Around The World In 50 Years: My Adventure To Every Country On Earth Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
The New York Times Best Seller“Amazing . . . the most original travel narrative ever written.” ―CounterPunchAround the World in 50 Years is the inspiring story of an ordinary guy who achieved two great goals that others had told him were impossible. First, he set a record for the longest automobile journey ever made around the world, during which he blasted his way out of minefields, survived a serious accident atop the Peak of Death, came within seconds of being lynched, and lost three of the five men who started with him: two to disease, one to the Vietcong.After that, Albert Podell set another record by going to every country on earth. He survived riots, revolutions, civil wars, trigger-happy child soldiers, voodoo priests, jihadists, robbers, corrupt cops, and Cape buffalo. He traveled through every kind of earthquake, cyclone, tsunami, volcanic eruption, snowstorm, and sandstorm that nature threw at him. He ate everything from old camel meat and African field rats to dung beetles and the brain of a live monkey. And he overcame encounters with crocodiles, hippos, anacondas, giant leeches, flying crabs―and several beautiful women who insisted that he stop this nonsense and marry them. Around the World in 50 Years is a remarkable and meaningful tale packed with some of the most memorable, frightening, and hilarious adventure stories you have ever read.
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (July 19, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250094224
ISBN-13: 978-1250094223
Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #94,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #10 in Books > Travel > Food, Lodging & Transportation > Hotels & Inns #84 in Books > Travel > Food, Lodging & Transportation > Road Travel #205 in Books > Travel > Reference > General
Albert Podell must have a rectal horseshoe. He blithely and blindly goes where he knows he cannot and certainly should not. He takes countless risks that routinely land people in horrific jails. And still he manages to come back to tell the story. All his life he has had one small passion – to visit and understand every country in the world. It took him 50 years, and toward the end, his age pointed itself out to him. But he did it, and he tells an enthralling story. He is humorous, self-aware enough to be self deprecating, and reflective. He took the low road, sleeping in tents and hostels, making contacts with the locals in every nation. He learned their ways, earned their co-operation and often their respect, and could evaluate them and their context.All the countries of the world is an absurd, constantly changing, arbitrary number. Even as he checked them off, he had to go back and visit again when they changed. For instance, Czechoslovakia split into two countries, Yugoslavia into a battalion. The inequality is also absurd. Canada, the second largest country on earth, counts as one, just like Monaco, which he walked across. Still, it makes for a very eventful, rewarding and fulfilling life.This was no cakewalk. Podell got into trouble with authorities, airlines, police, animals, rivers and natives wherever he ventured. Quickwitted, he persevered and innovated, and made it back every time. The last time, he even proposed at the airport, and after a lifetime of girlfriends who never seemed to last more than one trip, he married and presumably settled down (somewhat).His observations are clear, balanced and fair. Unintentionally, he has pointed out the absurdity of the visa system, where some are permitted to enter or leave, and some not.
Most people you meet say they want to travel more. London, Paris, perhaps even the Great Wall are on their bucket lists, but few actually end up going. Instead they’ll find an excuse as to why they couldn’t go abroad.Albert Podell could have made excuses too:“That country is in the middle of a civil war.”“This island is literally in the middle of the ocean.”“I’m in my 70’s! I’m too old to travel.”But he never did make excuses. In fact, he traveled to every single country on Earth.The Journey BeginsAround the World in 50 years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth begins by borrowing the highlights of Podell’s 1965 trans-world road trip, which he encapsulated in Who Needs a Road? Albert and a few travel companions start in Western Europe and traverse by land and sea across some of the most harrowing lands on Earth.Though there were a number of riveting tales such as driving into, and spending the night in the middle of a mine field. But perhaps the most shocking, and laugh out loud funny, story in the book comes from East Pakistan. Podell finds himself in Dacca with poor timing; a war has just broken out between Pakistan and India. Although East Pakistan has been spared India’s full aggression, the area is still on high alert.They are suspect of any foreigners, and any outsiders are seen as potential enemies. Podell is caught photographing the streets near an important government building and is immediately accused of being a spy:“Kill the Indian spy,” another worker shouted.“Death to the enemy,” screamed another.“Hang him! Hang him! Hang him!
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