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The Wayfarer's Handbook
A Field Guide for the Independent Traveler
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By Evan S. Rice
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The Wayfarer’s Handbook is a treasure trove of information about the art of travel that is specifically crafted for the modern adventurer. The book is an offbeat guide full of actionable advice, a worldwide exploration reference work, an unconventional collection of world trivia, and an exciting resource of inspiration, all designed for use in a great global adventure.
With a visual aesthetic inspired by the look of vintage field guides, The Wayfarer’s Handbook is tailor-made for modern readers, providing the distilled essentials of hundreds of interesting topics, presented in a direct and precise but stylish way. This twist on traditional travel genres covers everything from the world’s 27 most common travel scams and the fascinating history of hot air balloons to everyday gestures that are offensive in foreign cultures and how to avoid a hippopotamus attack. Sketches, infographics, small maps, and illustrative charts appear throughout, allowing readers to open to any page and discover fascinating new insights into the art of travel.
Though The Wayfarer’s Handbook is compact enough for the road, it is equally suited to be a gem in the library of anyone interested in exploration.
Excerpt
INTRODUCTION
WHEN I WAS 25, I left my job and booked a one-way ticket to Kenya. By the time I returned home almost ten months later, I had become enchanted by the road. I discovered countless treasures sprinkled throughout the world: lovely communities of kind people, beautiful and bizarre wildlife, delicious street foods, wonderful little mountain villages, bustling rainbow-colored markets, and so much more.
In seeking out these gems of nature and culture and unexpectedness, I also found a group of people who chose to experience life in a way that I didn't know was possible. Independent travelers, of all ages, who went to wondrous places for indeterminate amounts of time, driven by reasons that even they didn't seem to understand. They were so effortless in their movements: relaxed but aware, self-reliant but blissfully aimless, improvising their own spontaneous paths through the world. And best of all, they were free. Truly, completely free, in a world that increasingly opposes that notion.
The people I met out there weren't perfect. It's tempting to imagine that the road is full of noble citizens of the earth, all strictly adhering to some alternative but deeply ethical philosophy. The reality is that the itinerant lifestyle attracts all types: doctors and drunks, soldiers and hippies, the devoutly religious and the unabashedly hedonistic. They were united by only one idea: the refusal to mindlessly adhere to societally imposed concepts of how to live life. They recognized, and rejected, the absurdity of things like being told to choose a lifelong career path when you're in your early twenties or limiting the act of exploration to corporate vacations. For all their flaws, I came to deeply respect that choice.
The lifestyle they, and now I, so passionately preach is not for everyone. Independent travel is a personal decision, unique to every person who makes the critical choice to explore a new place. For some, that means a weeklong trek up a mountain. For others, it's about wandering the world for years at a time, picking up seasonal jobs along the way. All are equally valid forms of exploration. It has become increasingly fashionable among the backpacking set to romanticize the act of travel at the expense of others, to deride anyone less adventurous as "conformist" and in doing so subtly imbue oneself with some kind of enlightenment. This is a comforting but false superiority; to judge others based on your own goals is reductive and foolish. Worse, it misses the point of independent travel entirely. The specifics of how a person chooses to explore the world are irrelevant, all that matters is having the autonomy and knowledge to make that choice for oneself.
I wrote this book because I suspect there are many people, my fellow Americans especially, who are as uninformed as I once was. People perhaps unhappy in their work or unsure of what they want from life or simply curious about the world, who are completely unaware of how accessible independent travel is. So many daydream about travel but consider it vaguely implausible, like some unrealistic hobby that they are inexplicably not lucky enough to be able to participate in. But there are roving bands of independent travelers of all different kinds out there, right now, staring at some horizon, wondering what's beyond it. The dream of this book is to encourage you in the idea that, if you so choose, you can be one of them.
Even after these few years on the road, I am not some expert traveler. I spend money foolishly, have no sense of direction, am terrible with languages, and have found myself in more calamitous circumstances of my own making than anyone I know. But being "good" at traveling is neither the point of this book nor the point of travel. There is a terrible, pervasive misconception that you need to be uniquely skilled (or prepared or wealthy or strong or brave) to explore the world. Nothing could be further from the truth—I am living proof of that fact. Even this very book, which is among the more cavalier in attitude currently on the market, errs wholly on the side of caution and is full of bits of advice for situations that you will hopefully never encounter. In short, you don't need this or any book to travel. Talking with locals and other travelers, not reading books or websites, will always be your most accurate and interesting source of information. This is meant simply as a small collection of notes, tips, and stories that might help you avoid some common pitfalls or keep you entertained on a long bus ride. Everything you truly need is already out there.
The world is a far safer place than most people give it credit for. There is money to be made in peddling fear, and that business is, and always will be, flourishing. Entire industries are built on the idea that something unknown is something fundamentally dangerous. And while there are unsafe places, to be sure, there is a much scarier fate to consider. If you give into the paranoia incited by those who promote terror and dread, you will voluntarily imprison yourself in your tiny corner of the world, cut off from countless amazing experiences. That outcome, not meeting some menacing thug in a dark alley, is the one you should fear. It is infinitely more common.
