The duo delves into the logistics of travel with prose that is mercifully no-frills et good-humored, and with a willingness to broach topics like women's safety with absolute candidness; instead of the usual "be careful, use common sense, don't get paranoid" gloss-over, the authors spell out the dangers -- and offer practical advice -- even on tough situations like gynecological problems (including rape) and surviving a plane crash. One of the last chapters -- a section enticingly titled "Trouble on the Overland Route" -- is a veritable troubleshooter guide to Murphy's Law of travel, and the subsections make a fascinating read even to savvy, hardened travellers who've braved anything from larceny-prone monkeys (p. 186) to coups d'??tat.

Smits and Dolinko make no pretense of attempting to cover in minute detail every aspect of budget travel; readers looking for verbose outpourings of advice on which African countries require Australian citizens to obtain visas should look elsewhere, but those searching for solid, well-researched advice on how to prepare (both materially and psychologically) will not be disappointed.

Also noteworthy is the wisely-collected list of travel resources at the back of the book. Covering everything from guidebook titles to travel website URLs, it provides a perfect complement for an already info-packed book. Smits and Dolinko, by discarding the adage "Use your common sense" in favor of the advice "Prepare", have created a unique and unusually thorough book.