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13 oeuvres 257 utilisateurs 11 critiques

Œuvres de Tom Chesshyre

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I read this alongside some theological reading I’m doing. It provided some light relief and allowed me to enjoy the walk with Tom and his friends. I came away feeling that after the initial beauty of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire it became a scenically unattractive walk. Not sure that it’s one that,if I was well enough, I would like to do. But still, some fun facts and info all along the path.
 
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IanGrantham | 1 autre critique | Mar 23, 2023 |
If you were to mention the Maldives to most people they would conjure up images of pristine beaches and luxury hotels. This champagne lifestyle comes at a price though, not only is it expensive to go there, the Beckhams were rumoured to have spent £250k on one holiday alone, but there has been a human cost to this lifestyle for the residents and workers of the island. On top of that, the Maldives is in a perilous position. It is the lowest country in the world, only nudging a few meters above the waves and will be affected by climate change as sea levels rise.

Having previously had a strong Buddhist influence, the country is a Muslim country that is not as strict as others, for example, alcohol was allowed in certain places, but it still could be quite draconian at times. The country was run by a Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for 30 years after he won six consecutive elections without opposition. It was the only country in the world not to have a political party, even China has one political party. For most visitors, all that they would have been able to see was the luxury resorts and a little of the islands they were designated to holiday on. Most would be blissfully unaware of the history of the place. This was because islands in the archipelago that were not designated ‘tourist resorts’ were off limits to any outsiders. The rules have been relaxed now and this means that Tom Chessyre had the opportunity to see what real life was like there for residents and immigrants.

Travelling between the various islands on cargo boats and other craft is a good way to meet the locals and the people that work in the resorts. He does end up in a couple of the luxury resort for the odd night or two, but most of the time he is staying in guesthouses run by the locals. It makes it much easier to tease out the stories that they have of their country. Given how draconian the regime is, some were reluctant to speak, or if they did then they have been anonymised by Chessyre. We hear of their fears and hope for the country as well as he is prepared to let people confide in him. A lot of people were affected by the 2004 tsunami, and the atolls are very vulnerable given their height; there is no high land to retreat to when the waves sweep in and the future seems bleak for some residents. I thought this was really good, insightful reportage and travel writing of the other side of an island paradise.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
PDCRead | 1 autre critique | Apr 6, 2020 |
Tom Chesshyre happened upon a map of the River Thames in a Bric-a-brac market on his way to the library. It was a reproduction of a map by William Tombleson showing the twists and turns from the source near Cirencester to the mouth on the Kent and Essex coasts. He could not resist buying it, and having done so, an idea formed of walking along the river from the source to the North Sea. The Thames is one of the few rivers including the Nile and the Amazon, with a global presence. Whilst the other rivers are thousands of miles long, the humble Thames is only 215 miles long, making Tom’s walk a gentle stroll compared to the adventurers Ed Stafford and Levison Wood who have walked the other two rivers.

Our most well know river has drawn all types of people through the ages, from artists and authors to those that have used the river to make their living from. It doesn’t have the exotic and dangerous elements that the Nile and the Amazon can boast, it does reflect the rich and diverse history of our country stretching back several thousand years. Passing historical churches, vast country estates and idyllic meadows before walking into the famous skyline that is London. Along the way, Chesshyre meets the great and the good and other people walking the same route as him and the characters that make the river such a dynamic place to live and work. Oh, and there are pubs too, lots of pubs

Travel books should inspire you to move from the comfort of your sofa and go and seek the places yourself. In this delightful book, Chesshyre does that. He engages with the spirit of the river and the places that he walks through, whilst pondering the implications of the recent referendum result. This is a walk that I would like to undertake myself one day as it seems to be a wonderful way to see an iconic part of our country.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
PDCRead | 1 autre critique | Apr 6, 2020 |
This is a series of shot travel tales by Chesshyre as he heads out across Europe by fast train to various destinations. He is normally accompanied by his girlfriend, E, but is sometime alone, and occasionally a friend.

Really enjoyed it, and he sells the idea of the high speed train route. In some cases it can be faster than the equivalent flight. The book makes me want to do this, when the children are old enough to be left!
 
Signalé
PDCRead | Apr 6, 2020 |

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Statistiques

Œuvres
13
Membres
257
Popularité
#89,245
Évaluation
½ 3.7
Critiques
11
ISBN
43
Langues
2

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