| Title | : | Reckless Traveler |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0991465482 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780991465484 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 318 |
| Publication | : | First published June 23, 2015 |
Perú and beyond: Through the alchemy of travel, youthful folly may bring disaster or wisdom . . . and more.
The instructional travel guide for aspiring backpackers: learn how to bribe police, avoid malaria, and find employment abroad -- and what to do (and not to do) when armed mercenaries detain your charter bus.
Awaken your inner explorer with Walter Rhein's
Reckless Traveler Reviews
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A South American - Magical Mystery Tour
"Travel helps separate what is real from what is not. Travel is education without agenda."- Walter Rhein
Walter Rhein’s introductory chapter to
Reckless Traveler, available online and in the eBook preview, trapped me as quick as I glanced at it. I did not set out to read a travel biography, but a chance crossing of a Facebook post had me ensnared. Equally concerned for Walter’s health and excited about what he experienced, I had no choice but to neglect my to-read pile dominated by dark fantasy. My reading mirrored that of the author’s experience. Spending a decade in Peru, initially as short-time tourist one who did not speak the local language, Walter recaps his own entrapment: his muse anchored him in a foreign land.
The author’s style is welcoming; the story is adventurous and peppered with philosophical depth. He accurately portrays the consequences of traveling without a plan, which is fraught with fun and danger. Visa issues and adventure take him to Venezuela and Chile—so he was not bound to Peru. Read this and you encounter: giant cockroaches, being robbed, Machu Picchu, AK47’s, Chilean jails, medical crises, peanut butter, transient friendships, bribery, murder, a race through the mountains, being robbed again…He does not advocate that everyone should actually travel recklessly; the best alternative is to let Walter do the walking and talking…and just follow him via the comfort of this book.
Recommend for all readers. The best way I can communicate Walter Rhein’s voice and the scope of the book is to offer a random array of quotes:
Random Adventurous Snippet (curious-reader traps):My dreamy recollections came to an abrupt halt when once again I found myself in Ecuador, regarding the ominous line of stern-faced mercenaries with AK-47s.
A kiss is a nice greeting. Getting through the day becomes much easier when dotted with kisses from women you meet.
I woke to find myself staring into the eyes of the world’s largest cockroach.
I rounded the corner and came upon the carnage. The taxi sat by the side of the road, its windshield spattered with orange-red droplets. I looked at the droplets for some time before I realized they were blood.
After thirty seconds, I threw up the tea. “Can we please go to the hospital now?”
My left wrist was scratched. In the place where my watch normally rested was now only a patch of untanned white skin. The guy had stolen my Timex Ironman!
“His name is Ivan. He’s the son of the Yugoslavian ambassador to Perú, and he doesn’t like Americans.”
Its trunk light came on to reveal a crumpled sheet of thick plastic. The driver pushed this aside, to expose, much to my surprise, piles and piles of money.
I paged through my passport and found an entry stamp to Chile. I shook my head. There was something slightly creepy about entering a foreign country without even talking to a border official, but I shrugged it off.
Last to emerge was Alan Garcia, the President of Perú himself.
I received a call from Roberto Carcelen. Roberto is a cross-country skier who became Perú’s first winter Olympian after representing the country at Vancouver and then again at Sochi.
The trick to crossing an Indiana Jones-style suspension bridge is to never look down. Of course, this is impossible, because you must ensure that your feet connect with planks not rotten to the core.
Philosophical Excerpts:I was suddenly glad for the increased ability to dampen out sensory intrusions. You don’t read words you can’t understand, or eavesdrop on conversations you can’t comprehend.
Therein lay the rub. “They hate it,” I said. “Everybody hates it. When I meet American tourists on the street here, taking ‘appropriate’ two-week vacations, they flash me disapproving stares as they pass by… “Maybe their scorn is only in my imagination,” I admitted. “But in the US these days, or at least where I lived, there are those who will label you as ‘unpatriotic’ for even aspiring to learn a foreign language.”
