Pole to Pole:North to South by camel, river raft, and balloon – Michael Palin - 4 stars

[Linda C]

Michael Palin and crew set out from the North Pole and travel to the South Pole following the 32nd meridian as closely as possible. This takes them through Norway, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Chile, and Antarctica in 1991. It was particularly eventful because Russia was just going through Perestroika, Estonia and Ukraine were pushing against Russia, Ethiopia was war ravaged and still tense, Kenya was changing regimes and the end of apartheid was just changing in South Africa. But there were plenty of great people stories beside the tension and sometimes lousy travel and food conditions. Very enjoyable look at travel in these areas thirty years ago.

[Booknblues]

I've got to put this on my list. I love this kind of book.

[Linda C]

You should also consider his Around the World in 80 Days: Companion to the PBS Series. It was done before the Pole to Pole.

[Theresa]

All these books that accompany Palin's documentaries of the same name are marvelous and actually add substantially to the stories told in the documentaries. If you have not watched the film, find it and do so - it's several episodes.

I own all the books and I think have DVDs of most of the series too! Major fan here.

The first was Around the World in Eighty Days, then Pole to Pole. The Pacific Rim one was where I developed the absolutely necessity of one day visiting Chile, particularly the fjordes of the Andes in Chile.

His most recent was an hour and a half documentary of North Korea that was aired a couple of years ago. Not sure of an accompnaying book has been published but the documentary was fascinating. Palin was I believe actually invited to film. He's on in years and we are unlikely to see too many more of these documentary trips.

[Booknblues]

Linda C wrote: "You should also consider his Around the World in 80 Days: Companion to the PBS Series. It was done before the Pole to Pole."

Thanks, I will check it out.