Turn Right at Machu Picchu

Thoroughly enjoyable book. Nice back and forth between historical stuff and author's personal Peru trek.

An interesting travelogue, though sometimes the narrative wanders a little. The author's humor definitely livened things up, and of course the sites he's visiting sound amazing!

It had been too long since the last time I read a travelogue. This one was a excellent choice. The author, a travel journalist who freely admits he doesn't do that much traveling, hooks up with an tough Australian guide in Peru to follow the trail of Hiram Bingham III, a Yale man who had “discovered” Machu Picchu in 1911. The narrative weaves together Bingham's history, Peruvian history, and his own trekking in the area and succeeds in telling a fascinating, well-paced story. The book includes a number of black and white photos as well.

Just for fun, here's a quote from his guide, John, when they were discussing craziest things they've ever eaten:

“I once ate a cockroach, but that was on a bet back in Australia. I also once, after quite a lot of beer, ate a kilo of butter.” He leaned forward between the front seats. “Won ten dollars on that bet.”

Tries to be a lot of things at once: an adventure travel diary, a history of Peru, a stand-up comedy routine. Sort of succeeds. Sometimes it felt scattered, and I was annoyed at the shifts in tone. Sometimes I LOLed. Overall, it was OK.

I picked this up after a month-long communion with Nature which SHOOK MY VERY FOUNDATIONS; this did not scratch that itch. I presume The Snow Leopard will? Onto the Himalayas!

Spring break wasn't much of a spring break; I was sick with the flu. Bed rest was prescribed. Fortunately, that did not preclude my usual spring break fare, reading.

Off I went to South America. I set off with contemporary Mark Adams as he attempted to retrace the steps of explorer Hiram Bingham III as he searched for lost treasures. He didn't find exactly what he was seeking, but in the process he found one of the most famous archeological sites in the world, Machu Picchu.

Well told, with alternating stories of past and present, stories filled with action and danger.