Living in Perú took the pressure off me financially, and created the freedom to think about things other than how I was going to cover monthly expenses. I felt I had stumbled into a closeout sale on time, and I wanted to purchase as much as I could. But Perú had a dark side too: it was important to keep on your toes.
The funny thing about learning foreign languages is that whenever you make an error in word choice or pronunciation you invariably say something totally inappropriate and probably sexual in nature.
The fact is, altitude can really mess with you, and you must consciously remember not to overexert yourself. Even a slow walking pace is enough to jack your heart rate up to near its maximum capacity. However, you don’t feel as if you are going too hard, which is why you can get yourself into trouble.
The only way to get a true experience is to be your own guide.
It’s liberating to come home and know there won’t be a stack of bills waiting for you. This freedom came with certain inconveniences, but overall the trade worked for me. I liked that I needed to go for a twenty minute walk if I wanted to use the internet; it meant I wouldn’t go online unless I had a true task pending that needed to be taken care of.
I could see how a bilingual readership would make it more challenging for any single entity to control a narrative.
Personally, I’d rather strive for error-riddled greatness than be limited to perfect mediocrity.
On that pinnacle, I realized that, when discussing decision-making, people tend to leave out significant points, the most important being this: Every choice has a consequence; some are good; some are bad; some are positive, but yet represent missed opportunities. -
A free-spirited American immerses himself in the wilds of the Peruvian landscape to learn about a foreign culture and ultimately, about himself.
Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein is an exciting adventure as seen through the eyes of the author. Rhein instantly got my attention as AK-47 wielding Militia converged on his bus, and he held it all the way through the end of the book.
I caught myself laughing aloud at the (spoiler alert) peanut butter and jelly diagnosis as well as his unique dinner selection after the wedding. I was equally intrigued by his soulful description of Machu Pichu and of the transformation that he went through over the years spent abroad.
Walter Rhein truly lived a life free from the unwritten rules and expectations imposed by society and had some amazing experiences along the way. So sit back, grab a Pisco sour and enjoy Reckless Traveler! May his stories inspire you to live life to its fullest. -
Walter is a storyteller at heart. You can see that in his words. No matter how badly you want to stay on the fringes and just watch, he snags you and pulls you in, sets you at the table and buys you a drink. The next thing you know you are addicted to the story and need to hear more. And by need, I mean a deep seated need, one that means more than your next breath.
I have learned that reading Walter's books takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. Fear, wonder, excitement, peace...I ran them all with him. I laughed as he tried to describe snow to kids that had never seen it or felt it. His explanation was priceless and very insightful.
I love that he is plan by the seat of his pants type traveler. He goes where the moment takes him and brings us along with him. A lot of the book is now outdated with all the travel restrictions and the way things have evolved in crossing borders, but there is still a helluva lot to take out of this book. Relax, take the time to immerse yourself in things and most of all, get out there and just try something! Look for the humor in situations out of your control. Take the road less traveled. Surprise yourself.
Needless to say, this is another top notch read, one that I am recommending to my friends. Well done Walter! -
From the first paragraph to the last, author Walther Rhein, takes you on a page-turning journey through his ten years of living in the South American Country of Peru. Guerrillas, thieves, friends, archaeological wonders, folk medicine, and the daily humdrum of living life as an expat plus much more fill the chapters of the great read. He takes you on an adventure in a Peru, with its capital city Lima, which is rapidly changing from the one he left. There is humor in his trials to learn the local language, Spanish, and the mistakes everyone makes when they get a little too confident. His frustration in dealing with local bureaucrats and governmental stooges will give you a few more laughs. There is adventure and danger in his travels inside Peru and to neighboring countries to get his visa renewed.
This book should be read by anyone thinking of residing as an expat in Peru or any other country. There are challenges to overcome in all of them and this read will help prepare you for them and provide plenty of entertainment as you read it. -
This is an amusing account of the author's time in South America. The chapters are short and I went to bed intending to read just a couple and found myself reading the whole book in one go. It offers an insight into the South American mentality - I can quite understand how Walter initially planned to stay for a few months and ended up spending ten years there. His advice on dealing with bureaucracy will no doubt ring a bell with many travellers the world over - if in doubt photocopy everything first! I'm not sure about the medical advice he was given by the locals but it certainly gives the reader an insight into another culture and way of thinking. I have to wonder what the author is up to now - after a bus 'hijack', robbery, illness, life must seem quite tame?
