This terrible frustration that we so often feel in the West in not being able to articulate and express ourselves.

I have real fears for Cuba based on the South American experience. Where you have had such a stern regime, as Fidel's [Castro], there is no culture of politics.

Buenos Aires is my favorite city. I think it's fantastic - but is a troubled, sort of psychologically troubled city.

There is a whole genre of funny travel writers - that's very popular. There's Bill Bryson and people who follow that route and sell travel writing through making people laugh. It's a very difficult group to take. The line between comedy and mockery is sometimes a bit thin.

I am always surprised when people do get upset. Perhaps its just the nutty people who write to newspapers who get upset.

This terrible frustration that we so often feel in the West in not being able to articulate and express ourselves.

I was writing the Paraguay book, a Paragauyan told me that only five thousand people in Paraguay read.