Hit the Open Road in 2021


Feeling the urge to spread your wings and hit the open road in 2021? With endless scenic routes to drive across Europe, America and the world, the freedom of the highway is a great way to escape the humdrum of the nine to five. Road trips are spontaneous, you never know what lies around the next corner, you can stop whenever the mood takes you and visit deserted beaches, off the beaten track scenic view points and really explore a country away from the crowds of other holidaymakers. Whether you rent a car or campervan, or drive your own wheels the principle and independence road trip travel offer brings great rewards. For the budget traveller, take a tent and enjoy the benefits of cooking local food and produce in the great outdoors. If money isn't an issue, check into boutique hotels along route and eat in traditional restaurants. 

To get you inspired about your summer adventure in 2021, the ETG travel team have compiled 3 great road trip travel books we think are worth checking out!


Epic Drives of the World: Explore the planet's most thrilling road trips by Lonely Planet


Buckle up for the next installment in our 'Epic' series and the follow-up to Epic Bike Rides of the World. Epic Drives of the World, a beautiful hardback, showcases 50 of the greatest road trips on Earth, from classic routes in America, Australia and Europe, to incredible adventures in Asia and Africa.


Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!

by The Raven Brothers 

On Amazon >

Out of shape and unprepared, The Raven Brothers return to the road in a collection of ten quests to travel to their dream destinations against all odds! After two decades pioneering new routes across the globe, you would expect the authors of 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' to be hotshot explorers, with a sixth sense and an ability to survive in almost any situation. Think again! With virtually zero knowledge of the workings of the internal combustion engine and very limited skills of wilderness survival, Simon and Chris struggle into their hiking boots and power across three continents by river, tarmac and trail. 

Venture to the top of Norway, cruise the road to Damascus, hike the Camino trail into Spain’s Wild West, row the Ganges, explore Frida Kahlo’s world in Mexico City, hangout with the dead in Sicily’s eerie catacombs, crawl deep inside Bolivia’s notorious silver mine, seek lions in Gujarat, wellness in Berlin and journey into the Naga Hills where tribal kings still rule.

Noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an “accurate view of what to expect”, 'Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!' signals a return to the duo writing “buttock clenching” travel comedy with the first in a series of candid stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers.



The Open Road (First Edition): 50 Best Road Trips in the USA (Travel Guide) 


Whether you're hugging the coast or driving the Loneliest Road, find your adventure with The Open Road: 50 Road Trips Across the USA.

* Strategic lists and road trip options: Choose from lists of the best coastal drives, cross-country journeys, trips for kids, awe-inspiring views, and more
* Flexible itineraries: 50 different road trips organized by region gear you up for any adventure, from a weekend getaway to a cross-country trip
* Can't-miss stops from coast to coast: Leaf-peep along the Blue Ridge Parkway, look for wildflowers on Arizona's Apache Trail, or gaze at the mysterious Marfa Lights blinking over the West Texas desert. Snap selfies with kitschy roadside attractions along Route 66, cross the Continental Divide in Colorado, and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves at your campsite in Big Sur

Sponsored link:

   

Join the Raven brothers on four epic overland adventures across the USA, Russia, Black Sea and South America!

 Available in paperback & digital


Driving the Trans-Siberian 
The Ultimate Road Trip Across Russia

An Adventure Through the Caucasus

A South America Adventure

Freedom on the American Highway

The Raven Brothers take off with Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!

Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!

by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

Out of shape and unprepared, The Raven Brothers return to the road in a collection of ten quests to travel to their dream destinations against all odds! After two decades pioneering new routes across the globe, you would expect the authors of 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' to be hotshot explorers, with a sixth sense and an ability to survive in almost any situation. Think again! With virtually zero knowledge of the workings of the internal combustion engine and very limited skills of wilderness survival, Simon and Chris struggle into their hiking boots and power across three continents by river, tarmac and trail.

Venture to the top of Norway, cruise the road to Damascus, hike the Camino trail into Spain’s Wild West, row the Ganges, explore Frida Kahlo’s world in Mexico City, hangout with the dead in Sicily’s eerie catacombs, crawl deep inside Bolivia’s notorious silver mine, seek lions in Gujarat, wellness in Berlin and journey into the Naga Hills where tribal kings still rule.

Noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an “accurate view of what to expect”, 'Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!' signals a return to the duo writing “buttock clenching” travel comedy with the first in a series of candid stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers.

* * *

Join the Raven brothers on four more epic overland adventures across the USA, Russia, Black Sea and South America!

   

Available in paperback & digital


Driving the Trans-Siberian 
The Ultimate Road Trip Across Russia

An Adventure Through the Caucasus

A South America Adventure

Freedom on the American Highway


Ganges River Journey by Rowing Boat

Sunset and tge silhouette of a rowing boat on the River Ganges
River Ganges at sunset © Chris Raven


Everywhere along the mighty River Ganges, you will see traditional wooden rowing boats navigating the waters of a river that flows 2,525km to the Bay of Bengal. Rishikesh in the Himalayas is the location of great white water rafting, Haridwar, a sacred pilgrimage site is an idylic waterside setting for experiencing Hindu culture and ritual up close. The true Ganges epicentre is Varanasi, a city that has drawn Hindu pilgrims to its shores for centuries with the chance to wash away their sins and escape the cycle of death and rebirth. A sunset or sunrise trip by rowing boat along the sacred ghats is an experience of a lifetime not to be missed...

