Choose Adventure: Safe Travel in Dangerous Places Paperback – May 2, 2020

Lots of great information, from an excellent instructor.

Greg Ellifritz’s excellent book raises the bar for all other adventure travel and travel safety books. What makes this new book so much better than the previous crop is the depth and breadth of Gregs practical street proven advice, techniques, tips and practices. Greg has combined the “mindset/street smarts/situational awareness” element of other master works like LEFT OF BANG, DEFENSIVE LIVING, ESCAPE THE WOLF, and PERSONAL SECURITY with detailed and proven tips and techniques on how to apply those principles in the real world of adventure travel. It’s not generic “be aware, be alert, know the culture” advice — its specific guidance like:SmileLaugh at yourselfBe non-confrontationalDon’t be a jerkWhat sets this book out from the rest of the pack is the blend of expertise from a master traveler and instructor who takes joy in imparting his wisdom and experience. He’s an excellent writer: articulate, funny, concise. And his narrative is rich with well told tales and examples from his travels to illustrate his learning points.I came away from this book with a number of specific impressions:—Greg is a traveler with a true depth of well rounded knowledge, who loves to share it, and is humble, mature and professional in his presentation.—Greg is definitely someone you’d want around if things went bad, whether a tsunami in Bali, a street riot in Paris, or a cartel shootout in Juarez.—Greg is what us Old Skool Travelers and Wanderers call “A Boon Companion” — a fellow master traveler, raconteur, and fine companion over drinks, dinners, and the obligatory morning after coffee.I highly recommend this book as mandatory reading for any traveler, especially those who may go “off the beaten path.” I recommended this book as a text to a number of professional, government, and military organizations that send people overseas into dangerous places.A very well done book. I look forward to reading more from this excellent author in the future.

The information in this books is not only great for international adventurers abroad but also domestic travel and getting around your own city at home.In this book you’ll learn the details that just aren’t mentioned or discussed by most off-the-beaten travelers. Details which will keep you safer, but just as importantly enable you to have more enjoyable travel experiences.Choose this book and use it to plan your next adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Very clearly, it should be treated as a reference, rather than a page-turner. I also felt that the content reflected primarily upon Central and South America and possibly Southeast Asia, rather than other developing countries like the Stans, the Middle East, or Eastern Europe. That said, all of the advice that the author provides is good, reflecting a lengthy body of experience in overseas travel. This book, presumably on Kindle, should be considered a valuable asset for anyone who intends to travel in the developing world.

I've lived in 4 different countries, across three continents, and been to a several more. I've traveled doing work for Uncle Sam, and have been a full time PPO (body guard) for a couple years. I've run with the bulls in Pamplona and trained Muay Thai in the villages of Thailand blah blah blah. I say all that to say this: No matter how much you think you know about traveling, you will learn a lot from this book. Unless you are Greg himself, there is something in this book you haven't thought of before.Every once in a while, if you read regularly, you come across a book you wish you could make all your friends and family read. This is one of those books. This book is to traveling as Rich Dad Poor Dad is to personal finance.

This book should come with a boredom-free guarantee. If you’re like me, most of the time when reading a book for advice or to learn something, it goes something like this. I read a handful of sentences that are interesting or meaningful, then skim the next few paragraphs or even pages because it doesn’t really add anything to what I’m trying to learn, or I just get bored. Not so with Greg’s book! You will not want to skip a single page or sentence. Each sentence imparts important, valuable – and interesting - information. This is definitely a book you will want to keep handy as an authoritative travel reference. Don’t be fooled that it only applies to “dangerous places.” It is applicable even to the so-called safer places, and even in day to day life where you live and work.

As an experienced world traveler in developing countries, I was amazed with the insights and detail Greg has provided, and the pragmatic nature of his advice. If you seek adventure in your travels, this book is priceless. It is likely to save a vacation, and may even your life… or at least keep you from misery.

Choose Adventure is, without a doubt, the best adventure travel guide I have ever read. The author has a very broad knowledge base and covers everything from the vagaries of tuk-tuks to preparing your travel documents to emergency, field dentistry to evading kidnapping attempts. Choose Adventure is loaded with actionable advice, and despite being a veteran traveler I learned a lot that will keep me healthier, safer, and more comfortable.If you're looking for the all-in-one travel guide to cover all your bases, this is it. I have yet to see a travel guide book that was so thorough. Choose Adventure will doubtlessly become one of the quintessential adventure travel guides, with worn, dog-eared, mud-stained copies rattling around in threadbare backpacks and rusty Land Rovers around the world for decades to come.