Tell Them To Get Lost by Brian Thacker (30-Nov-2011) Paperback

by Brian Thacker

When Tony Wheeler wrote Lonely Planet's first-ever shoestring guidebook, South-East Asia offered 'cheap and interesting travel without the constantly oppressing misery of some of the less fortunate parts of Asia'. Certain 'hotspots' in the region attracted the tourist crowds, but there were many 'untouched places' too. So have Tony's recommendations stood the test of time? Just how much has South-East Asia changed since the Wheelers ambled through the region in flared pants? Brian Thacker decides to retrace Tony and Maureen's footsteps through Portuguese Timor, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Burma using the original 1975 South east Asia on a Shoestring as his only guidebook. Along the way Brian meets a cast of folk from the old guidebook who are still manning hotel desks and serving in restaurants. He also encounters mishap and adventure at every step of the Banana Pancake Trail - breaking bread with a gang of ravenous rats; swimming with a hungry goat-and-possibly-also-human-eating crocodile; crashing his scooter (twice); being wanted by the police and propositioned by Gary who likes 'pens', and getting lost everywhere...

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir

Unknown Binding

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Travel Author Brian Thacker was born in England, but he didn't like the weather so he immigrated to Melbourne, Australia when he was six. After many years working as an art director in advertising Brian worked as a tour leader escorting bus loads of drunk Aussies around Europe. That 'experience' became Brian's first book Rule No. 5: No Sex on the Bus (2001). Since then Brian has written six other books including Planes, Trains and Elephants (2002), The Naked Man Festival (2004), I'm Not Eating Any of That Foreign Muck (2005), Where's Wallis? (2006), '2009 Travel Book of the Year' for Sleeping Around and Tell Them to Get Lost: Travels with the Lonely Planet guidebook that started it all (2011). Brian's books have been translated into German, Thai, Mandarin and Slovenian. So far he has visited 81 countries (82 if you count Tasmania).
Brian recently moved from Melbourne to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and fun read where Thacker follows in the footsteps of Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler, retracing their 1974 journey across South East Asia which culminated in the first South East Asia on a Shoestring guidebook.
Those looking for deep analysis of the impact of tourism and specifically the 'Lonely Planet effect' will be left quite short changed, more discussion is given to the often horrid state of some of the original guesthouses and eateries that the Wheeler's recommended over 30 years ago.
Thacker also gives a brief history of what has changed in each country he visits from Portuguese Timor (now East Timor), Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Burma and Singapore; however, the focus is his experiences trying to find the accommodation, transport, restaurants and attractions recommended in the original guidebook. What has closed, what remains the same, which quaint eatery is now a KFC, which sleepy little town is now a backpacker ghetto?
Not an entirely original concept, but an entertaining piece of armchair traveling with humor and the occasional piece of food for thought on the impact of travel.

[Malina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great premise - a bit of Theroux, but with more humorous edge - but overall disappointing execution. The book tends to be simply boring; the author just searches for the places from the original 1974 Lonely Planet SE Asia on a Shoestring book and reports back: "this hotel is still there", "this restaurant is not there anymore". Sometimes he allows for a bigger glimpse of the country he's currently at (like in case of Burma) and it's a pretty good read, but all in all, too little too rarely. The jokes get tedious after being repeated for the x'th time. In general, the book bored me a bit and offered no more than a basic insight that "the world changed, but people didn't". I expected much more.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining book following the original lonely planet's SE Asia on a shoestring from the 70s. Was interesting reading to see how places have changed due to tourism (or lack of).

[Alex Washburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I heard about the premise of this book I was opening another tab on my browser to buy it and it did not disappoint. Tony Wheeler is one of my travel heros and Thacker’s idea to re-trace the original lonely planet SE Asia Shoestring trip using only the original guidebook is irresistible. I’ve been that traveler gritting your teeth preparing to sleep on unclean sheets or eating a meal that will probably make you sick to be polite and this bit of armchair travel was much needed in 2020.

[Mick M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is "ok"
Gets repetitive after a while with plenty of "i arrived here and the hotel that was in the original guidebook either was or wasn't still open" over and over
Isn't a bad book, but is just ok.

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the idea of this book, revisiting SouthEast Asia in 2009 using the original Yellow Bible, aka Lonely Planet: Southeast Asia on a shoestring. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten that I really don't care for Brian Thacker. There's too much of him in his books and he's a complainer. He's either doing it for dramatic effect, or he really isn't someone who should be backpacking. Yes, there are stains. Yes, things get more expensive in 35 years. And yes, if you don't like giving money to corrupt governments, you should stay out of Burma.

That said, it was an interesting sociological look at a region that has changed drastically over the last generation. Part of that is due to the impact of Lonely Planet-and I love that he took care to mention which hotels/restaurants are in the current edition and I enjoyed the author's attempts to seek out staff who may have worked there when Tony and Maureen came through.

Some though is also due to political change, even leaving out Burma. 39 new countries have hatched (world wide) since the first edition of the book. What is now independent East Timor had been through Portuguese and Dutch leadership. Malaysia and Laos are out from under the impact of the Vietnam War. Plus, there was the impact of the 2004 tsunami on Banda Aceh and recent coups in Thailand.

A good story. Just wish it had been written by an author whose writing I enjoy more.

[Ashlee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mostly read this because I'm currently living in Timor Leste and have previously lived in Indonesia. I found it interesting to read about how the backpacker trail was in the 70s when Wheeler wrote his first travel guide, but I didn't find Thacker's descriptions of his time in the cities in the present day particularly enthralling. The format also got quite repetitive after a while. It's probably somewhat useful for a read though for someone about to hit the banana pancake trail.

[Shaun Major · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Thacker's funniest work, but there is a lot of heart here (only some of which is due to his new love). He does, however, make you think about how much the world has changed in the past thirty years; especially the positive & negative role travel has had in that change. Worth the read for that alone!

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the concept was intriguing and parts of it interesting, it ended up feeling repetitive and ultimately fell flat. I ended up need to read it a bit at a time between other books.

[Lorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I found fascinating about this book is that the author COULD use a 40 year old travel book and travel south east Asia. Great idea to celebrate Lonely Planet's beginnings.

[lara phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this on a whim right before going to Singapore and Malaysia - fun to see how things have (and haven't changed). Makes me never want to go to Kuta Bali, though.

[Ross Mcneil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant writing I love this book. Retracing the original Lonely Planet guide book. An amazing study on the effect tourism + time has had on many of these Asian destinations.