To read about the realities of life on the holy River Ganges the story 'A Boat, a Goat and three Chickens', by The Raven Brothers, one of 10 stories of adventure in their new travel book 'Hike, Drive  Stayin' Alive!' is a worth while read. In a moment of madness, the travel writing duo and a friend buy a rowing boat in North India during the Magh Mela, the largest religious festival in the world, and attempt to row to Varanasi. Dolphins, a bandit and a corpse greet them during a journey on the holy River Ganges that rapidly spirals out of control.

Not a fan of rowing boats? Fear not. The fifth book by The Raven Brothers covers ten inspiring stories of adventure from across the globe, and signals a return to Simon and Chris writing “buttock clenching” comedy. 

‘Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!’ by The Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide.

The Mountain that Eats Men: Bolivia's Silver Mine

 

Mining tour group on Cerro Rico overlooking Potosi in Bolivia
Cerro Rico Silver Mine. Potosi, Bolivia ©

There are an endless list of incredible experiences you can enjoy whilst travelling the globe, but would you dare enter Bolivia's notorious Potosi Silver Mine. Known for centuries as "the mountain that eats men", Cerro Rico is a working mine which offers the curious adventure tourist the opportunity to explore subterranean levels at high altitude. Not for the faint hearted, the hazardous conditions of the mine which is fraught with danger (often with live detonations taking place inside the narrow tunnels), is an environment worth some consideration before diving blindly inside. Travelling to the high Andes of South America during a trip of a lifetime with a friend, The Raven Brothers explore the depths of Bolivia's notorious silver mine in the story 'A Date with the Devil' which features in their new book 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!'  10 stories of Adventure. Meeting the stoic Andean people at the rooftop of the world, the travel writing duo visit shrines to the devil "El Tio" (the Uncle) deep inside the bowels of the extinct volcano, and are forced to confront their worst fears inside a mountain that they discover is suffering from overmining and will someday collapse.

‘Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!’ by The Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide.

Was Noah’s Flood the Black Sea?

A wild stretch of Turkey's Black Sea coast. Photo by Simon Raven 

According to the Black Sea deluge hypothesis rising sea levels approximately 7,000 years ago caused water to burst through Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait rapidly swelling a lake and becoming the basis for the Noah story. During a quest to drive full circle around the Black Sea, The Raven Brothers, drop by Sinop in northern Turkey.

Extract from the book: BLACK SEA CIRCUIT 
By The Raven Brothers

Chris parks the Volvo in the shadow of the Kumkapi “Sand Gate”; a later addition to a once grand fortified wall around the city of Sinop. According to archaeological evidence, the Hittities first built a fortification here in 2000 BC, which had gradually been replaced over the many centuries by the Pontics, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks and Ottomans. Each warring Empire toppling the next in an eternal cycle of power hungry humans.

Reaching the waterfront, we sit outside a bustling restaurant on the quayside and watch luxury sailboats and yachts bobbing up and down in the marina. In 1999, maritime explorer Bob Ballard led an expedition off the coast of Sinop. His mission was to search the floor of the Black Sea in the hope of finding the remains of ancient settlements, and discover evidence that would support an exciting new theory known as the Black Sea Deluge Hypothesis. Published in 1997 by geologists William Ryan and Walter Pitman, the Black Sea deluge hypothesis proposed that a cataclysmic flood had struck this region around 7,000 years ago, swelling the sea and ultimately becoming the basis of the Noah story. The result of Ballard’s awe-inspiring expedition to the bottom of the seabed revealed that an ancient untouched shoreline was indeed submerged underwater. If this discovery alone wasn’t intriguing enough, the specimens of shells from freshwater and saltwater mollusk species, collected by the team from the sea floor, had shown through radiocarbon dating that a freshwater lake had indeed been overwhelmed by the Black Sea. A National Geographic article on Ballard’s expedition reveals that, “Almost every culture on Earth includes an ancient flood story. Details vary, but the basic plot is the same: Deluge kills all but a lucky few.” The story most known to people today is the biblical account of Noah and the Ark, but earlier than Genesis is the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, about a king who set off on a quest to find the answer to immortality. During his odyssey, he met Utnapishtim, survivor of a great flood sent by the gods. Utnapishtim had been forewarned by the god of water, Enki, and had escaped death by building a boat. His actions had saved his family, friends, along with animals, artisans and precious metals. Fascinated to discover evidence of legends and folklore that pre-date the New Testament, the article also reveals that in Ancient Greek and Roman folklore the story of Deucalion and Pyhrra also existed, about a family and a group of animals who survived a flood in a box shaped ship. The thought that a monstrous flood could have occurred here on the Black Sea 7,000 years ago, has both myself and Chris grinning at the possibility that there may have been some truth in the stories and legends born in this region.

