Nearly one thousand guests crammed the expectant audience, a record sale for the Sydney Morning Herald Dymocks literary lunch. The predominantly gray-haired, bespectacled audience sat enchanted, their veal fillet a mere supplement to the main course, English adventurer and storyteller, Michael Palin.With New Europe, Michael claims to fill what was a gap in his own experience and that many of his own generation. In all 20 countries he visited, starting high in the Julian Alps on the border between Slovenia and Italy, where the Iron Curtain once ran, he traveled through the Balkans and the countries bordering the Black Sea, before the north through the heart of the old Eastern Europe with the Baltic States, sitting almost as far north as St Petersburg.I listen hard and take notes, preparing for the short 15 minutes I get to ask him to be my own questions, if he answer, spontaneous, podium.It from the ' s Day 86, Estonia, and Michael has hirudotherapist an appointment with one. "After a little striptease, Agajeva woman, a woman in her fifties and swirl in a generous, motherly way of applying leeches to my upper body Why Because the cameraman Roger thought it would be painful and uncomfortable -.?. And therefore appears that the mandatory application of leeches is an old and proven method to treat impotence, high blood pressure and a host of other complaints. "After 15 minutes, the little guys are swollen and satisfied and have provided sufficient discomfort to Roger joy. Lyudmilla we are on first name terms now are dresses my wounds with a thick, industrial paving warned me that further blood loss is likely to be absorbed by the anticoagulant. Back in Tallinn I'm feeling a celebration is in order and I ended up with more than a glass of wine or two at the excellent restaurant in Tallinn Hotel St. Petersburg. "The next morning I wake up is a repeat of The Godfather, the bed and my shirt soaked in blood, and I the head of the horse that is fortunately not look there. I injected rip off military grade Lyudmilla's bandages to a deafening noise and the promised 300 ml of blood to the bathroom. Now it's like a scene from M * A * S * H. I clean up, and I'm out on the way to Latvia before someone discovered the shocking scene that I have left. It was a charming hotel though. "The lunch continue to sing under intermittent waves of laughter and applause, and yes, someone called Michael the Lumberjack Song, which he does willingly, in German, an enthusiastic ovation.After the 200-meter queue for book signings scattered, I prepare for my introduction. "Hi Michael, I'm Roderick", to which he looks at me with the touch of anger reserved for such a weak attempt at humor. "No," truly, I say, handing him my card. He looks at her and then me with a revised, apologetic look, "Oh, you poor man." My copy of the New Europe properly with an official apology from Pontius Pilate signed. But I am forgiven, after all I have to thank him for my freedom. (If you have not seen Life of Brian, then the joke is lost and you're probably not reading this anyway). It's my turn. Michael had your experience at Hotel St. Petersburg us in stiches, was that your worst hotel experience? "Well, to be fair to me, whoever it, the hotel was very good. But some places in China were quite strange and you get spoiled was in my mind: the Rongbuk Guest House was a stand out, "This is how Michael describes it .. Day 60, Himalaya. "From the dirty yard to the soulless concrete rooms littered with broken windows and the foul, doorless toilets, Rongbuk Guest House pretty much is a hell hole." Michael adds some flavor that was missing in the book. "It's run by a bunch of monks, whose minds are clearly elsewhere. The toilet was below freezing corridor and only one slot in the ground. So many people had used it over the years that stick out the cave of frozen excrement there. A shame, as a spectacular location was right next to the Mount Everest "your favorite hotel?" Our in Torres del Paine National Park Lodge with views of the glacier only the most beautiful location "Day 161 of Full Circle:" .. Only a few souls have ventured far into the park at this time of year and we have the Hosteria almost to ourselves. Sit by the wood stove, play dominoes and drink seven year old Scotch with seven thousand year old glacier ice. Sometimes work. almost bearable "But seriously note, I ask Michael - with all his experience in brand hotels in the city - which is the only thing a hotel needs to do it right" Well, I think that, as in good Restaurants, a manager or person in authority should at all times. When a manager says, "Call me any time if you need something" should she not only between 10 and 12 or after 9 It's service after all my. "Hilton, I think. The name stands are particularly good for something and they have a standard of service they can trust me "day 80 pole to pole. Addis Ababa. "Culture shock when we come to the Hilton Addis in a world of white faces, blond hair, thick legs, full bellies. Lock clock hour from 01.00 bis 06.00 clock, but telephone and minibar. Gorgeous, sensational and wonderful shower. The dust runs into muddy canals. My eyes are edged with red and sore, and I've picked up a cluster of flea bites from somewhere but I suspect this is a small price for what we pay just been through. "At 65, Michael Palin seems so bright and sparkling like a man half his age, or just a bit older than me. For a guy who has orbited the earth on both the horizontal and vertical perimeter, climbed mountains, deserts are crossed and stood in front of a camera (for two takes) at minus 50 degrees at the South Pole, he's pretty fair nick. I need not ask him the next question, because it written about him. Travel is of course a great tonic. Drinking to fill! Palin TriviaPalin was a commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to television in 2000.Along with every member of Monty Python, Palin has named an asteroid after him. His is Asteroid 9621 Michaelpalin.In recognition of his many train trips, Palin has named two British trains for him. In 2002, Virgin's new £ 5 million high-speed Super Voyager train number 221 130 with the name "Michael Palin". Michael Palin is the president of the Campaign for better transport links, whose motto is: ". Transport that our quality of life improves and reduces the environmental impact," In 1993, after his award-winning performance in A Fish Called Wanda, Michael agreed to (well, he had to) the naming of the Michael Palin Centre for Children stuttering.
