BootsnAll Travel Community

G'Day Folks,

Next monday, I will be interviewing the founder of Lonely Planet Guide books, Tony Wheeler. From most of us at BootsnAll, Tony and his guidebooks are the best books out there when travelling. I am excited to sit down and have a chat with him.

He is going to be in Portland for his Bad Lands book tour. I'm finishing off reading the book so I can hopefully ask some intelligent questions.

If you have read the book, what would you like to ask him about it? I'm interested in what you want to know.

Also, do you have any other questions for him? I have a bunch and am curious what you would want to know about him and/or Lonely Planet.

Although it may seem like a snarky question, ask him why his wife once criticized Robert Young Pelton for sending people to dangerous places, and now here they are trying to do the same.

Ask him what previous popular destinations are currently being sadly overlooked in favor of the "next Luang Prebang".

I'd ask him if anyone ever proofreads the maps because I get tired of places being listed several blocks from their actual location.

quote:

Originally posted by Sean:
G'Day Folks,

Next monday, I will be interviewing the founder of Lonely Planet Guide books, Tony Wheeler. From most of us at BootsnAll, Tony and his guidebooks are the best books out there when travelling.

Not to hijack or sidetrack your thread, but I disagree. I dislike most of what I've seen of Lonely Planet travel guides. When in Europe I always use "Let's Go" "In Your Pocket" or "Rough Guide" which are all better travel book series than Lonely Planet. Can't say much for their website either.

Over and out.

Sophie9, my dear boot...Mr. Wheeler is a guest to these here parts and we should be nice. LP gets plenty of bashing around here as it is. (But maybe the BnA Chit-Chat forum should have been included in the 'dangerous places' list. )

I'd like to know how flirty the women are in Iran. Seriously! Persian women are stunning. I hear and read so many contratictory reports about society there...

a) His secret for keeping relationships healthy while on the road.

b) How he deals with poverty on the road? What does he give if anything?

c) His opinions on ecotraveling, sustainable growth, and not traveling to places in order to preserve them (i.e. not going to certain areas as to preserve the native habitat and species).

d) Are there places people should not go? (Because of endangered whatever, a recent disaster (i.e. after the tsunami of 2006), war (iraq or congo), sever racism/sexism(pick your example its rampant all over), political reasons (i.e South Africa in the 70s/80s), etc.)

e) Is there a particular moment during his travels he wish he could take back? All travelers have these, small/large moments of regret, that causes emotional/spiritual inner strife. Perhaps his experience or lack of judgment at a particular moment may help other wayward travelers.

Sean: Are you going to record and podcast/stream the interview? Or is it just going to be a text thing?

Thanks for the feedback folks. Slip, I love question "e".

Stoo, we will be video taping it.

quote:

I'd like to know how flirty the women are in Iran. Big Grin Seriously! Persian women are stunning. I hear and read so many contratictory reports about society there...

Unfortunately, Iran is not the safest place to flirt . I've decided that I won't even look at women while I am there. Too dangerous. I mean, I'm sure it'd be dangerous for me, but much so more for the female that has to live in Iran.

Although I've recently met some bad influences that said they could hook me up with bad influences in Iran...

Stoo, if you want to see loads of lovely Persian women you can flirt with and not have to worry about your wang being cut off, check out Westwood in LA, near the UCLA campus. Hell, the expats even refer to it as Tehrangeles

Sorry for the derailing there. Can't wait to see the video Mr. Keener

quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Chris D:
Stoo, if you want to see loads of lovely Persian women you can flirt with and not have to worry about your wang being cut off, check out Westwood in LA, near the UCLA campus. Hell, the expats even refer to it as Tehrangeles

Yea, I know...developed the fetish at SMC

quote:

Originally posted by Slip:

d) Are there places people should not go? (Because of endangered whatever, a recent disaster (i.e. after the tsunami of 2006), war (iraq or congo), sever racism/sexism(pick your example its rampant all over), political reasons (i.e South Africa in the 70s/80s), etc.)

Actually, one of the things that caused LP guides to gain some respect with me was that they published a guidebook on Myanmar instead of taking the Rough Guides approach of simply refusing to because you shouldn't go there. The LP guide to Myanmar has a good opening discussion of both sides of the issue and lets readers create their own opinion.

Thank you, Slip, for your great questions. I'm especially interested in his answer to 1b.

Shall we ask Tony the banal question that seems to stimulate the most active threads: What difference is there between a tourist and a traveler? Tongue only slightly in cheek

quote:

Shall we ask Tony the banal question that seems to stimulate the most active threads: What difference is there between a tourist and a traveler?

Please.
No.
Don't.

The world, and BnA, is a better place if we just move and travel.

Here's a simple and stupid question but I'd love to know:

WHERE HASN'T HE BEEN??? (I mean, with his job, it just seems like he must have gone everywhere!... )

How did the interview go?

It went really well. I was nervous about it - but once we got talking - it was kinda like talking to any other traveller - except it wasn't - it was Tony Wheeler.

Thanks for your help with questions Slip and others. You'll see your work in the final versions.

Photo evidence of the visit is here. Video evidence to come.

quote:

Originally posted by Sean:
It went really well. I was nervous about it - but once we got talking - it was kinda like talking to any other traveller - except it wasn't - it was Tony Wheeler.

Thanks for your help with questions Slip and others. You'll see your work in the final versions.

And that final version is coming out when?

By the time that someone gets around to finally posting the interview, the only question to ask Tony Wheeler will be if his book is still in print.