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Gatecrashing Paradise
Gatecrashing Paradise: Misadventure in the Real Maldives | Tom Chesshyre
5 posts | 3 read | 4 to read
Away from the five-star hotels and beyond luxury hideaways, Tom Chesshyre travels to see the real, unexplored Maldives, skirting around the archipelago's periphery, staying at simple guesthouses, and using cargo ships and ferries. He discovers that beyond the glossy brochures lies an almost undiscovered country that is brimming with life, yet also a paradise teetering on the brink of trouble. In the Maldives outsiders used to be banned from islands not officially endorsed as tourist resorts, but now a thousand sandy shores can be visited in this remote nation deep in the Indian Ocean the flattest on Earth. This is island-hopping for the twenty-first century, sailing around 600 miles of the most beautiful islands and atolls on Earth, often to communities that have not seen an outsider for decades, ...and gatecrashing the odd posh hotel.
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

The #Maldives are usually visited by tourists going to the private resort islands, but Chesshyre takes a different approach, going to multiple islands where Maldivians actually live to try to better illustrate the culture. I thought this was fascinating and was delighted to find a set of seat stickers from Emirates airlines tucked inside (gotta love used books).

#ReadingAsia2021

August #doublespin, right at the wire!

Librarybelle I love finding ephemera in used books! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
Librariana I'm curious to know what the stickers say! 🤔🧐 I tried doing the zoom in pinch thing on the image, but then I remembered this isn't Instagram. Unless that's a Litsy feature that I don't have access to? 😳 3y
Hooked_on_books @Librariana I wish they would do that, but no. I usually take a screenshot then zoom in on that if I‘m trying to read something. The stickers are in Arabic (I assume) and English and say Do not Disturb, Wake me up for 🍽, and Wake me up for 🛍 (duty free). I think they‘re a smart idea, plus I‘ve never been on that airline, so it‘s cool to have these! 3y
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Hooked_on_books
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I brought in books to trade at my local used bookstore and their book buyer is not in this week! (I should have called first.) I still had credit from last time, so I picked up these lovelies and was delighted to find the tagged book, as I wanted to read it for #ReadingAsia2021 for #Maldives and couldn‘t find it anywhere. I love it when that happens!

Tamra Love the green….and the books too! 3y
Tamra I really enjoyed The Worst Hard Time. 3y
Librariana Hooray for serendipity! 😊 Sorry you missed their buyer, but glad you found some treasures! 3y
BarbaraBB I love it when that happens too! Enjoy! 3y
Hooked_on_books @Tamra I‘ve read a couple from Egan and I really like how he writes—so engaging. I live in a rainy spot in Hawaii, so we have no shortage of green! 3y
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BarbaraBB
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Mehso-so

I know so much more about the #Maldives now than I ever wanted to know! So it was informative and entertaining. That‘s about it. If it weren‘t for #ReadingAsia2021 I never would have read it, I‘m sure!

Thanks for sending the book @squirrelbrain 🤍. I will pass it on to you @Cinfhen if you‘re still interested 😃

#ReadingAsia2021 🇲🇻

squirrelbrain I agree - it was a little bit dry in parts but I think I enjoyed it more than you did! 3y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I did like his writing, I didn‘t think it dry, it just was a bit too much of the same if I express myself well. Still, I am glad I read it and I would love to visit those off the beaten track islands too!! 3y
squirrelbrain Yes, you‘re right actually Barbara - not so much dry, just a bit samey / repetitive - you express it better than I did. 3y
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Librarybelle Succinct and telling review! 3y
Cinfhen Im not really itching to read it / save your $!! I‘ll find a different book - if not I‘ll read a Wikipedia article 😊😆😉 3y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I‘d be glad to send it but I agree I do think you won‘t care much for this book! 3y
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BarbaraBB
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Dear Helen, your book arrived today and it looks totally new! Are you sure you and Mum Squirrel both read it?! It looks intriguing though and I am interested in finding out more about this country- that I never have considered a destination for myself either 😀😉. Thank you so much! I‘ll make it up to you! ❤️#swapme #readingasia2021

Crazeedi So special!💞 4y
squirrelbrain Glad it arrived - that didn‘t take long either, I only posted it on Friday! It was a used library book but with one of those horrid plastic covers on so I took that off, and it does look brand new doesn‘t it?! I hope you find it interesting... it will certainly tick a box if nothing else! 😘 4y
BarbaraBB A library book well taken care of! I am really curious about the book and will keep you posted. Thanks for all 💝 (edited) 4y
58 likes3 comments
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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

This was my #bookspin for January and also book number 3 for #readingasia2021.

The author travelled primarily to the non-resort islands of the #maldives in 2013 looking at history, politics, religion and environment. I liked the writing style and learned a lot and, although there was nothing truly groundbreaking about this book, it was a pleasant, interesting read.

Interesting fact: the highest natural ‘hill‘ on the Maldives is 7ft 10 inches!

squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB - this will come to you soon; #mummysquirrel would like to read it first! #swapme 4y
squirrelbrain The author also mentions this book, an adventure thriller set on the Maldivian island of Gan 4y
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squirrelbrain Apparently this one also features the Maldives 4y
BarbaraBB Of course! Let mummy Squirrel spend as much time with it as she wants 🤍 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
Hooked_on_books I love the idea of looking past the tourist areas to see what a place truly is. My personal preference is to go places in the off season and stay at non traditional accommodation to try to get a different flavor of a place. Though resorts have their appeal as well! I don‘t think I have anything in my personal library for the Maldives, so I‘ll have to see if my library has this one. 4y
Hooked_on_books And now you have me thinking of a book I read kind of along these lines about the Galapagos. It obviously doesn‘t work for the Asia challenge, but I found it a really interesting read (plus I read it while visiting there, which added a nice layer to the experience). 4y
Librarybelle Stacking this! 4y
squirrelbrain You never know Holly @Hooked_on_books - wait long enough and this one might make it‘s way to you... I can see it being a well-travelled book! The other book you mentioned sounds interesting too - I‘m going to stack it as both my Mum and I would like it I‘m sure. 4y
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