The Savvy Traveller - The Lonely Planet Guide to the Middle of Nowhere

This is a celebration of travel, the pioneering spirit and the truth that our well-trodden world is still full of places untouched and untrampled - they’re all around us, you just need to explore. The book takes you on tankers to the Antarctic, with armed rebels in Columbia, the neon madness of Vegas and on epic journey’s through Africa.

Where exactly is the middle of nowhere? Lonely Planet explores just that concept in this book. It transports readers to a place of unique discovery and isolation, whether it is the wilds of nature or the midst of a bustling city and fosters the spirit of exploration and travel. It's about appreciation and seeking out adventure in all travel experiences, whether in the remote regions of Russia or the chaotic streets of Shanghai.

Thirty-eight travel writers contributed essays describing adventures from such diverse locales as the Atacama Desert in Bolivia, Las Vegas in Nevada, and Aappilattoq in Greenland. The first-person accounts weave a story about the journeys as much as the destinations.The essays accompany photos that capture that feeling of finding an untouched gem in this well-trodden world. An index at the end of the book shows readers how to get to the places featured, what to bring, and things to do, among other details. But ultimately, the book inspires readers to find their own “nowhere”, whether it be just around the corner or across the globe. This book is a reminder to even the most seasoned adventurer, there's a lifetime of experiences to discover.

Spin the globe, throw away the map, head out and find your own Nowhere.

Excerpt:
“ I knew that doing a solo-trek through the mountains and villages of China’s borderlands wasn’t a wise move. Nevertheless, the return bus journey seemed far more suicidal. For three days I walked along dirt roads, goat trails and through forested hills with a scribbled hand-drawn map as my guide. I took in gob-smaking scenery and stayed in remote minority villages. While this was far from a travelled route, it was on the second day that I reached that surreal ‘nowhere’. I’d attempted to take a shortcut and instead found my woodland trail disappear abruptly into an unexpected mountain desert. I was lost with very little water and all sense of direction evaporated, but after the eternity of a handful of minutes, a mirage appeared over a distant dune. The huge angular black hats of three Yi women. I’ve always been fascinated by the Yi, known as China’s bandits and fantastically decked out in embroidered tops, flowing skirts, Pippi-long-stocking tights and running shoes. We finally met on that odd, sandstrewn terrain and, with much handwaving and smoking of handmade 30cm pipes, they eventually directed me out of the Middle of Nowhere.”
Korina Miller, The Middle of Nowhere

$35.00 (hardcover)