The best piece of advice I could ever hope to provide is, simply, "Go." The world has never been safer, easier, and cheaper to explore than it is right now. Be free, be curious, disappear, have an adventure. Once you start seeing things, you will realize just how much there is to see. Go seek your own treasures and you too will be joyfully overwhelmed by what you find.
—EVAN S. RICE
Baltimore, MD
2016
For all its material advantages, the sedentary life has left us edgy, unfulfilled. Even after 400 generations in villages and cities, we haven't forgotten. The open road still softly calls, like a nearly forgotten song of childhood. We invest far-off places with a certain romance. This appeal, I suspect, has been meticulously crafted by natural selection as an essential element in our survival. Long summers, mild winters, rich harvests, plentiful game—none of them lasts forever. It is beyond our ability to predict the future. Catastrophic events have a way of sneaking up on us, of catching us unaware. Your own life, or your band's, or even your species' might be owed to a restless few—drawn, by a craving they can hardly articulate or understand, to undiscovered lands and new worlds.
—CARL SAGAN
Pale Blue Dot, 1994
COUNTRY DIRECTORY
COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
THERE IS NO official, universally agreed upon set of criteria or internationally accepted authority for determining what constitutes a "country." Some governments choose to recognize certain geographic regions as "countries," others do not, all for a host of complex historical and geopolitical reasons. There are principalities, commonwealths, colonies, dependencies, provinces, constituent countries, free-association states, municipalities, special administrative regions, overseas territories, tribal homelands, confederacies, unincorporated territories, and many more such ambiguously termed regions, all of which enjoy varying degrees of independence, none of which adhere to internationally consistent definitions. There are micronations, disputed territories, unrecognized states, breakaway republics, and seceding communities, each with constantly fluctuating levels of international recognition and support.
At the time of this writing, there are 206 National Olympic Committees, 209 FIFA member states, 234 country calling codes, 249 International Organization for Standardization country codes, 256 registered country Internet domains, and countless more official-sounding global listings of geographic regions—and hardly any of them agree on how many countries there are in the world.
For the purposes of this book, in an attempt to minimize confusion and remain as apolitical as possible, only the 193 United Nations member states and Vatican City will be considered "countries."
Any statistics, comparisons, reference listings, and infographics contained in the book are based on this number of countries unless otherwise noted.
COMMON NAME: Afghanistan
OFFICIAL NAME: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
CAPITAL(S): Kabul
COUNTRY CODE: 93
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Afghan afghani
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: AFN
TIME ZONE(S)2: +04:30
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Albania
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Albania
CAPITAL(S): Tirana
COUNTRY CODE: 355
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Albanian lek
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: ALL Lek
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00«
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Algeria
OFFICIAL NAME: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
CAPITAL(S): Algiers
COUNTRY CODE: 213
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Algerian dinar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: DZD
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Andorra
OFFICIAL NAME: Principality of Andorra
CAPITAL(S): Andorra la Vella
COUNTRY CODE: 376
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: EUR €
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00«
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Angola
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Angola
CAPITAL(S): Luanda
COUNTRY CODE: 244
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Angolan kwanza
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: AOA Kz
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C
COMMON NAME: Antigua and Barbuda
OFFICIAL NAME: Antigua and Barbuda
CAPITAL(S): Saint John's
COUNTRY CODE: 1-268
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: East Caribbean dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: XCD $
TIME ZONE(S)2: –04:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/B
COMMON NAME: Argentina
OFFICIAL NAME: Argentine Republic
CAPITAL(S): Buenos Aires
COUNTRY CODE: 54
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Argentine peso
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: ARS $
TIME ZONE(S)2: –03:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: I
COMMON NAME: Armenia
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Armenia
CAPITAL(S): Yerevan
COUNTRY CODE: 374
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Armenian dram
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: AMD
TIME ZONE(S)2: +04:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Australia
OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of Australia
CAPITAL(S): Canberra
COUNTRY CODE: 61
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Australian dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: AUD $
TIME ZONE(S)2: +08:00 to +10:00«
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: I
COMMON NAME: Austria
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Austria
CAPITAL(S): Vienna
COUNTRY CODE: 43
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: EUR €
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00«
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Azerbaijan
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Azerbaijan
CAPITAL(S): Baku
COUNTRY CODE: 994
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Azerbaijani manat
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: AZN
TIME ZONE(S)2: +04:00 «
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Bahamas
OFFICIAL NAME: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
CAPITAL(S): Nassau
COUNTRY CODE: 1-242
