The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the PacificThe author of The Great Railway Bazaar explores the South Pacific by kayak: “This exhilarating epic ranks with [his] best travel books” (Publishers Weekly). In one of his most exotic and adventuresome journeys, travel writer Paul Theroux embarks on an eighteen-month tour of the South Pacific, exploring fifty-one islands by collapsible kayak. Beginning in New Zealand's rain forests and ultimately coming to shore thousands of miles away in Hawaii, Theroux paddles alone over isolated atolls, through dirty harbors and shark-filled waters, and along treacherous coastlines. Along the way, Theroux meets the king of Tonga, encounters street gangs in Auckland, and investigates a cargo cult in Vanuatu. From Australia to Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, and beyond, this exhilarating tropical epic is full of disarming observations and high adventure. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Aboriginal Aitutaki American asked Ataban Australia beach beer birds boat boys bungalow called camp cannibalism canoe chief cliffs coast coconut Cook Cooktown coral dark dogs drinking Easter Island eggs Fiji Fijians fish French girls Hanga Roa harbor Hawaii Hawaiian Honolulu Indians Japanese Jon Frum Kaisiga kastom kava kayak lagoon Lana'i land laughed Leendon Levu lived looked lovely Marquesas megapode miles moai morning never night Nuku'alofa Oceania Pacific paddled palms Papeete Pidgin Polynesian rain Rapa Nui reef road rock sailed Samoan Savo seemed sharks ship shore smiled Solomons someone stay surf T-shirt Tahiti Tahitian talking Tanna tent thing thought told Tongan tourists town trees Trobriands Vanuatu village Viti Levu volcano walked watched waves wind woman women word Zealand