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Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein
5 stars
OK—when an acquaintance suggested this book to me, I was so NOT interested. It’s completely out of my usual reading genres, so the appeal was just not there. Two things, though, intrigued me enough to read a sample. First, I have been fascinated with Peru (especially Machu Picchu) for a very long time and second, the cover was really cool. After reading the first chapter, I still wasn’t sold…the book is referred to as a novel yet was pretty much a totally true account of the author’s adventures in Peru over the many years he was there. Initially as a youthful backpacking ‘wanderer’, to a reluctant then passionate teacher, and ultimately as a true lover of the country, Mr. Rhein’s account of his Peruvian years is the tale of a life made rich by Peru’s myriad of majestically beautiful sites, history rich in Incan mystery and Spanish reign, and, perhaps most beautiful of all, its people.
Following a rather scary beginning chapter, the book evolved into a series of in-depth descriptions of how Mr. Rhein became infatuated and then engaged with the culture and the country. His growth from a man/boy traveler and stranger in a strange land to a 7 year resident of Peru started with learning the language and how to communicate. “If you speak three languages you’re trilingual; if you speak two languages you’re bilingual; if you speak one language you’re an American.”
The countries of South America don’t get the notice as tourist destinations like the countries of Europe, the British Isles, the Far East or even Africa. Yet Mr. Rhein has written such a lovely and fond book about Peru, it would certainly seem worthy to include those countries on our travel radar. He visited many of Peru’s landmark places as well as to those more remote; each chapter was an adventure of some kind, and I swear that after each chapter, I would laugh and sigh, saying to myself…’this was my favorite chapter. I did that until the book was finished. There was only one thing in the book that I would have done differently. When you read the book, what would you say?
As this book unfolded, I found myself laughing OUT LOUD at so many of these vignettes. Mr. Rhein’s writing style or voice is no stranger to humor—not only laughing at situations in which he found himself (such as the story of extending his visa) but also able to laugh at himself. Chapter after chapter is filled with outstanding prose, descriptions that pique your mind’s eye, humor (as mentioned) that is funny because it’s rooted in truth, and strong beliefs in stepping outside of one’s status quo (or as we say in my neck of the woods, the state quote). When he (the author) told one of his classes not to be afraid to make mistakes, they were dumbfounded. “Only time will tell if my advice to you is effective or not…I know this much though: most people who are trained to pursue a false sense of perfection become extremely risk-aversive. Personally, I’d rather strive for error-riddled greatness than be limited to perfect mediocrity.”
So don’t limit yourself like I almost did…it’s a delightful read. -
Title: Reckless Traveler
Author: Walter Rhein
Publisher: Perseid Press
Pages: 318
Rating: 5/5
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein are of my own.
Synopsis from Amazon: Reckless Traveler: an autobiographical novel of adventuring in South America, sure to delight anyone with a passport. Perú and beyond: Through the alchemy of travel, youthful folly may bring disaster or wisdom . . . and more.
The instructional travel guide for aspiring backpackers: learn how to bribe police, avoid malaria, and find employment abroad -- and what to do (and not to do) when armed mercenaries detain your charter bus.
Awaken your inner explorer with Walter Rhein's Reckless Traveler, expat tales from a decade of discovery.
Review:
This book is not usually the type of book I'll pick up if I were browsing through a bookstore. I am however, extremely glad +Walter Rhein decided to e-mail me to see if I wanted to read his book and write a review over it. I'm not one to pass up on adding a book to my library.
I am someone who loves the idea of travelling, but I doubt I ever really will. Mainly because the anxiety that comes when I actually start planning is too overwhelming. I did get lost in this book. The imagery Rhein weaves throughout his re-telling of his decade in Peru is astounding. The characters who flit in and out of his life are likable, some are even worrisome. The situations he got himself into range from hilarious to sad. I mostly smiled reading about his adventures than anything else, though.
