Lonely Planet's travel tales capture the spirit of a place

The Lonely Planet publishing company has set off on another journey, publishing books of travellers' stories under the imprint Lonely Planet Journeys.

According to the publishers, these books are intended to catch the spirit of a place, illuminate a culture, recount a crazy adventure or introduce a fascinating way of life. They are meant to entertain while you're on the road, planning a trip or simply sitting in your favourite chair, dreaming of our exotic world.

Lonely Planet's guidebooks have always sought to go beyond just providing basic travel information. Beside the practical details that travellers need, about things such as transport, hotels and restaurants, the guides also give extensive background information on the local cultures and environment. They have a tradition of being ecologically responsible and have the sense of humour necessary for travellers to survive while they may be experiencing hardships in unfamiliar countries.

The new series of stories is just a short step on from the guides and a logical extension to them.

The latest book in the series is Shopping for Buddhas, by Jeff Greenwald. First published in the United States, it is the story of the author's obsessive search for the perfect Buddha statue in the antique emporiums of Kathmandu.

With humour and insight, Greenwald describes how, in buying the statue, he finds spiritual meaning and comes to terms with the transitory nature of life. His souvenir hunting turns into an ironic metaphor for the clash between spiritual riches and material greed.

Greenwald, who lives in California, introduces the reader to the sights, sounds and smells of Nepal's capital city and presents a kaleidoscope of characters and images.

The book also deals with Nepalese politics, the country's human rights record and the problems that have arisen since the first free elections in 1991 and the arrival of democracy, when the communists lost power.

The book was first conceived in much shorter form as a monologue, which is evident in its dramatic and comedic qualities. It is an engaging mix of travel narrative and cultural musings juxtaposed against the inner turmoil of a man coming to grips with his spirituality.

Previous titles in the series are as idiosyncratic and entertaining.

* Sean & David's Long Drive, by Sean Condon, is about two young Australians who have rarely strayed out of town. One day they set out to drive across country, an adventure captured in an offbeat road book that mixes sharp insights with deadpan humour and outright lies. The author, who lives in Melbourne, works in advertising and plays in a band called Boilersuit.

* Islands in the Clouds is Isabella Tree's account of her journey to the remote and beautiful Highlands of Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. She recounts her travels with a Highlander who introduces her to his culture, which is under threat as the industrialised world encroaches.

* Lost Japan draws on Alex Kerr's personal experiences in Japan over 30 years. He takes the reader on a tour, exploring different facets of his involvement with the country - friendships with actors, studying calligraphy, exploring rarely visited temples and shrines and buying and selling Japanese art. The original Japanese edition was awarded the 1994 Shincho Gakugei Literature Prize for the best work of fiction, the first time a foreigner has won this prestigious award.

* The Gates of Damascus is a portrait of life in modern Syria by Belgian travel writer Lieve Joris. It offers an insight into the complexities of the Arab world through the author's friendship with the wife of a political prisoner.

With this collection of travellers tales on your shelf, you may find it very hard to leave your armchair.