one of many detailed and easy-to-read city street maps designed and published by STREETWISE®. Buy your STREETWISE® Sydney map today and you too can navigate Sydney, Australia like a native. For a larger selection of our detailed travel maps simply type STREETWISE MAPS into the Amazon search bar.

Answer: Canberra, 175 miles southwest of Sydney, is the capital of Australia.

Down Under

Bill Bryson

Down Under Bill Bryson List Price: $16.50
By: Black Swan
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Very informative, telling you many things no ordinary travel book does 4 out of 5 stars.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.

Bill Bryson is best known for writing very humorous travel books, and "In a Sunburned Country" is indeed a funny account of his travels in Australia. Those who love Bill Bryson's books for their humor won't be disappointed.

But unlike most people, I like Bill Bryson best when he's NOT trying to be funny, and my appreciation of this book is mostly due to the great amount of very interesting information presented.

Bill Bryson amazes you with loads of information about the geology, the animal life, the plants and insects, the history, the statistics, the folklore, etc., etc. The many dangers: poisonous snakes, poisonous insects, poisonous jellyfish, crocodiles, sharks, and rip currents - they're all out to get you. The inhospitable deserts, the beautiful beaches, the huge distances; Bill Bryson gives you a feeling of what it's all like.

The book goes into detail about many aspects of Australian life that are fairly unknown, including the discovery (and re-discovery) of Australia, the settlement by British prisoners, the early expeditions to explore the interior, the gold rushes, the outlaws, and the devastation caused by rabbits and other imported animals and plants. Bill Bryson talks about the many unusual animal species found only in Australia, including giant earthworms that grow up to 1 meter (and can be stretched to 4 meters) and the platypus, a cross between a reptile and a mammal. He talks about Australians and the Australian society, and the situation regarding the native people, the aboriginals.

Bill Bryson doesn't cover all of Australia from the geographical point of view, and the parts he does cover are somewhat random. But that doesn't matter because he captures the spirit of the whole country based on the parts he does visit and the general information he includes.

A very positive aspect is that Bill Bryson makes it clear that he loves Australia. The feeling is infectious, and it makes you want to pack your bags and head "down under" for a long leisurely trip so you can do your own exploring.

If I were to mention two things I was less happy about, it would be the occasional excessive attempts to be funny and the lack of contact with Australians. One of the best parts of the book is about his traveling together with an Australian couple for 3-4 days, but other than this passage Bill Bryson is mostly playing the typical tourist, with little or no contact with Australians. And despite a fairly long discussion about the aboriginal situation he does not ever get into contact with any aboriginals. Why not?

A final note regarding the unabridged audio version of the book, read by Bill Bryson himself: Most authors are poor readers, but Mr. Bryson does a very good job here, almost on a par with a professional reader. Recommended.

Rennie Petersen

PS. "In a Sunburned Country" has also been published under the title "Down Under". It is exactly the same book.

Editorial Review:

After tales from the USA and Britain, Bill Bryson turns his roving eye to Australia, the only island that is also a continent and the only continent that is also a country. It is the driest, flattest, most desiccated, infertile and climatically aggressive of all the inhabited continents. It has more things that can kill you in a very nasty way that anywhere else. Yet when Bill Bryson travelled to Australia he promptly fell in love with the country. And who can blame him? The people are cheerful, the cities safe and clean, the food is excellent, the beer is cold and the sun nearly always shines. He tries to find out why Aussies are so cool, digging up a past that reveals convicts, explorers, gold diggers and outlaws.

East Coast Australia (Regional Guide)

Lindsay Brown, Ryan Ver Berkmoes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Sunscreen: check! Surf gear: check! Lonely Planet: check! Make the great Aussie pilgrimage up the eastern seaboard – sun-kissed realm of beaches and buzzing cities, wilderness and wildlife, country retreats and wineries. Our definitive guidebook gives you detailed regional coverage for the perfect coastal odyssey.

Cruise The Coast – coverage of the best beaches from St Kilda Esplanade to the Great Barrier Reef, and beyond

Embrace The Outdoors – whether it’s boating or bungee jumping, cycling or surfing, we’ll help you to an adrenaline high

Suss Out The Cities – inside information on how to make the most of magical Melbourne, sassy Sydney and breezy Brisbane

Taste The Tucker – freshly shucked rock oysters, snags sizzling on the barbie or fresh mangoes, whatever you fancy, we’ll have you salivating

Go Your Own Way – 95 maps to help you navigate from sports event to market to beach, and detours to escape the crowds

Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef (Regional Guide)

Alan Murphy

Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef (Regional Guide) Alan Murphy Amazon Price: $14.95
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Editorial Review:

Discover Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef

Pack up your 4WD and head for the end of the road at Cooktown, where happiness is a fishing rod and an Esky full of beer
Browse Kuranda's market stalls, and camp overnight in paradise when the day-trippers have left
Disappear onto an island off Cairns where the government once planted coconut palms to feed shipwreck survivors
Extend your trip by 8000 vertical feet and 15 seconds of freefall in a tandem skydive

In This Guide

Four authors, five months of research, a litre of sunscreen
More dive operators, bareboat charters and sailing options than any other guidebook
Color Highlights chapter for travelers, by travelers

Australia - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette

Barry Penney

Australia - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette Barry Penney Amazon Price: $9.95
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* dos, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

National Geographic Traveler: Australia (3rd Edition)

Rolf Smith

National Geographic Traveler: Australia (3rd Edition) Rolf Smith Amazon Price: $18.45
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By: National Geographic
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fine guide 5 out of 5 stars.
52 of 56 people found this review helpful.