You can tell there is a huge gap between how we do things within the United States and how other countries do things. When we're sick, we want to go to the doctor. When they're sick over there, they stick to home remedies. Dancing is always encouraged, and people are genuinely interested in taking you under their wing if they find you to be of good character, as opposed to us Americans thinking people should just make it by themselves.
Rhein has woken up the travel dragon inside me. I believe when I actually do sit down and plan something, I'll be able to follow through with it. My desire for new experiences outweighs my worries about what could potentially go wrong. I think I'll start slow and opt for another state instead of another country right off the bat, though. ;)
I'm giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars because Rhein knows how to re-tell a story. He knows how to make his readers laugh. He also knows how to make his readers be filled with awe by just telling us how he felt examining certain places he went to on his travels. It takes an amazing write to put a picture inside your head and make you feel what they were feeling at the time. -
Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein Review 2/7/17 ARC from the Author
Travel with an edge!
Reckless Traveler: an autobiographical novel of adventuring in South America, sure to delight anyone with a passport. Perú and beyond: Through the alchemy of travel, youthful folly may bring disaster or wisdom . . . and more. The instructional travel guide for aspiring backpackers: learn how to bribe police, avoid malaria, and find employment abroad -- and what to do (and not to do) when armed mercenaries detain your charter bus. Awaken your inner explorer with Walter Rhein's Reckless Traveler, expat tales from a decade of discovery.
What did I like? It’s funny that I received this book from the author at the time that I did. My granddaughter is in college studying environmental science, watershed management and she just visited Peru this last month. She came back full of the people, culture and the problems of the area. Then I started this book not realizing where it would lead me. Wow, that couldn’t happen again in a million years. I really loved the book and have already recommended it to several people that would be interested in doing just the same thing. If I was in that age group and that point in my life, I most definitely would consider this to be an excellent guide as to what to do while I was there in Peru.
What will you like? This is a well written autobiographical novel that is full of humor and interesting things that happen to the author. I laughed and cried at the things that happened to him. Having grown up in New Mexico and already knowing the language I could see the problems that can be incurred when you go with no knowledge of what is being said to you and then trying to stay in safe areas as to not incur the wrath of the locals. Of course, there are many dialects that you could come across in South America, wow how much trouble you could get into. The descriptions of the natural beauty of the country is wonderful and will capture your heart. I could also envision this beauty in my mind as I read his descriptions plus having seen some of them in my granddaughter photos. I really loved the heartfelt problems such as the blisters that he incurred on his hike, the stomach problems and the interactions with the locals that could drive you mad. His way of describing these were right on the spot and I felt like I was there enjoying them with him. He has written several other books and I am endeavoring to read some of them. We will definitely hear more from this young man and I can see that for him in the near future.
I received this from the author for an honest opinion with no compensation paid. -
A great read.
It has just been graduation time of year, in a year that has left people in limbo, with compromised job situations, or no job at all, and limited opportunities to travel. Young people are either not returning to school, or are unsure about their next step.
I read Walter Rhein’s Reckless Traveler, and mourn the inability to just GO somewhere, away. And am simultaneously grateful for our literary world, which means people can share their stories and others can read and experience.
In our current, image-crazy milieu, for fleeting moments I wanted photos of the places Rhein describes…and then I recalled how in my TV-free childhood, which was blessed with books, descriptions used to be enough. So I enjoyed his thoughtful, evocative descriptions. Yes, how it should be. Further push to get out of my chair and go see for myself.
I suspect the title of this work could just as well be “What I did with my degree in Literature,” and could be handed out to recent grads as inspiration to “find your way.”
The spirit of resourcefulness and common sense—even while always reaching for wonder and experience—is what has most struck me about this read. Recklessness, not so much maybe. (Though the stories are, to my mind, infused with a healthy sense of questioning authority and adventure.) But the reality of living long-term in a place in which one starts out not knowing the language, the isolation in that, the connecting with other travelers, the lessons and stories gained…the experience of being an American in the larger world, seeing himself as such from Outside. All that is in the pages, with thorough exploration and Humor!
