Away from My Desk

by Haffar, Rif K.; Cigarski, Tracy L.

• ISBN13: 9780971545106
• ISBN10: 0971545103
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-08-01
• Publisher: Ameera Pub

Summary

Traveling mainly by motorcycle, the author traverses 45 countries on six continents in this memoir, experiencing both fascinating and harrowing travails during a one-year journey. With a healthy mix of contemporary and historical perspectives, new insights are provided on typical tourist destinations such as the Taj Mahal and the Trevi Fountain. Additionally, encounters with a law enforcement official in the Czech Republic and a panty-wielding pickpocket in Istanbul (among other things) supply plenty of humor along the way. These vivid and engaging accounts showcase the destinations not just as tourists see them, but as residents experience them as well, realistically portraying floods, earthquakes, and civil unrest.

Table of Contents

Dedication	vii
Acknowledgements	ix
Introduction	xv
Europe	1	(86)
Lisbon, Portugal, September 8	3	(5)
Sevilla, Spain, September 13	8	(1)
Tangier, Morocco, September 16	9	(2)
Granada, Spain, September 17	11	(2)
Albacete, Spain, September 19	13	(2)
Palma, Mallorca, September 20	15	(1)
Montpellier, France, September 28	16	(3)
Provence, France, October 2	19	(3)
Marseilles, France, October 8	22	(2)
Saint Tropez, France, October 9	24	(2)
Nice, France, October 11	26	(2)
Monaco, October 12	28	(2)
Milano, Italy, October 13	30	(3)
Lugano, Switzerland, October 13	33	(2)
Zurich, Switzerland, October 16	35	(2)
Fussen, Germany, October 18	37	(2)
Munich, Germany, October 19	39	(4)
Prague, Czech Republic, October 23	43	(4)
Vienna, Austria, October 28	47	(2)
Budapest, Hungary, October 30	49	(4)
Zagreb, Croatia, November 2	53	(2)
Venice, Italy, November 4	55	(4)
Verona, Italy, November 10	59	(3)
Florence, Italy, November 11	62	(3)
Pisa, Italy, November 14	65	(2)
Rome, Italy, November 15	67	(3)
The Vatican, Vatican City, November 19	70	(3)
Olympia, Greece, November 25	73	(3)
Nafplion, Greece, November 26	76	(2)
Athens, Greece, November 28	78	(3)
Santorini, Greece, December 3	81	(2)
Chios, Greece, December 5	83	(4)
Middle East	87	(22)
Selcuk, Turkey, December 7	89	(3)
Istanbul, Turkey, December 11	92	(6)
Beirut, Lebanon, December 20	98	(3)
Muscat, Oman, January 4	101	(2)
Musandam, Oman, January 8	103	(3)
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 12	106	(3)
Asia	109	(64)
Bombay, India, January 13	111	(9)
Varanasi, India, January 24	120	(5)
Agra, India, January 27	125	(2)
Kumarakom, India, January 30	127	(4)
Bangkok, Thailand, February 7	131	(4)
Ayutthaya, Thailand, February 11	135	(3)
Hua Hin, Thailand, February 13	138	(1)
Vientiane, Laos, February 17	139	(4)
Hanoi, Vietnam, February 20	143	(4)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, February 25	147	(4)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, February 28	151	(4)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Match 4	155	(5)
Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Match 9	160	(3)
Borobudur, Indonesia, Match 10	163	(1)
Bali, Indonesia, Match 14	164	(3)
Lombok, Indonesia, Match 17	167	(6)
Oceania	173	(58)
Darwin, Australia, April 1	175	(4)
Cairns, Australia, April 5	179	(1)
Saxon Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, April 7	180	(2)
Katherine Gorge, Katherine, Australia, April 13	182	(2)
Elliott, Australia, April 14	184	(1)
Alice Springs, Australia, April 15	185	(2)
Uluru, Australia, April 17	187	(3)
Coober Pedy, Australia, April 17	190	(1)
Adelaide, Australia, April 19	191	(2)
Torquay, Victoria, Australia, April 21	193	(1)
Melbourne, Australia, April 23	194	(4)
Sydney, Australia, April 27	198	(5)
Auckland, New Zealand, May 2	203	(3)
Rotorua, New Zealand, May 4	206	(3)
Wellington, New Zealand, May 6	209	(3)
Westport, New Zealand, May 8	212	(2)
Franz Josef, New Zealand, May 10	214	(2)
Kawarau River Suspension Bridge, New Zealand, May 12	216	(2)
Queenstown, New Zealand, May 13	218	(2)
Christchurch, New Zealand, May 15	220	(3)
Tahiti, French Polynesia, May 17 (Again)	223	(2)
Bora Bora, French Polynesia, May 24	225	(6)
South America	231	(42)
Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 27	233	(6)
Parque Nacional Iguazu, Argentina, May 31	239	(2)
Colonia, Uruguay, June 2	241	(2)
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, June 4	243	(3)
Peulla, Chile, June 8	246	(3)
Puerto Montt, Chile, June 9	249	(3)
Santiago, Chile, June 12	252	(4)
La Paz, Bolivia, June 17	256	(4)
Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, June 20	260	(3)
Tiwanaku, Bolivia, June 22	263	(2)
Cuzco, Peru, June 24	265	(2)
Machu Picchu, Peru, June 25	267	(2)
Lima, Peru, June 28	269	(4)
Central America	273	(30)
Panama City, Panama, July 2	275	(2)
Caracas, Venezuela, July 5	277	(2)
San Jose, Costa Rica, July 14	279	(3)
Tortuguero, Costa Rica, July 18	282	(3)
Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica, July 20	285	(2)
Managua, Nicaragua, July 25	287	(3)
Guatemala City, Guatemala, July 28	290	(3)
Antigua, Guatemala, August 1	293	(3)
Belize City, Belize, August 5	296	(3)
Caye Caulker, Belize, August 8	299	(3)
Los Angeles, California, August 12	302	(1)
Epilogue	303	(4)
Bibliography	307	(4)
Index	311