After the last Ice Age, the planet experienced a rapidly changing landscape. It is known that events such as the “Big Freeze” had taken place between approximately 10800-9500 BC; a period of cold climatic conditions and drought, which is thought to have been caused by the collapse of the North American ice sheets. According to the Black Sea deluge hypothesis, changes in world-wide hydrology around 5600 BC caused overall sea levels to rise, and may have been responsible for the Mediterranean finally spilling over a rocky sill at the Bosphorus. According to Ryan and Pitman, a volume of water 200 times the flow of the Niagara Falls, would have surged into the Black Sea for at least three hundred days. This catastrophic event would have significantly expanded the Black Sea shoreline (which was a glacial lake at the time) to the north and west. I glance across the calm surface of the water with new vision, and try to imagine the ancient farmland, settlements and thriving rural communities that are now located deep underwater.

Continuing our stroll along the waterfront, we pass a row of tourist excursion boats and check out the Sehitler Çesmesi “Martyrs' Fountain”. This simple stone block fountain was built in memory of the Turkish soldiers who died when the Russian Black Sea Fleet, under the command of Admiral Nakhimov, destroyed an Ottoman frigate squadron in 1853. This surprise attack on Sinop sparked the beginning of the Crimean War. Discovering the fountain was built using money recovered from the soldiers' pockets, I look in the direction of Crimea where our journey had first begun. In the distant past, the Greeks had referred to these waters as “Pontos Axinos” (Inhospitable Sea). Having learnt about the countless wars and massacres in this region during our journey, this description begins to resonate. Whether the Black Sea formed suddenly in a deluge 7,000 years ago, or, as some scientists believe, occurred slowly over time, the fact remains that the existence of this huge inland sea had caused hosts of civilisations over thousands of years to gather around its shores. Watching a small sailboat drift out of the harbour, Chris is reminded of Greek mythological tales warning sailors of mermaids luring their ships onto the rocks. These stories suddenly have new meaning. Seduced by this sea’s promise of rich fishing grounds, fertile steppes and rivers of gold, the Black “Inhospitable” Sea exists at the crossroads of migrating civilisations, where those who establish empires here, discover only too late the dangers of others inhabiting this region at the central point of humanity. Sterile below the surface, with virtually no life existing below the depths of 150-200 metres, we begin to realise this sea isn’t blue or black – its blood red.


Black Sea Circuit

by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

The legends of Jason and the Argonauts, Noah’s Ark and a tribe of fierce female warriors known as the Amazons all originate from the Black Sea. Gripped by curiosity, Simon and Chris fire up their twenty year old Volvo that looks, as rustic and weather-beaten as a Cold War tank and embark on a quest to drive full circle around this ancient body of water at the birthplace of civilization.

In the shadow of rising tension in Ukraine, the brothers get up close and personal with the fascinating people who inhabit the six nations that surround these colourful shores. Living on the road like the nomadic horse bowmen who once ruled the steppe grasslands, they explore Crimea, the Caucasus region of southern Russia’s “Wild West”, the Georgian kingdom of Colchis, Turkey’s Pontic coast, the megacity of Istanbul and complete their journey in Romania at the outfall of the mighty River Danube.

More books by The Raven Brothers


Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!

by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

Out of shape and unprepared, The Raven Brothers return to the road in a collection of ten quests to travel to their dream destinations against all odds! After two decades pioneering new routes across the globe, you would expect the authors of 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' to be hotshot explorers, with a sixth sense and an ability to survive in almost any situation. Think again! With virtually zero knowledge of the workings of the internal combustion engine and very limited skills of wilderness survival, Simon and Chris struggle into their hiking boots and power across three continents by river, tarmac and trail.

Venture to the top of Norway, cruise the road to Damascus, hike the Camino trail into Spain’s Wild West, row the Ganges, explore Frida Kahlo’s world in Mexico City, hangout with the dead in Sicily’s eerie catacombs, crawl deep inside Bolivia’s notorious silver mine, seek lions in Gujarat, wellness in Berlin and journey into the Naga Hills where tribal kings still rule.

Noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an “accurate view of what to expect”, 'Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!' signals a return to the duo writing “buttock clenching” travel comedy with the first in a series of candid stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers.


Driving the Trans-Siberian


by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

Ever had the desire to jump in your car and keep driving; to wave goodbye to routine and commitment, to drive into the unknown hungry for adventure? Well, that is precisely what overland travel writers, Chris Raven and Simon Raven, decided to do whilst stacking boxes of frozen oven chips in a -30 degrees freezer. Not being petrol heads and having zero knowledge of the internal combustion engine, the brothers fired up their rusty Ford Sierra Sapphire and headed east. 

