How To Go Almost Anywhere For Almost Nothing: A Novel Of Paris (Paperback)

by Maureen A. Hennessy (Author)
Key Phrases: affiliated hostels, courier flights, Hong Kong, New York, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Unimpressed with the few packaged tours that she experienced, the author launched upon the research of worldwide independent travel that would ultimately lead to the publication of How to Go Almost Anywhere for Nothing and to a new career as a writer on travel, consumer and women’s issues. She has traveled extensively in Asia, Europe, North Africa and America.

--from the Introduction

I began a quest for information on REALLY cheap travel. I researched an extraordinary amount of published material and then embarked upon many years of travel and research in the United States and abroad. I have now traveled extensively and at very little expense in Asia, North America, Europe and a bit in Africa. The scope of this particular volume will necessarily focus on areas with which I have the greatest familiarity. Southeast Asia remains a favorite because of the low ground costs, and the most detailed information will cover Asian ports of call such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, with some reference to specific destinations within Europe and the United States. My latest major trip was to Morocco, and that country is covered in this edition.

In the United States, the largest port of entry cities will get the most attention, not only because three of my favorite cities fall into this category, but for the benefit of visitors from other lands. The principles outlined herein should pertain to travel almost everywhere and you will be able to apply them with just a little bit of courage and imagination.

About the Author
Maureen Hennessy was born in Oakland, California and lived in a number of different states including Texas, Louisiana and Oregon. Travel characterized the early years and established a pattern for life. She attended colleges and universities in Portland, Eugene and Ashland, Oregon, majoring in Psychology with diversions into Chinese Language, Journalism, Education, Philosophy and Physical Education. For a time in the early 70's, Maureen worked as a pharmaceutical representative and as such, began to travel to major cities around the United States. Unimpressed with the few packaged tours she experienced, she launched upon the research of worldwide independent travel that would ultimately lead to the publication of this book and to a new career as a writer on travel, consumer and women's issues. Maureen has traveled extensively in Asia, Europe, North Africa and America. She has served as guest expert on the Prodigy Travel Bulletin Board and has written several of travel-related articles for Good Housekeeping. She has also been published in Vagabond, 1st for Women, Outotown, Marco Polo, newspapers and other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (December 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893652491
• ISBN-13: 978-1893652491
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #710,225 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

174 of 182 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good travel book ..., October 11, 2002

By	Joseph L. Luehrmann Jr. (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This book has a number of serious problems that lead me to rate it as very poor.

First, it is unbelievable that a publisher would allow a book to be released that contains dozens of grammatical errors. It is an English teacher's dream book. There are a number of run-on and awkward sentences, a couple of fragments and a perpetual confusion of when to use "its" and "it's".

Second, the book is completely unorganized. One minute, she is talking about University housing and then, starts a travelogue on Portland, OR. There is no transition or a page break. The book could have been much stonger had the author taken the time to organize it in a logical way.

Third, the formatting of the text of bizarre. For example, on page 57, she is talking about moderate accommodations in San Francisco and the next paragraph deals with Los Angeles. There are no headings or transactions whatsoever. In Appendix A, there is a chart of air couriers where the text and numbers all run together.

Fourth, a number of the references that she quotes at the end have been out of publication for almost eight years like the Budget Lodging Guide. Their website clearly states that the book ceased publication in 1996 and would not be reissued.

Fifth, there is far too much "third party" data which indicates that the author has not been to a place that she is recommending. In numerous cases, she uses "I have been told that ...". I would rather that she stick to places that she has personal knowledge of.

Sixth, she directs the reader to places in some fairly rough neighborhoods without a mention that the area is crime-ridden. For example, she recommends a hostel in Harlem without a mention of the crime. While I am reluctant to steer folks away from certain parts of various cities, crine issues should be disclosed.

There are a lot of great budget travel books that are well written. I recommend the Moon Guides and the Lonely Planet guides as books that are far better than this one.

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Go Almost Anywhere for Almost Nothing, June 29, 2000

By	Carolyn Gage (Portland, ME) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderful book for folks who want to travel and think they can't afford it. How to Go Almost Anywhere for Almost Nothing is about seriously low-budget travel. It's packed with information about courier flights, alternative housing (college dormitories and monasteries), driveaway cars, and tips on the best way to get "bumped" from over-booked flights in order to score free tickets on future flights. As the author notes, this book is not for everyone. Folks who need control over their itinerary, who don't like surprises, and who are unaccustomed to roughing it, may not find this useful. On the other hand, for students and seniors on fixed income (the author is sixty-five) this book could provide a magic carpet. The second half of the book details the specifics of low-budget touristing in places the author has visited, including London, New York, San Francisco, Rome, Singapore, Bangkok, and other major cities around the world. The appendix lists contact information for courier countries and budget travel guides. A unique and spirited travel guide for the serendipitously-inclined.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical travel book., November 28, 2000

By A Customer

A travel book for the rest of us, How to Go Almost Anywhere for Almost Nothing is a genuine "how to" guide to travel the world--yes, you. Better yet, it shows how to see the soul of places, not the tourist traps. (If you want glitz, ALSO buy one of those destination-specific travel guides.) The book is divided into three sections. The first part is the best. Memorize it. That's where you'll find the real tricks of travel, such as how to fly as low as. . .well, free. Room and board can be as low as $10 a night, and also free, sometimes. What can I say, this book delivers! There are also hints to avoid scams. The second part of the book is written letter-style, in which you "accompany" the author as you read, with anticipation for each succeeding adventure. The third part gives great advice on packing, monetary matters, security, and even what to do if you get sick mid-trip. Packed with specifics, but written with a warm and light touch, this book made this guy who has hardly ever left the city limits want to go Almost Everywhere, Almost Now-and believe that I can. Now, that's really saying something.