Even in the moments of stress and distress, humor breaks out! Always. And had me laughing. The insights gained through the experiences of small actions to the challenging—crushing a cockroach to climbing mountains—make for stories that build to a narrative of growth and maturation.
It does serve to remind me that while our world is seemingly shrinking, in our immediate now and near future, our capacity to travel is so diminished, and ways in which the world has existed are quickly changing; in future we will be able to see less and less, which will make such books and stories even more important and necessary.
I plan to give copies to every recent graduate I know, and hope they are inspired to go out and explore their world! -
When residing in a foreign country, how does one adapt?
Although the author declared his book to be fiction, it is my understanding that he is describing many of his adventures when he didn’t live in the U.S. for ten years. In this book, he first goes to Peru. He can speak very little Spanish, which is one of the areas it was important for him to learn. This was not only a new language, but a new way of life. Peruvians live much differently that Americans do. He recklessly jumped into experiences and events that most people would think twice before they considered being so rash, but he was young seeking adventure. It took him awhile to become fluent enough in Spanish that he could carry on an intelligent conversation. Fortunately he found Peruvians who were bi-lingual. As a result, he often made statements, innocently, where what he meant to say and what he did say were miles apart, often embarrassing. He became sick, and since doctors were few and far between, he was taken to Medicine Women, old crones who had been taught to use natural plants to cure patients. He refused to accept that, even refused some of a regular doctor’s treatment for kidney stones, until one time when he was suffering so much and away from a doctor, his girlfriend mixed up some natural plant leaves along with oil, and he never had a problem with kidney stones again.
Walter Rhein was curious and he traveled around much of Peru, often having to hike miles even on the side of a cliff to get where he wanted to go. He also visited Ecuador and Venezuela, which later became closed to Americans. He slowly learned Spanish and as he had once been a school teacher, when he ran out of money, he was hired to teach English to the Peruvians in a high school in Peru. He used his own system to keep the children attentive and interested and is proud of the fact that he did a good job and his students enjoyed him.
Since the author wrote it as fiction, he was able to make his memoir more colorful and, therefore, more exciting and humorous. He definitely has a sense of humor. I recommend this book if the reader is looking for light, entertaining reading that also is educational and a guide for others who may want to reside a few years in a foreign country. It is well written and reads easily and quickly.
I was given a complimentary copy for an honest review. -
Glad it was free
This story had moments of brilliance and those not so much. It has occasions of humor and attempts that failed. It starts out with a heart pounding scene as the bus “our reckless traveler” is riding on appears to be hijacked by local rebels. From that heart pounding beginning, I lost count how many times I needed to be defibrillated to stay awake.
Chapter 3 is exceedingly slow. Chapter 4 came across as filler. Who cares about bedbugs? Chapter 6 is another one that needs to be deleted. Chapter 9. More filler.
The author goes to Peru as a teacher and decides he needs to learn Spanish. What a novel idea!
We understand the national drink is Pisco sours. Don’t need to be reminded each and every time.
Grammar
There is a smattering of punctuation and spelling issues through the work. Nothing to detract from the story but a little cleaning up never hurt anyone.
What is I’d needed? Kindle location 629
The media told him not to go to Venezuela. What media? The US? Peru? I have friends whose families live there and what the author describes is not what’s going on in that country. People can’t get out and are starving to death. Even the Germans put on a good face for the Red Cross during World War Two. I don’t know if it was an attempt at humor, if so, it failed. He’s afraid someone’s going to put microfilm or cocaine in his backpack? Give me a break. And don’t forget, in two paragraphs he realizes the plane is landing, he’s going to Venezuela. Duh.
By this point, I’ve probably upset many of the authors followers. Is there a silver lining to the story? Yes. The most engaging area is chapters 37 to 40. This is what I’d been waiting for. Something that was engaging and not self-serving. The descriptions of the scenery were exquisite. The climb to the ruins had me panting with each step he took. These four chapters outshone the rest of the story. They fit. They flowed. They engaged!
