It seemed a good idea at the time. The village chosen by Bob Andrews as a refuge from the chaos of Bangkok lay just off the north-south motorway. His partner Pan already ran the village store and noodle shop. Why not expand the business to include an English-style tea shop? But Bob hadn't done his homework. Thai motorway travelers are in too much of a hurry to break their journey for a pot of tea and a plate of crumpets. And Thai villagers eat rice soup for breakfast, not bacon and eggs. Nevertheless, Bob did gain some profit from his failed enterprise, winning a rare insight into the life of a typical Thai village.

After more than 50 years in journalism, Bob Andrews decided it was time to come clean and disclose the tricks of his often maligned trade. Andrews-author of "Boom Boom Baby": and "Sticky Rice at the Orchid Café-takes the reader on a tour of his old haunts in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. "It reads like a detective story," said a writer for Le Monde, Paris.

Completely revised and updated, Let's Go: Southeast Asia puts our forty-five years of travel savvy at your fingertips, with helpful commentary and plenty of listings to get you where you need to be. From cosmopolitan Singapore to the most remote villages of Laos, the new edition delivers expanded cultural information, and more study and volunteering opportunities-the tools that will help you hit the road like a seasoned traveler, not just a tourist. Whether you'd rather tempt Lady Luck at a five-star casino on the Thai-Cambodian border or watch fireflies flit off into the night in Malaysia, Let's Go's intrepid researchers ensure that you're in tune with this quickly changing region.

Includes information on hotels, inns, and castles, restaurants, drives and walks, exploring abbeys and castles, fishing and golf, and provides essays on Scotland's history, literature, and clans

Make your next vacation a pilgrimage...

Provides information on Hawaiian history and culture, and shares advice on sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment