Read This Firstis roughly divided into two. The first half stretches the basic guidelines you find in every LP guide to over 200 pages--planning, packing, money, immunisations, insurance, dress, loneliness, culture shock, broken hearts, arguments and so on. Each is illustrated with anecdotes and tips. It even goes right back to such simple basics as collecting your baggage from the carousel. Covering an entire continent, the advice is inevitably general (and seems to duplicate material from Lonely Planet's South-East Asia on a Shoestring, India, China and Healthy Travel: Asia & India.

The second half is more inspiring, giving fundamental details of 21 Asian countries, including colour maps suggesting routes and itineraries that set the imagination racing--perhaps you could take the Karakoram highway from Pakistan for Xinjiang in North East China? Or climb one of the Philippines' 37 volcanoes? Or camp with yaks in Mongolia's Gobi desert? Of course, for first-time travellers just getting out of the airport is new and so Read This First advises, "Your bag may take a while to appear: be patient and don't panic..." --Sarah Champion

It is as easy to read front to back, as it is to dip into a section at a time. I have found the "Visa requirements" section within each country summary particularly helpful in route planning, since you know the amount of time you have in each country (due to length of visa validity), the likelihood of obtaining an extension and the recommended entry point. (Eg, If travelling by land to Cambodia, you should only enter via Vietnam).

It is an enjoyable, informative, easy to follow read, and I would recommend anyone thinking about travelling to this part of the world to READ THIS FIRST!