Finding kindness in a place known in the West as a terrorist sanctuary

The colorful story of one couple's journey across the world to build their dream home in the heart of the Amazon In 1989, as their mid-life crises approached, concert pianist Binka Le Breton and her husband Robin, an agricultural economist, decided to uproot themselves from their home in Washington, D.C. and start a new life in Brazil. Where the Road Ends is their story of building a house, a rainforest research center, and a new dream. Since then, they've learned how to work with the trees, the animals, the weather, the local community, and each other. Their technology now ranges from the oxcart to the Internet, and in 2000 they opened a rainforest conservation and research center that is visited by foreign researchers and Brazilian school children. From meeting their resident cowboy, Albertinho, to beheading snakes, to chauffeuring a local wedding—the adventures described here are unparalleled. This delightful memoir takes the armchair traveler deep into another world where matters of providing food and shelter can never be taken for granted. Binka and Robin have embarked on an adventure that many readers only dream about—transplanting themselves in a different country and learning (often the hard way) what it takes to survive and flourish. "A good read for armchair travelers." - Kirkus Reviews

"In the middle of the night I crawled out of my tent into a silvery vastness truly unchanged since Genghis Khan and his hordes loped west more than half a millennium ago. There was no glow of city lights on the horizon, no ranger station at the edge of the next valley, no quaint general store, no paved road. There was nothing but space, unbounded and untamed. A brilliant moon lit the blackness crystal clear. Moonshadows of every blade of grass danced silently in the wildness. It was the emptiest, quietest place I had ever been. I threw my arms out wide and spun slowly around and around in the dazzling clarity of the night, the stars blurring into ribbons of light above me." Mongolia. It was Erika Warmbrunn's dream. To escape deep into parts of Asia inaccessible to tours and guidebooks, to abandon herself to the risks of the unknown. And so, with only a bicycle named Greene for a traveling companion, she set off on an eight month, 8,000 kilometer trek that stretched across the steppes of this ancient land, on through China, and down the length of Vietnam. Freed by Greene's two wheels from the tyranny of discrete points on a map, she found that the true merit of travel was not in the simple seeing, but in flowing with the unexpected adventure or invitation, in savoring the moments in between -- the daily challenges of new words and customs, the tiny triumphs of learning a new way of life, the daunting thrill of never knowing what the next day would bring. Wanting to ride a Mongolian horse and finding herself in the saddle for four hours, herding fifty head of cattle. Asking for a hotel in a Chinese village and being taken into a family's home to share their grandmother's bed for the night. Pedaling into the Vietnamese highlands and being stopped along the muddy road by a father asking that she join his two-year-old son's birthday party. Accepting a Mongolian village's invitation to stop pedaling and stay for a while, to live with them and teach them English. In the doing and the telling, Where the Pavement Ends is a much richer experience than any line on a map can show. Where the Pavement Ends is the recipient of the "Barbara Savage Miles From Nowhere Memorial Award." You can find out more about this author at her website: www.wherethepavementends.com

Start your run where the pavement ends. Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running is the authoritative and accessible guide for this rapidly growing sport. Whether you are an experienced runner on roads or an outdoor enthusiast who wants to explore a new way of appreciating nature, this four-color resource covers training, competition, injury prevention, strategy, and more.

The book chronicles the adventures of Ed and Janice Schofield including building their own home, learning about the wild plants, the people and the wildlife of the area. Short episodic chapters keep readers turning the pages full of "can-do spirit" and live in the last frontier. Part love story, part adventure, and part natural history, this is a chaming memoir.

An indispensable resource for the perfect island getaway This reader-friendly guide to the beauty and wonder of the nation’s 50th state features everything you need to know before visiting Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, and Lana’i. Includes one-island and multiple-island itineraries, as well as ultimate itineraries for singles, families, couples looking for a romantic getaway, adventure seekers, and luxury lovers. • Special visual icons indicating hotels, restaurants, and sights that can’t be missed—as well as those that are best avoided—make navigating the book simple • Features eight pages of beautiful full-color Hawaiian scenery