Simon Calder

Very interesting book about the low fare competition in Europe, imagine if there were three Southwests. Think about these comparable fares, PHX-NYC $150 or HOU-MCO for $50? Crazy fare wars and unique personalities make for a great story

A light-hearted and impressionistic account of travelling the length of the Pyrenees from west to east, Calder and Webb’s book explores the variety of the mountains, their inhabitants, history and geography. They describe their walks with humour and an insight into the region as they mainly follow the GR10 path with digressions onto the Haute Randonée Pyrénéenne and other paths. Their travels are spread over several years as they cover sections of the path and their walking is show more interspersed with journeys by rail, bus and hitchhiking which gives them a greater chance of meeting local characters.
They give great entertainment and a good introduction to the area, but this is not a guide to the route if you are undertaking a walk along the GR10. At times, their haphazard planning and overoptimistic timetable prove annoying and frustratingly. the book could have been enhanced by a map to accompany each chapter to show the authors’ meandering route. show less

Enjoyable description, with the authors alternating, of walking in the Pyrenees. Evocative but a map would've helped, especially as they made multiple visits and used different walking paths.

An interesting look at the history of low-cost carriers, which extend further back than many normally think. Of interest was the relationship between the low-cost upstarts and the legacy carriers. It's an interesting short look at some of the carriers, either as a pre-cursor for reading a full account of them or a way to see how they related to one another.