Ryanland: A No-frills Odyssey Across the New Europe (Paperback)

by Philip Nolan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In this hilarious, no-holds-barred account, journalist Philip Nolan packs his bag (maximum 10kg, please) and takes us on an adventure that is not for the faint-hearted as he flies with Europe 's biggest low-cost airline. Using Ryanair destinations as a route planner, we grab our boarding passes and fight for the first available seat as we travel with him to towns we've never heard of ( Tampere and Wroclaw , anyone?) and to cities we've always wanted to visit. From watching the pilgrims completing the Camino in Santiago de Compostela to cheering with the fans in Frankfurt during the World Cup, from having his alpha waves channelled at a spa in Austria to a little soul cleansing at the baths at Lourdes, from the all-night party that is Riga to the eerie hush of Beauvais on a slow Monday night, we are treated to a kaleidoscopic snapshot of the quirks and foibles of a continent. Ryanair has opened up Europe 's treasures, and a few complete dumps too, in a way never before possible. From Biarritz to Blackpool to Bratislava , Pau to Pisa to Porto, Vienna to Valencia to Venice , Philip Nolan completes a whirlwind tour of the continent he calls Ryanland. The journey is whimsical, wistful and laugh-out-loud funny, as we travel on a spellbinding no-frills odyssey.

About the Author
Philip Nolan was born in Dublin in 1963. An award-winning travel writer, he has also worked for most Irish national newspapers, including the Sunday World, Sunday Press, Sunday Tribune and Evening Herald, and was deputy editor of Ireland on Sunday. He now works as a freelance travel writer, motoring columnist and current-affairs commentator for the Irish Daily Mail and Irish Mail on Sunday. He is married to Sharon Plunkett and divides his time between Dublin and County Wexford.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Headline Ireland (April 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340935936
• ISBN-13: 978-0340935934
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,835,086 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny if you have some experience like the author, April 24, 2007

By	J. Isom "chase76" (Naples, Italy FPO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I picked this book up in the Dublin Airport (mostly because it was ranked #1 by the bookstore) and by the time I reached London I was almost halfway done with it because I could not put it down. It is a lighthearted romp around Europe on one of the cheapest (and it shows) airlines in all of Europe....Ryanair. This is the first book in a long time that actually made me laugh out loud while I was on the plane (causing some interseting looks to be thrown my way.)

Although it is not neccessary, it does help to have at least flown on Ryanair to get some perspective of what the author is referring to. The author takes you all over Europe and while having fun, he does come across a few destinations that pull at his heart strings and will pull at yours as well. His vivid and imaginative descriptions pull you into each destination and you immediately want to visit (even the ones you can't pronounce or have never heard of.)

I highly recommend this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read - Thoroughly Entertaining from Start to Finish, July 29, 2007

By	NAM "Nev" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

If you enjoy traveling in Europe, and all of the adventures that it entails, then you will enjoy this book. The author does a wonderful job of painting us a vivid picture of each and every one of his destinations in 'Ryanland.'