New cycle-touring book to read :-)

[eleanor from nz]

Unleashed in New Zealand some five months ago, Llamas and Empanadas is now available to the rest of the world through the wonderful medium of the internet! Hoorah.
It's a personal account of a 5,500 kilometre bike tour through South America that I made in 2004, visiting Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. I never actually planned to write a book, but when I returned home, sun-blistered and brain-frazzled, I started typing and just couldn't stop.
Writing Llamas and Empanadas turned out to be equally as challenging and satisfying as the cycle-tour it describes. The one notable difference being that I got fatter rather than thinner along the way :-)

Below is a link to the Penguin website where you can read a bit about it.

http://www.penguin.co.nz/afa.asp?idW...&SID=858711552

and you can order it here:

http://www.amazon.ca/Llamas-Empanada...8469337&sr=1-1

And if you want to see more photos from the trip, go here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleanor...7600258178818/

I hope you enjoy reading it,
eleanor meecham
x

[snapdragen]

I'm currently reading this, and enjoying it!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wow, congratulations! Gorgeous photos.
The Amazon page could use a description of what the book is about somewhere.

Great to see a book like this come out.

[onimity]

Eleanor,

Just wanted to say that I just finished reading your book a couple of days ago and it was wonderful beyond words. I am headed on a solo cycling trip in Patagonia (Lake District->Carretera Austral -> Tierra del Fuego) in a little over a month and your book just confirmed for me that it is completely what I want to do; I've traveled a fair amount in SA and your stories so often resonated with my own experience, people telling me I was crazy, flirtatious locals (in spite of often great stench), and the good people everywhere (not to mention the facturas!)

I'm so glad to see that your book is available more locally to the states now; I ordered it from NZ and it was $US45 including postage...well worth it though. It was more difficult to have to wait for it to arrive! I'm planning to get another copy to share with friends since I don't want mine going missing.

Speaking of which, I was so sorry to read that your bike got stolen! I would be absolutely heartbroken.

Thanks for sharing your story, it was a joy to read.

Anne

[DirtDiva]

I read your article in Spoke. Looked like an amazing trip. Just waiting for Borders to email me a discount voucher for non-fiction.

[eleanor from nz]

I read your article in Spoke. Looked like an amazing trip. Just waiting for Borders to email me a discount voucher for non-fiction.

They WERE doing a 3 for 2 deal on it a month or so back. I'm not sure if that's still on....

[eleanor from nz]

Thanks for sharing your story, it was a joy to read.

Anne

Hi Anne, apologies for the delay in replying, but thank you so much for your kind comments. It's more satisfying than I could ever have imagined to hear that people are enjoying the book. An added bonus that I really hadn't anticipated.
Good luck with your Chilean trip! I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time. Just don't forget a really good rainjacket and lots of spare brake pads :-)
Will you be keeping an online travel diary? I'd love to read it to offset the stagnation caused by sitting on my backside for long periods while writing the second book...
Happy cycling!
eleanor

[mimitabby]

just bought your book. For some reason USA Amazon doesn't carry it but Canadian Amazon does...

[eleanor from nz]

Wow, congratulations! Gorgeous photos.
The Amazon page could use a description of what the book is about somewhere.

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the photos.
If you buy a copy of the book from Amazon, you can write your own review. Hint hint :-)

[eleanor from nz]

I'm currently reading this, and enjoying it!

Nice!
How on earth did you break your neck?! Was it a close encounter with the ground after spilling off your steed?

[snapdragen]

Nice!
How on earth did you break your neck?! Was it a close encounter with the ground after spilling off your steed?

Not really broken, just a bit bent. Long story shortened, it's turned out to be some major disc compression in my neck, who knows what it was caused by. Guess I need to think up a new sig line, eh?

[Zen]

Elanor, your photos are wonderful. my favorites are "sugar babies", "spices' and "road to the end of the world" you use a lot of natural light, what kind of camera did you use?

[eleanor from nz]

Elanor, your photos are wonderful. my favorites are "sugar babies", "spices' and "road to the end of the world" you use a lot of natural light, what kind of camera did you use?

I used an old school Nikon FG20 SLR. Fuji 400 film. I like the colours that Fuji gives the best. Seems to reflect what I see most accurately.

[kpokla]

say, i'm reading the book now and it is great. i'm only about 1/4 the way through but I wish I had your gumption.

[eleanor from nz]

I wish I had your gumption.

I bet you do, really.