After clocking up over 11,000 miles, quite literally living in the car, the pioneering duo miraculously arrived in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok in Siberia on the Sea of Japan. What they had in fact done was to drive the entire length of the new Amur Highway before it was finished, which crosses Russia and the notorious Zilov Gap in a 6,200 mile swath of cracked tarmac and potholes. Along the way our trusty heroes drink vodka with Chechen criminals, escape highway robbery, trade banana flavoured condoms with Russian cops, meet the eccentric and plain weird at truck stops in darkest Siberia, endure torturous road conditions and have a race to the finish with the Germans. Surviving this insane journey by the skin of their teeth the brothers are forced to confront their worst fears in this toe-curling comedy of extreme road trip adventure.



Carnival Express


by The Raven Brothers


Overland travel writers, Chris Raven and Simon Raven, embark on a new comedy adventure that leads them to the wild and colourful continent of South America. From bull's testicles in Buenos Aires to bums and boobs on the beaches of Brazil, the Raven brothers put their dream plans into action and traverse the Trans-oceanic highway from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast of South America.

Pioneering a new frontier over the Andes and through the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, the bizarre and the beautiful cross their dusty path as they seek inspiration for a new book and go in search of the ultimate carnival. Not always getting it right, Simon and Chris tango through the Argentinean vineyards, cycle to the Moon in Chile, lose themselves in the mysterious world of the Inca Empire, swim with caiman in the Madre de Dios, experience panic in the Pantanal, The Rolling Stones in Rio and conclude their journey in Olinda at the carnival of the soul.


Living the Linger

by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

The sudden break-up with Emily Willow finds Simon Raven, ex-amateur rock god and bored internet producer, on a Boeing 747 bound for Seattle. Led by his twin brother, Chris, who is more than happy to exchange a career in fashion photography for the open road, they embark on a buttock-clenching journey of paranoia and self-doubt, as they traverse Interstate 15 across backcountry America. 

Along the way the hapless duo bumble through bear infested wilderness, meet the eccentric and plain weird on the American freeway, escape a bullwhip wielding maniac in Missoula and survive the evils of Las Vegas. Testing their friendship to the limit as they battle to reach their nirvana, which exists in the form of the bikini beaches of California, the brothers find inspiration on a journey that exposes the stark truth about work and relationships and which asks the question - what do you really want to do with your life?


Monument to Defenders of Adzhimushkay Quarry, Kerch, Crimea

Travel writer Simon Raven braves the strong wind on top of the Soviet style 'Monument to Defenders of Adzhimushkay Quarry'. This impressive monument dominates the suburban landscape near Kerch. Fierce battles took place here during the Great Patriotic War in 1942, and below lies a labyrinth of tunnels named the Adzhimushkay catacombs.

Simon Raven standing on top of the Monument to defenders of Adzhimushkay Quarry
near Kerch, Crimea. Photo © Chris Raven

Books by The Raven Brothers


Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!

by The Raven Brothers

On Amazon >

Out of shape and unprepared, The Raven Brothers return to the road in a collection of ten quests to travel to their dream destinations against all odds! After two decades pioneering new routes across the globe, you would expect the authors of 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' to be hotshot explorers, with a sixth sense and an ability to survive in almost any situation. Think again! With virtually zero knowledge of the workings of the internal combustion engine and very limited skills of wilderness survival, Simon and Chris struggle into their hiking boots and power across three continents by river, tarmac and trail.

Venture to the top of Norway, cruise the road to Damascus, hike the Camino trail into Spain’s Wild West, row the Ganges, explore Frida Kahlo’s world in Mexico City, hangout with the dead in Sicily’s eerie catacombs, crawl deep inside Bolivia’s notorious silver mine, seek lions in Gujarat, wellness in Berlin and journey into the Naga Hills where tribal kings still rule.

Noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an “accurate view of what to expect”, 'Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!' signals a return to the duo writing “buttock clenching” travel comedy with the first in a series of candid stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers.

Carnival Express - A South America Adventure: Chapter One


From bull's testicles in Buenos Aires to bums and boobs on the beaches of Brazil, the Raven brothers embark on a new comedy adventure as they attempt to traverse the Trans-oceanic highway by express bus from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast of South America. Not always getting it right, the hapless heroes tango through the Argentinean vineyards, cycle to the Moon in the Atacama Desert, survive death roads in the Peruvian Andes and venture deep into the heart of the Amazon jungle with only one mission in mind, to go in search of the ultimate carnival.

Extract from the book Carnival Express
by the Raven brothers

CHAPTER ONE

I’m sitting in a restaurant with my brother in the San Telmo district of Buenos Aires. We’ve hardly slept a wink since our packed jumbo touched down on the hot Argentinean tarmac three days ago and with a combination of jetlag, excessive sightseeing, salsa and fine wine, I feel a little tired, but I’ll fight it. Hesitantly placing a piece of grilled cow intestine in my mouth, I chew the foul tasting grub a couple of times before spitting it out onto my plate.
  ‘Table manners,’ Si grumbles, jabbing his fork into a bull’s testicle. ‘You’re eating chinchulines in a very sophisticated restaurant in Argentina now, not sat at home in front of the telly scoffing baked beans on toast.’
  Si looks suddenly very pale. He collapses off his chair and staggers across the restaurant. I refill my glass from a bulbous bottle of San Felipe. It’s a full-bodied Argentinean red from the grape-growing region of Mendoza, and I feel excited by the prospect of going there and losing myself in the vineyards. Swilling the wine around the glass, I study the antique furniture scattered around the room. It’s a very traditional Argentinean restaurant with solid wooden tables and chairs and starched white tablecloths that look like they date back to the 1930’s. Two mature waiters wearing crisp white aprons, white shirts and black bow ties, stand to attention in front of a classic wooden bar. Faded photographs decorate the walls, one of Eva Peron and another of the slick Carlos Gardel, the father of tango. A picture window looks out onto the busy cobbled streets of San Telmo, the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires. A street performer covered from head to toe in silver paint stands frozen like a statue in front of a historic antique shop across the street, and two guys with a guitar and an accordion play beautiful tango music to the entertained crowd milling around Plaza Dorrego. I glance across the restaurant and notice an attractive woman with jet black hair sat on a table nearby. She talks loudly in Spanish to a clean-cut guy wearing a navy blue suit. She pauses to suck innocently on a piece of cow intestine that dangles from her glossy red lips. As the entrails whip up into her mouth she looks over at me, our eyes lock, and I quickly look down at my plate.

Black Sea Circuit: Road Trip Through the Caucasus (Part 2)

Black Sea Circuit. Photo by Chris Raven

The Raven Brothers fired up their twenty year old Volvo and headed for the Black Sea. Follow their three-part adventure, as they embark on a quest to drive full circle around this ancient body of water at the birthplace of civilization.

Extract from the book BLACK SEA CIRCUIT
by The Raven Brothers


The Black Sea has been the inspiration for endless myths and legends
. It was here Jason and the Argonauts were thought to have sailed from Greece to Georgia in search of the Golden Fleece. It is home to stories of a tribe of fierce female warriors known as the Amazons, who were said to have captured men and used them as sex slaves in what is now modern day Turkey. Tribes of nomadic horsemen wielding swords once ruled the grasslands of the Pontic steppe, and Huns, Goths, Turks and Russians strove for mastery along these colourful shores.

Would it be possible to make a complete loop around the Black Sea? We had heard rumours the Verkhny Lars-Darial Gorge border crossing in the Caucasus Mountains between Beslan, Vladikavkaz and the Georgian Military Highway was now open to foreigners, but the Russian Embassy advised us not to travel this route. Undeterred, we both agreed that at the worst case scenario we would have to backtrack to OdeSsa in the east of the Ukraine and travel by ferry to Batumi in Georgia. The plan was set. The second stage of our journey traversing this mighty sea was about to begin.

Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim: Will the Karmapa return?

A poster by the people for the return of the Holiness Karmapa. Photo © Chris Raven

High in the hills of the Indian state of Sikkim lies the heavily guarded Tibetan Buddhist Rumtek monastery, one of the most important seats of the Kagyu tradition outside the Tsurphu monastery in Tibet. Also known as the Dharmachakra Centre, near the capital Gangtok, there is a focal point here for the sectarian tensions that characterize the Karmapa Controversy.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje, known as the 17th Karmapa, is the chosen one and the leader of the Kagyu order of Buddhism, a 27 year-old-man, who the monks want to desperately see reside at Rumtek.

Based in Dharamsala at the Gyuto Tantric University, after fleeing from Tibet in late December 1999, the Karmapa has been banned from entering Rumtek and the state of Sikkim by the Indian government due to security concerns, as different factions have fought over who is the real Karmapa, or incarnate lama. At least two others have laid a claim to the title, but the Dalai Lama and China have officially backed Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

Armed guards protect the Rumtek monastery, Sikkim. Photo © Chris Raven.

Tibetan Buddhist monks in the courtyard of the Rumtek monastery, Sikkim. Photo © Chris Raven.

Tribal Markets in China's Deep South

Bulang tribal woman at Menghun market, China. Photo © Simon Raven 

Visiting village markets in the fascinating and colourful Chinese Province of Xishuangbanna, the Raven brothers return with images of a people and region of China that has more in common with Southeast Asia.

Photography by The Raven Brothers

In the countryside of Xishuangbanna the most lively side of rural life is presented on market day. Both Xiding and Menghun, towns west of the capital Jinhong, are generally quiet 6 days a week, but once a week, Xiding (Thursday) and (Menghun) Sunday, become bustling centres of trade for the locals from the surrounding villages who come here to sell goods. It's also a social time for the people to meet old friends and swap stories.

Through the Mother of God: A 36 hour bus journey to the jungle

Chris Raven on the Trans-Oceanica, Brazil.
Photo by Simon Raven

The Raven brothers catch a 36 hour bus journey along the ‘Trans-Oceanica’ in the Madre Del Dio. From the Inca city of Cusco in Peru in the Andes down through the Amazon rainforest to the border town of Puerto Maldonado. 

By The Raven Brothers

Extract from the book Carnival Express

THE BUS JERKS and I'm shaken from my morning siesta. I feel hot so I wipe my sticky forehead on the bottom of my t-shirt. My brother Simon rocks backwards and forwards and nods his head in time to the unpredictable motion of the bus. I pull the red curtain to one side and slide open the tinted glass. Warm air hits my greasy face. I poke my head outside and smell the sweet jungle. Lush vegetation lines the roadside, a botanical garden full of tropical and colourful plant species all competing for space and sunlight.

Where to Escape the Camino Crowds?

 

Ancient stone bridge on the Via de la Plata in the Extremadura region of Spain.
Ancient bridge. Cáceres‎. Photo © Chris Raven


If you love travel and hiking, you will more than likely have heard of The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), a network of pilgrims' ways that lead to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. The Camino Francés is the most popular route, which starts at the French border in the Pyrenees. Overcrowded in recent years, many tourists have begun to seek less visited stretches of the trail to enjoy. For a great introduction to a walk on an off the beaten track stretch of the trail check out the story 'Into Spain's Wild West', one of ten stories of adventure in the new book 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!' by The Raven Brothers, Chris and Simon Raven. Out of shape and unprepared, the authors of the cult travel book 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' attempt to hike 75km in two days between the ancient fortified cities of Cáceres‎ and Merida. Not always getting it right, the travel writing duo hobble, curse and fight across cattle country as they traverse the ancient Silver Way “Via de la Plata" through the heart of the Extremadura, a tough land that is home to the notorious fighting bull.

Not a fan of rowing boats? Fear not. The fifth book by The Raven Brothers covers ten inspiring stories of adventure from across the globe, and signals a return to Simon and Chris writing “buttock clenching” comedy. 

‘Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!’ by The Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide.

Norway Hike to the Top of Europe

 

Nordkapp kilometre sign in northern Norway.
Nordkapp sign. Norway. CREDIT The Raven Brothers ©

Ever yearned to see what lies at the top of Europe, at the furthest point north before mainland Norway spills into the Arctic ocean? Forever curious, The Raven Brothers, Simon and Chris Raven, travelled from the UK to northern Norway in a one-letre hatchback. With a focus on wilderness survival, ‘A Little Hike to the Top of the World’ is the second story in the travel writing duos 5th book 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!' and follows the authors on a drive from the Lofoten archipelago to Norway's North Cape. Hiking the Knivskjellodden trail to the extreme northernmost point of Europe, reindeer and traditional sami people cross their paths as the brothers go wild on a Norwegian Arctic journey in the midsummer to the top of the world. A career in overland adventure was launched when The Raven Brothers drove across Russia from the UK to Vladivostok in a rusty Ford Sierra. Their cult travel book 'Driving the Trans-Siberian' spurred an endless series of adventures that has led the duo to travel around the globe, from South America to tribal India. With very limited knowledge of wilderness survival, Simon and Chris pick up a few new skills during their journey north.

Simon: We came into possession of a one-letre Corsa, it seemed like a sweet idea to drive to the top of Europe in the vehicle our mum used for the supermarket and to visit grandma. For two months we lived inside that cosy shopping trolley. We travelled all over Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Chris: After a month on the road we were able to get a fire roaring in the rain. Old dry spruce (Christmas trees) make excellent firelighters. We harvested mussels on the rocky shores of breathtaking fjords, and collected wild fruit. Anything without the capacity to move we claimed as lunch. There was a fantastic moment when we found ourselves chasing behind a snow white albino reindeer with huge pink antlers. It felt like we were on a sleigh ride. We gave a toot of the horn and it sprang into the forest. Reindeers can jump impressively high! 

Simon: Quite often we had deserted roads all to ourselves. We'd cruise alongside endless fjords that mirror mountains with snow still on the top even in the midsummer. We tried to live a normal routine, but it was light 24 hours a day, so we could drive when we liked or explore hiking trails in the small hours. With more deserted coastline than we could ever possibly explore in a lifetime, we’d park up, wash or swim in the crystal clear water and harvest mussels from the shore. If heaven were a road, it would be Norway’s E6. You could easily idle away an infinite period of time there.

Chris: Travelling in such a small car we had very limited supplies. A broken golf umbrella kept us dry and Si wore socks on his hands during the hike (he forgot to bring gloves). We hiked the Knivskjellodden trail across the Arctic tundra with a herd of reindeer cascading down the hillside, a white tailed eagle with a wingspan over two metres swooped low overhead. We stood looking out across the Barents Sea. It’s incredible to imagine that you are one of only a handful of people stood at that latitude at that hour.

If riding reindeers at 3 o'clock in the morning isn’t your idea of a good time, fear not, the fifth book by The Raven Brothers covers ten inspiring stories of adventure with the promise of more coming soon. Cruise the road to Damascus, hike the Camino trail into Spain's Wild West, row the Ganges, explore Frida Kahlo's world in Mexico City, hangout with the dead in Sicily's eerie catacombs, crawl deep inside Bolivia's notorious silver mine, seek lions in Gujarat, wellness in Berlin and journey into the Naga Hills where tribal kings still rule. Noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an accurate view of what to expect, 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!' signals a return to the duo writing buttock clenching travel comedy with the first in a series of candid stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers.

'Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!' by The Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide.

Road Trip Inspiration for 2021

Empty highway stretching off to the distance in Extremadura, Spain

It's never too early to start planning your dream road trip adventure. To help inspire you, discover three incredible road trips to Norway, Sicily and Damascus in the new travel book 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!', 10 stories of adventure by The Raven Brothers. A career in overland adventure was launched by Chris and Simon Raven, when they drove unaided across  Siberia from the UK to Vladivostok in a rusty Ford Sierra. The travel writing duo won praise from Lonely Planet, who recommended their book ‘Driving the Trans-Siberian’, as an alternative to Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor’s BBC-sponsored motorcycle adventure. Back on the road with three new drives in a book of ten stories of adventure, The Raven Brothers seek out their dream destinations by river, tarmac and trail in their fifth book ‘Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!’ 

1. The Road to Damascus in a Ford Escort 

Curiosity and a period of relative calm in Syria, leads The Raven Brothers to embark on a quest to drive to the heart of the Middle East. Sampling Syrian beer at the castle of the Knights, the brothers explore mind blowing history with a desert backdrop, as they venture to Damascus in a bid to seek wisdom and understanding in one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Chris: The streets inside the ancient souqs of Damascus are belt tighteningly narrow. You could easily reach out of the car window and help yourself to spices or sticky Syrian sweets.

Simon: On the road to Damascus we were faced with ten-ton trucks travelling head on. I recall a guy with the appearance of Lawrence of Arabia chilling on a motorcycle in the middle lane. We experienced a tyre blow out at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon mountains in a region where a battle was fought in ancient times involving thousands of chariots. 

2. Norway’s Arctic Highway to the Top of the World

With a focus on wilderness survival The Raven Brothers drive from the remote Lofoten archipelago to Norway's North Cape, during an epic tour of Scandinavia in a small one-litre hatchback. Hiking the Knivskjellodden trail to the extreme northernmost point of Europe, reindeer and traditional sami people cross their paths as the brothers go wild on a Norwegian Arctic journey to the top of the world.

Chris: There was a fantastic moment when we found ourselves chasing behind a snow white albino reindeer with huge pink antlers. It felt like we were on a sleigh ride in a crazy fairy tale.

Simon: If heaven were a road, it would be Norway’s E6. You could easily idle away an infinite period of time there.

3. Up the Etna

Hurtling towards middle age The Raven Brothers make a circuit around Sicily, an island at the furthest point south of Italy’s boot. Driving to the top of Mount Etna and exploring myths in ancient Syracuse, the travel writing duo eat their way around a land of personality, history, mega cuisine and sunshine. Wrestling identity the brothers end their journey hanging out with the dead in Palermo’s eerie catacombs, and endure the ultimate life lesson in how it feels to be tolerated.

Simon: We drove to the top of Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. It was the descent that proved to be risky. Our brakes caught fire halfway down the mountain. With a crack in the fuel tank it is incredible our 90s executive saloon didn’t explode in a magnificent fireball.

Chris: Sicily is one of the most dangerous countries in the world, because of the food! By the end of the road trip Si's head was so heavy it literally tilted to one side.

Not a fan of road tripping? Fear not. The fifth book by the travel writing duo covers ten inspiring stories of adventure from across the globe, and signals a return to Simon and Chris writing “buttock clenching” comedy. 

‘Hike, Drive, Stayin’ Alive!’ by The Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide.

3 Off the Beaten Track Adventures 2021

Nagaland. CREDIT The Raven Brothers ©

Feel a strong urge to seek wild adventure in 2021? Draw inspiration from 10 short stories from across the globe in the latest travel book by the authors of 'Driving the Trans-Siberian'. 

Here's our pick of 3 incredible off the beaten track adventures for 2021, featured in the epic new travel book 'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!by The Raven Brothers, Chris and Simon Raven.

1.    Opium with the Konyak King

There are few frontiers left to explore on planet Earth. With permits being relaxed in the less visited northeast Indian state of Nagaland, the Raven Brothers were on a train and two buses from Kolkata faster than a bullet from a gun. 

Chris: We’d planned to travel to Darjeeling and parts of Assam, but Nagaland was well off our radar. It took three days to reach the foot of the Naga hills, a sign greeted us at the border that a ceasefire was in place in the region. 

Simon: The roads through the thick jungle were heavily potholed. Our backsides left the seat countless times during our journey to Mon, which is the only settlement of any size in the less visited north. For centuries Nagaland has been ruled by hill tribes. We saw tattooed tribal elders on route to the Myanmar border wearing headdresses of exotic hornbill feathers, and carrying machetes that until very recently were used to remove the heads of their enemies. 

2.    A Date with the Devil

Fourteen-thousand feet in the high Andes, lies the legendary Potosi silver mine. During a South America adventure of a lifetime, the Raven Brothers explore the cavernous depths of Cerro Rico and meet the stoic Andean people who live at the rooftop of the world.

