Travels with Checkpoints recounts six stories from the author’s travels. Each story involves some kind of dealings with a representative of the government, these often problematic but unavoidable interactions being the main thread of the book.

Even when things don’t go at all smoothly, the narrative keeps a nicely composed undertone often with a hint of humor. There’s a perfect balance between the negative happenings and the more positive surprises, which are also described very naturally and feelingly. The background information was always sufficient but not overwhelming; the settings and people were well portrayed and additional details well chosen and conveyed to give life to the story.

I did find the book perhaps a tad short and incoherent, but given it consists of brief and rather separate stories I suppose it’s only natural. The writing, however, was very good and the storytelling on the whole felt like having a friend tell of his most recent travel experiences. A very pleasant and comfortable read filled with interesting pieces of information and intriguing incidents. I certainly recommend this one to anyone who’s interested in travelling. ( )