by Barbara Savage
I failed to take any notes while I whizzed through this--it was that absorbing. Not to mention grim, upsetting, and chortlingly funny.
The grim part was traveling through Egypt. If I remember right, that's the place where everyone threw rocks at them. In other countries people were so curious about the strange travelers that they could hardly find a place to take a dump without an audience of silent, staring eyes. The upsetting part was the description of the many, many places where they couldn't get clean drinking water--there wasn't any.
I've camped in America, and I know the experience of having to boil water to purify it or filter it to get out algae, sediment, or bugs. it's all a fun adventure when you're camping. But for many people in the world, it's a way of life. And so is diarrhea, food poisoning, and constant fear of the very thing you have to have in order to stay alive.
In contrast to the grim and upsetting, you also get to read about the generosity of strangers and the breathtaking views of mountains. And you get the marvel first-hand at the mind-boggling strength of these two travelers. I won't say they didn't come close to giving up, but they didn't.
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