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bahamian dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BSD $
TIME ZONE(S)2: –05:00«
VOLTAGE: 120 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/B
COMMON NAME: Bahrain
OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Bahrain
CAPITAL(S): Manama
COUNTRY CODE: 973
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bahraini dinar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BHD
TIME ZONE(S)2: +03:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: G
COMMON NAME: Bangladesh
OFFICIAL NAME: People's Republic of Bangladesh
CAPITAL(S): Dhaka
COUNTRY CODE: 880
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bangladeshi taka
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BDT Tk
TIME ZONE(S)2: +06:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/C/D/G/K
COMMON NAME: Barbados
OFFICIAL NAME: Barbados
CAPITAL(S): Bridgetown
COUNTRY CODE: 1-246
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Barbadian dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BBD $
TIME ZONE(S)2: –04:00
VOLTAGE: 115 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/B
COMMON NAME: Belarus
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Belarus
CAPITAL(S): Minsk
COUNTRY CODE: 375
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: New Belarusian ruble
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BYN Br
TIME ZONE(S)2: +03:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Belgium
OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Belgium
CAPITAL(S): Brussels
COUNTRY CODE: 32
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: EUR €
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00«
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/E
COMMON NAME: Belize
OFFICIAL NAME: Belize
CAPITAL(S): Belmopan
COUNTRY CODE: 501
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Belize dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BZD BZ$
TIME ZONE(S)2: –06:00
VOLTAGE: 110 V/220 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/B/G
COMMON NAME: Benin
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Benin
CAPITAL(S): Porto-Novo
COUNTRY CODE: 229
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: West African CFA franc
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: XOF CFA
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/E
COMMON NAME: Bhutan
OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Bhutan
CAPITAL(S): Thimphu
COUNTRY CODE: 975
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bhutanese ngultrum
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BTN Nu.
TIME ZONE(S)2: +05:30
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/D/G
COMMON NAME: Bolivia
OFFICIAL NAME: Plurinational State of Bolivia
CAPITAL(S): La Paz,* Sucre***,****
COUNTRY CODE: 591
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bolivian boliviano
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BOB $b
TIME ZONE(S)2: –04:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/C
COMMON NAME: Bosnia and Herzegovina
OFFICIAL NAME: Bosnia and Herzegovina
CAPITAL(S): Sarajevo
COUNTRY CODE: 387
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BAM KM
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00 «
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Botswana
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Botswana
CAPITAL(S): Gaborone
COUNTRY CODE: 267
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Botswana pula
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BWP P
TIME ZONE(S)2: +02:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: D/G
COMMON NAME: Brazil
OFFICIAL NAME: Federative Republic of Brazil
CAPITAL(S): Brasília
COUNTRY CODE: 55
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Brazilian real
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BRL R$
TIME ZONE(S)2: –05:00 to–02:00 «
VOLTAGE: 127 V/220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/N
COMMON NAME: Brunei
OFFICIAL NAME: Brunei Darussalam
CAPITAL(S): Bandar Seri Begawan
COUNTRY CODE: 673
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Brunei dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BND $
TIME ZONE(S)2: +08:00
VOLTAGE: 240 V
OUTLET TYPE: G
COMMON NAME: Bulgaria
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Bulgaria
CAPITAL(S): Sofia
COUNTRY CODE: 359
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Bulgarian lev
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BGN
TIME ZONE(S)2: +02:00 «
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Burkina Faso
OFFICIAL NAME: Burkina Faso
CAPITAL(S): Ouagadougou
COUNTRY CODE: 226
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: West African CFA franc
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: XOF CFA
TIME ZONE(S)2: 0:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/E
COMMON NAME: Burundi
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Burundi
CAPITAL(S): Bujumbura
COUNTRY CODE: 257
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Burundian franc
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: BIF FBu
TIME ZONE(S)2: +02:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/E
COMMON NAME: Cabo Verde
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Cabo Verde
CAPITAL(S): Praia
COUNTRY CODE: 238
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Cape Verdean escudo
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: CVE Esc
TIME ZONE(S)2: –0:100
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/F
COMMON NAME: Cambodia
OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Cambodia
CAPITAL(S): Phnom Penh
COUNTRY CODE: 855
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Cambodian riel
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: KHR
TIME ZONE(S)2: +07:00
VOLTAGE: 230 V
OUTLET TYPE: A/C/G
COMMON NAME: Cameroon
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Cameroon
CAPITAL(S): Yaoundé
COUNTRY CODE: 237
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Central African CFA franc
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: XAF FCFA
TIME ZONE(S)2: +01:00
VOLTAGE: 220 V
OUTLET TYPE: C/E
COMMON NAME: Canada
OFFICIAL NAME: Canada
CAPITAL(S): Ottawa
COUNTRY CODE: 1
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Canadian dollar
CURRENCY SYMBOL1: CAD $
TIME ZONE(S)
Genre:
- On Sale
- Apr 25, 2017
- Page Count
- 288 pages
- Publisher
- Black Dog & Leventhal
- ISBN-13
- 9780316271349
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