I don’t know if the author has returned to the states or not. After reading this work, I can’t think of a reason why he would come back. He sprinkles his contempt for life in the US and the cost of living in excellent subterfuge. But he isn’t shy on collecting money from the state’s subscribers to allow him to continue living in Peru.
Who will enjoy this? Academians and liberals.
A three star push -
I will begin by saying that Mr. Rhein is a storyteller with great mastery of his craft. There is a great polish to his writing. It is also the perfect example of WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW. It felt real and tangible. He took me on a rollercoaster ride of encounters, findings and emotions.
I won’t compare his travels to Bill Bryson’s (one of my all time favourites), because they are vastly different. This author has his own unique narrative voice, and all the better for it. You can sense the youth in his journey of discovery and adventure.
It was funny, poignant, insightful, informative, but ultimately entertaining, which is what I normally look for.
The opening of the novel is the classic “Lock the reader in at the start and don’t let go”. If that first chapter doesn’t draw you in then nothing will. You immediately become aware of his storytelling skill, his excellent prose with just enough descriptive writing to paint a picture. Very accomplished.
There is a touch of the Hemingway about the writing and I mean this in the best possible way. He tells you the story with just enough information to keep you interested. No unnecessary messing around with words. There was never a point where I wanted to skip a page.
I would like to share a few examples of some passages I enjoyed:
“The stairwell resembled the world’s worst set of giant decaying teeth.”
“Images of my time in South America floated by like whispers in a waking dream.”
“The sun disappearing below the horizon, threw rays of red light that painted the jungle with fire.”
Like I said, just enough to paint a picture. There were many more.
This book takes you from the magical aspects of South America to the lowly corruption and more.
It is a story about a man who instead of choosing the path often travelled, decides to go to a place where there is no path and carves his own, leading to a decade of rich adventures.
It really is a journey worth taking with him.
A highly recommended read.
Sergiu Pobereznic (author)
amazon.com/author/sergiupobereznic -
Well written and very enjoyable
Reckless Traveler is a very enjoyable memoir of the author’s years spent travelling in South America.
I spent a few months backpacking myself around South East Asia but was never brave enough to tackle South America and Walter Rhein’s book appealed to my sense of wanderlust.
Rhein has a laid back personality which comes across in his writing and he has a gift for storytelling, he brings alive both the Peruvian landscape and the warmth of the people. The narrative is fluid and has a comfortable pace, there is a very natural feel to his writing, nothing is forced, some memories are subtle emotions other will have you curling your toes with his willful disregard for safety or a plan! Rhein’s experiences and talent for spinning yarns would make him a great dinner party guest!
I loved the story about his kidney stones and his Peruvian landlady Marisol’s determination to rid him of them. I also enjoyed the way in which he describes the personalities and characters he met along the way, he brought each and every one of them to life, here I have to mention Grady… this particular memory brought a tear to my eye and touched my heart but you will need to read the book yourself to find out why.
If you enjoy autobiography, memoirs or travel blogs then I will recommend this book to you, I found it a very enjoyable read -
Reckless Traveler is a travel autobiographical book written about how Walter Rhein recklessly travels through South America, with no set plans. His adventures take him to Venezuela and Chile, with him having visa issues, encountering cockroaches, bribery, murder, being robbed, and more. His words also have a philosophical description and an in-depth view which separates this book from others in its genre.
What I particularly enjoyed was the transformation of the character and how traveling had influenced him. Through the culture and experience gained, Walter changed, and that was very enjoyable to read. The book is entertaining and very funny as well. The journey taken is spontaneous and that’s why it is full of outrageously interesting dialect and description.
The chapters and the layout are smooth. The literary standard is in good quality. I barely noticed any grammatical issues. The book can be used as an educational tool as well. Similar to something like – What Not to Do. It is a selection of daily life events with the added tourist spots and life lessons that have been learned from either mistakes or experiences.
