This epic exploration of thirteen countries takes Gandolfi across desert & over mountains, through the Amazon forest & the length of the Appalachians. Guide books may warn of thieves, bandits, corrupt police & border officials; Gandolfi writes of the remarkable kindness & generosity he encounters. Courtesy, patience & good humour are his passports while hurry is his anathema. Whether in village or city, his joy is in leisurely conversation. Gauchos, oil workers, peasant farmers, officials, owners of vast haciendas, Venezuelan revolutionaries, students at Texas A&M
- all excite his curiosity & he faithfully records their opinions while submitting his own thoughts, beliefs & fears to an often merciless inspection. Above all this is a jubilant chronicle of hope & understanding, of new friendships, glorious country, sublime architecture, good food, & ultimately, an old man`s determination to surmount his years. Outrageously irresponsible & undeniably liberating, Gandolfi`s travels will fire the imaginations of every traveller, young or old.