This is my first national Geographic travel guide, from an interesting author. He once biked 10,000 miles around Australia, getting into remote areas where he was all alone, 100 miles from the nearest habitation just on his bicycle. As he went, his travel commentaries were published in the Australian papers, and the story was even picked up by the international newspapers at the time, making him something of an international celebrity as a travel writer. He now lives in Victoria and freelances for various Australian magazines and publications. It's more topically oriented the say, the DK guide, with perhaps fewer subjects covered but with more coverage per article. This is just my subjective impression but I offer it for what it's worth. The DK guide's look busier per page and this one is less.

I learned some interesting things from this book. To mention just a few, Australia is the oldest continent, which is why the interior is so flat, and why it contains so many marsupial species, which died out elsewhere when the couldn't compete with the more advanced placental mammals. Culturally, it is a land of contrasts, with more modern looking cities with newer buildings than most American cities, which contrasts with the primitive aboriginal lifestyle which still exists to some extent in North Australia. And the rugged, macho image of Australian settlers, outbackers, and bushrangers contrasts with the fact that Sydney has an even higher gay and lesbian population than San Francisco, and their Gay and Lesbian parade is an international event.

Before getting into the regional sections, there is a 72 page introduction that covers history, culture, the land, food, and drink, the arts, and flora and fauna. There's a lot of good info here and this is a longer introduction compared to most travel guides that I've seen.The remaining 299 pages cover the 8 major provinces or regions of Australia, including the island of Tasmania, which I was especially interested in. Each section includes the most popular sites and things to do, with beautiful photos and well written text.

I am especially interested in Tasmania, and I learned that it is easy to see the sights there, as there is a 600-mile road that goes around the entire perimeter of the island, and most of the interesting sites can be accessed from it. As I am planning a trip to Australia sometime soon, I was interested to learn this, since most of Australia is difficult to get to since the distances are so vast. Just Western Australia, still one of the most remote and sparsely settled regions, is three times the size of Texas.

Sydney of course gets a special section by itself, and you could spend the rest of your life just seeing the sites there. I was most interested in Sydney, Tasmania, and also Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Kuranda Rainforest in the north as the three other main places to visit on my trip, and this guide was very helpful for researching that. Other helpful features of this guide include an Australia map on the inside front cover, a Sydney transit map, and many regional and town maps for you convenience. There is a quick table of contents on the inside front cover also. All in all a nice done and enjoyable guide to the fascinating land of Down Under.

Editorial Review:

A jewel of the Southern Hemisphere, Australia offers visitors a fascinating blend of gorgeous beaches, dramatic Outback vistas, unique animal and plant life, and glittering cosmopolitan cities. In National Geographic Traveler: Australia, 3rd Edition, esteemed writer Roff Smith takes readers throughout this sun-drenched land, including famous Bondi beach in Sydney, the gold-mining towns in the far west, the underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, and the remote rivers of Tasmania.

Lonely Planet Australia

Paul Smitz

Lonely Planet Australia Paul Smitz List Price: $29.99
By: Lonely Planet Publications
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

It is really really really bad travel guide!!! 1 out of 5 stars.
43 of 46 people found this review helpful.

I started to use Lonely Planet 15 years ago. I can say that I am a witness of how much quality deteriorite it has been. I used to just buy it by default. It was a Bible for me. But, a BIG but, this Lonely Planet Australia set a new lowest standard for the series.

First of all, it had so old information. The hostels listed in the book in Sydeny probably were closed more than 5 years ago. One hostel in bondi beach that I wanted to go that was listed in the book. When I showed up in the hotel address, there was a internet café and pub. No hostel at all.

Second. The most unbelieveable of all, the book I have, which is 2004 version, has no mention at all about the Olympic Village in Sydeny. Oh my God! Sydney Olympic was in 2000. Can you believe that after 4 years, they still didn't update it? I was reading it again and again, before I throw this book away to trash can, I still didn't belive that they can omit all the information about Olympic, like the village, the boat to go there, like the stadium... they pretend that there is no such a thing!

I know that Lonely Plante started many years ago in Australia, by some Australian backpackers. So it is a REAL shame that Lonely Planet Australia is so bad. If there is negative score, I will give that. As one star is minimum, I have to give that. But my true belief is that this book deserves negative 5 stars!!!

Editorial Review:

Golden beaches, baked red deserts and glamorous cities. An ancient indigenous history and a young, vibrant culture: welcome to Australia! Stick around, hang out with us a while. With this bestselling guide to the Land Down Under tucked under one arm, let us show you why Lonely Planet calls Australia home.

o RELAX and let us take care of it: planning your holiday Down Under has never been so easy.
o GET AROUND with the help of 193 maps to town and country, beach and mountain - and everywhere in between.
o TREAT YOURSELF to the best wining and dining that Australia has to offer, served on a platter by our expert food and drink author.
o MEET THE LOCALS - Bouncing 'roos, half-stoned koalas and sleepy wombats: Australia's fascinating wildlife is demystified in our full-colour Environment chapter.
o PUT YOUR FEET UP at Australia's best and best-value accommodation, handpicked by our troupe of roaming authors.

Time Out Sydney (Time Out Guides)

Editors of Time Out

Time Out Sydney (Time Out Guides) Editors of Time Out Amazon Price: $13.57
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Editorial Review:

Time Out Sydney is the definitive guide to the multicultural, laid-back, sun-kissed delights of Australia's most exciting city

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