I highly recommend this book to readers that enjoy travel books or just want to have some fun reading on someone else’s travel experiences. -
Walther Rhein’s RECKLESS TRAVELLER doesn’t just tell about Peru, he takes you along for the ride. From thieves to bureaucrats to new friends to wondrous historical sites, this American in Peru fully expands and grows as his journey takes him from the capital in Lima around the country. Even if readers have no background whatsoever in Peru or South America, they are in for a real treat through Rhein’s experiences.
Rhein adds humor and insight throughout his travels, although not everything is sunshine and rainbows. There are complications with the local language, and Rhein is sometimes confounded when he deals with the Peruvian government. Although, through it all, Rhein maintains a confident spirit, which enables him to navigate the waters of being a foreigner in a foreign land.
Even if you have no desire to actually experience Peru first hand, Rhein’s RECKLESS TRAVELLER is still a wonderful story that translates to any fight-out-of-water situation. Rhein has a calm and natural storytelling ability that helps bring the reader along with him. -
The Reckless Traveler is one man’s decade-long journey living in Peru and travelling throughout South America. It’s not so much a travel book. It’s more of a guide as to what it might take to live in a foreign country. For someone looking to live abroad, especially say in South or Central America instead of Europe or Canada, this would be a really useful book to have with you. There are many practical elements that are dealt with in this book, things that one might not ordinarily think about. There are also some more adventurous tales that would be interesting to a more casual reader, especially when his tour bus is raided by mercenaries.
Undoubtedly there are some aspects of the book that aren’t completely relevant right now and going forward in the future since technology has changed and continues to evolve, but many of the stories and lessons in this book are timeless and told with a story telling flare to it. There’s nothing that is dry or dull and makes for a fun read. This is a travel book worth reading and travelling with.
Carl Alves – author of Reconquest: Mother Earth -
The Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein is definitely a must read. For those who want to travel far and experience another country...well, here's the chance. Inside this brilliant well-written autobiography, Walter Rhein takes readers, into the world full of action, danger, and suspense. I didn't know quite what to expect...well maybe things like trouble speaking a foreign language and surviving the hardships that pop up when one travels so far from home. This nonfiction book was highly entertaining. Every page took on a different turn in Walter Rhein's journey as he lives and travels within South America. The culture and language wrapped inside are amazing. Disasters seem to happen a lot but one can definitely learn lessons as they move through this title. Funny, well-done, and intriguing. Overall, I would highly recommend this adventure to readers everywhere.
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Given To Me For An Honest Review
Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein is a book that you really need to put your seatbelt on because you're about to go on one fun and fantastic ride with the Reckless Traveler. Once you begin reading you won't put it down until you finish reading it. As you read it, it will feel like you are being drawn in and you are experiencing all the adventures with Walter. The reading is very smooth and easy to read. I found that this book will make you again think about doing what you have always wanted to do. This book would make a great gift to give at anytime of the year. I gave it 5 stars but it deserves many more. I highly recommend it to everyone. I wait for another great read by Walter Rhein. -
Special thanks to Walter Rhein for providing me the book for a fair review.
As a traveler, it is always a good idea to learn from other people's mistakes and tips. Walter's life in Lima, Peru is full of adventures and problems that would make even a seasoned traveler look amateurish.
I am not one who usually reads travel books, because I like the thrill of learning, but Walter's book has triggered a want to travel to Lima, the cultures and the sights worth travelling half way around the world to.
It is not just Machu Picchu that is special in Peru, it is the lesser known but just as beautiful hiking spots that would be a shame not to visit. If you are interested in going to Peru, skip Lonely Planet and get this Reckless Traveler instead. -
This is an enjoyable, informative read. It can be difficult to write a book about a whole decade of life and travels, but the book works. Rhein balances stories from his daily life, travels to "tourist spots," teaching, and life lessons learned along the way mostly very well. I also appreciated his respect for locals and local customs, lessons other travels can learn from him. I have also lived in South America and traveled to Peru, and enjoyed his perspective on many aspects of daily life, but also learned more about the places he lived as well.
