Baja to Patagonia: Latin American Adventures

In these nine travelogues recounting exploration in Latin American wilderness regions, Rice ( Gathering Paradise: Alaska Wilderness Journeys ) provides some helpful tips for fellow adventurers but hardly anything else. Rice and his wife, Judy, tramp through remote Patagonia, where they are "smothered" with hospitality by a rancher's wife who claims she doesn't get lonely in her isolated home. On the way to Chile's Lauca National Park, near the Peruvian border, the author watches astonishingly swift vicunas race alongside his minibus. He observes that Costa Rica's very popularity with ecotourists--its protected areas harbor a variety of animal and plant life--has led, ironically, to ecological degradation. Kayaking in search of the California gray whale off Baja California, the author becomes an instant expert on the nuances of whale behavior. While Rice offers some good descriptions of the outside world, the reader learns little about the author himself and his relationship to what he sees and experiences. The book does contain a useful bibliography concerning Latin America's wilderness, flora and fauna. Parts of the book originally appeared in Canoe and Americas magazines. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rice is an intrepid adventurer, and he covers lots of ground in this journal, which recalls a series of trips taken through wilderness areas of Central and South America. With vivid descriptions of unpredictable weather, treacherous mountain hikes, and rigorous kayaking expeditions, Rice recounts expeditions through every type of terrain, while interspersing sightings of exotic birds and wildlife throughout the narrative. Hard-core trekkers and travelers interested in learning more about remote areas of Latin America should find this book appealing. Although the commentary is often more informative than inspiring, Rice's forays through many little-known areas of great natural beauty should prove of interest to risk-takers looking for a vacation that challenges body and soul. Alice Joyce

Rice, a contributing editor to Backpacker and Canoe magazines, has written about traveling with his wife to Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Their usual mode of travel is by backpack and kayak, and they experience unpleasant conditions much of the time. The reader may wonder why they do it. The author's naivete allows him to take a refreshing look at the people and landscape of the out-of-the-way spots he visits, like the exotic Torres del Paine and Lake Titicaca, but one sometimes wishes that his commentary had more depth. There is no continuity to the stories, three of which have appeared in magazines, so each chapter ends abruptly. For comprehensive travel collections covering Latin America.
- George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.