Simon: There are few places in the world that leave such a huge impression on you. The lives of the miners are fraught with danger, yet they are some of the most humble people you are ever likely to meet.

Chris: The mountain is steadily collapsing from overmining. We didn’t know that until we had crawled deep into the guts of Cerro Rico, a silver mine that for centuries has been known as "the mountain that eats men". 

3.    A Boat, a Goat & Three Chickens

During the mighty Magh Mela festival, the Raven Brothers and a friend buy a rowing boat and embark on a Ganges voyage to Varanasi. Blind river dolphins, bandits and a corpse greet them during a journey that rapidly spirals out of control.

Chris: The idea to buy a boat and row the Ganges was a moment of madness. We were out of our depth and unprepared. We lived a lifetime in one single day.

Simon: We experienced good and bad karma on both sides of one of the most holy rivers in the world. For weeks afterwards we had blisters on our hands where the oars had rubbed away the skin. To haul the boat waist deep in the heavily polluted water is a memory that often flashes through my mind. The Indian people are incredibly strong and must fight for survival on the shores of this incredible river.

'Hike, Drive, Stayin' Alive!' by the Raven Brothers is out now! Order your copy from Amazon or your favourite book retailer worldwide. 

Moon Puerto Vallarta travel guide: With Sayulita, the Riviera Nayarit & Costalegre

Towering mountains and turquoise sea, street food and cutting-edge cuisine, old-world vibes and world-class luxury: Explore a tropical paradise full of surprises with Moon Puerto Vallarta.

Moon Puerto Vallarta travel guide

-Flexible itineraries for spending time in Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay North, Sayulita and the Riviera Nayarit and Costa Alegre

-Strategic advice for outdoor adventurers, beach bums, surfers, wellness travellers, culture mavens and more

-Must-see highlights and unique experiences: Relax on soft beaches and take a dip in warm waters, go standup paddleboarding, or hike through the lush jungle. Discover quiet coves for snorkelling, spot humpback whales and sea turtles, or take a surfing lesson. Enjoy tacos from a street vendor, feast on Mexican delicacies at a waterfront restaurant, or drop anchor and grill your freshly-caught fish in a palapa. Shop from local artists along the winding cobblestone streets, or spend a day volunteering at a turtle rescue camp. Visit a tequila distillery, sample local raicilla, and dance to cumbia along the famed Malecón

You may also be interested in:

Lonely Planet Cancun, Cozumel & the Yucatan

Lonely Planet Mexico

The Rough Guide to Mexico

This site contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

How to Survive Family Holidays

How to Survive Family Holidays 

One part Lonely Planet, one part tell-all family memoir, this is the definitive and hilarious guide on how to survive your family holiday, by Jack Whitehall, with a little bit of help from Michael and Hilary Whitehall.

No one family has more experience of travelling together than the Whitehalls. Indeed they've been allowing us a window to their escapades for the past five years in the hit Netflix show 'Travels with my Father' and in this hilarious book they have now decided to pool their advice for fellow travellers. To lay out the pitfalls of family holidays. The dos and don'ts, the highs and lows. In doing so they are sharing some of their best anecdotes. Their most extreme experiences and their most valuable advice. It is part memoir of family life, part travel guide, and full on, laugh-out-loud funny.

Whatever your version of holiday preparation the truth is always this: if it is with one's own family, no amount of sunshine, wine or holiday spirit will stop your worst character traits coming to the surface. You have just volunteered to spend a week in close proximity with the people who know you best and who will never ever let you forget a f***-up. No one survives unscathed. Things are always going to end in tears, you can only hope they're of laughter.

through thick jungle in Parque Nacional Tortuguero, or hike around Volcan Arenal; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Costa Rica and begin your journey now!

DK Eyewitness New England


Whether you want to explore the rugged natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, follow the fascinating Freedom Trail through Boston, or indulge in fresh lobster from the coast of Cape Cod, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all New England has to offer.


This site contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

This spectacular region beckons with every season. In spring and summer, pretty postcard villages entice hardcore hikers with the promise of a cold beer. In fall, blazing foliage unfolds from north to south. And with some of the best skiing and snowsports areas in the whole of the US, winter won't disappoint.

Our regularly updated guide brings New England to life, transporting you there like no other travel guide does with expert-led insights and advice, detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights, photographs on practically every page, and our trademark illustrations.

Inside:

- our pick of New England's must-sees, top experiences, and hidden gems
- the best spots to eat, drink, shop, and stay
- more than 400 photographs and illustrations
- detailed maps, walks, and drives, which make navigating the country easy
- easy-to-follow itineraries
- more than 12 detailed maps
- expert advice: get ready, get around, and stay safe
- colour-coded chapters to every part of New England, from Massachusetts to Maine, Rhode Island to New Hampshire
- new lightweight format so you can take it with you wherever you go

You may be interested in DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Boston or our pocket-friendly Top 10 New England.