Highly recommended for anyone traveling to Peru and recommended for people who like a good travel narrative or want to learn more about Peru or South America.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. -
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
The author's adventure while travelling Peru gave me a better understanding of the culture and the way of life in this country well known for the Inca heritage and its beautiful mountains. His lively story telling made it interesting getting to know the country and its people through his eyes.
His life, the people he met, his work and the countless trips to Machu Picchu left me in wonder and I learn to appreciate his travels. His fluent writing draws you into each experience and I could not help but smile at times for the things he got himself into.
A great book to read. -
Reckless Traveler is a wonderful book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to travel, to all of us armchair travelers, and to everyone who likes to read a great story. Walter Rhein took off one day from the Wisconsin badlands and spent nearly a decade living, traveling and working in Lima, Peru, and traveling throughout the country. A couple of years ago he chose to write of his adventures . . . but in the form of a novel. So what we get here is no dry travelogue, but a real story featuring the people he encountered and worked with, the young students to whom he taught English, the friends who visited him and the many friends he made, such as Kyle, another American teacher with whom he played basketball; Roberto Carcelen, a cross-country skier who became Peru's first winter Olympiad; and Bronze Medalist Martin Koukal, from the Czech Republic. Then there's Luz Marie, his Spanish teacher with a quiet humor and gentle nature; plus such friends as Julia, Annika and Marisol. These are all people anyone would be happy and fortunate enough to know.
For all the trials and tribulations he had to endure during his travels and years in Peru, the story Walter tells is very lovely, and I came away feeling good after reading his book, getting a sense of the soul-expanding and mind-enlightening experience he had being an ex-patriot for a while. Oh, there are a few hairy moments where he encountered some unsavory-looking soldiers armed with AK-47s, a rough bout with blisters on his feet, a battle with kidney stones, and the ordeal of coping with the interesting medical and pharmaceutical practices of Peru, as well as the frustrations of acquiring anti-malaria medications, faulty internet cafes, and the BS one has to put up with when dealing with the bureaucracy of another country. Walter made me smile with fond remembrance when he talks about living on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and made me sad when an old friend from the United States who spent his leave from the military with him, and later died serving his country.
Walter Rhein's prose, his style in telling his story is spot on, and he tempts us with his words to visit Lima . . . making at least this reader envy him his courage and daring for just taking off for another country, another continent, another world. He description of Machu Pichu alone is worth the price of admission, and it is pure poetry.
After finishing Reckless Traveler I came away with a gift Walter gave me: he showed me that people are pretty much the same all over the world. The people of Lima come across as being more than willing to embrace strangers and visitors, welcoming them and making them feel at home. There is a certain magic to this book that has stayed with me nearly two weeks now since finishing it. Walter's grand adventure left me feeling good inside, and except for the fact that hiking up and down mountains is not my thing, he made me fall in love with Peru and its people. PBS should pick this book up, read it, and send Walter back to Lima, to do a travelogue for us staycationers. My only disappointment is that no photos were included in this book, although I found some while Googling around and have included a couple here.
Once again, this is a lovely book that I think everyone will enjoy. -
Even though I had sat it aside as life kinda got in the way, once I picked it up I couldn't stop reading!
He takes you on a fantastic journey through Peru and learning a whole new culture and exploring some awesome places made this book so enjoyable! He shows what determination and spirit can do, and I loved the way he made you feel like you were there too. My first expat read, and I am really glad it was this one!! -
I thoroughly enjoyed Reckless Traveler, which I won in a GoodReads Giveaway. Walter Rhein is a great storyteller and by the end of the book I felt like I had lived in Peru for 10 years. His experiences are interesting and well told, his advice how to get around some rules priceless. Thanks you Walter for the Goodread, hope to see more from you.
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Very interesting read
I did not get the reluctant part of the story though. This guy seemed to love traveling even if in the same country. He certainly has had an interesting life. Obviously this book did not read like fiction, it seemed like a real life experience. I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. -
I needed a break from most of the stuff I've been reading and this book fit the bill. Very enjoyable read, experience a young American plopping himself down in a foreign world and learning to fit. Humor, insight, even gave me ideas for places to visit.
