What’s the Worst That Can Happen?

That’s what we’d like to know.

Help infamous travel writer Viktor Vodkin compose his new Guide to all that’s worst in the world’s great tourist destinations.

Viktor’s New Anti-Guide to the world will be the definitive account of everything that’s absolutely terrible about tourism, the opposite of a Baedeker, more Alarming Planet than Lonely Planet.

There are two ways you can ensure this vital handbook sees the light of day.

Firstly pledge towards the production of this unique volume. Viktor doesn’t get freebies from holiday companies or airlines (not surprisingly) and so his only supporters are heroes like you.

Secondly Viktor needs to hear from you.

Do you have stories of unbelievably bad holidays? poisonous meals? aircraft with an unusual number of wings? hotels that could only really be improved through demolition? Then tell Viktor. The very best, wittiest and most ascerbic reviews will be edited by Viktor at a secret location, added to his own unique appraisals and unleashed on an unsuspecting public as Viktor Vodkin’s New Anti-Guide to the World.

To get a taste of what we’re after we’ve posted some of Viktor’s previous reports on his blog here and you can send your tales of misery and woe to [email protected]

All those entries printed in the book will receive their pledge back – regardless of level. And so the legend will live on…..

Read more…

Viktor Vodkin is perhaps the most legendary, yet least-recognised travel writer in the world. Having begun his career in the former Soviet Union in 1981 he rapidly made a name for himself with his alarmingly frank reviews of the Eastern Blocs tourist ‘scene’ – reviews which not only brought him to the attention of hotel and restaurant owners but also into the sights of the KGB and mafia.

In 1988, following a particularly forthright review of the skiing opportunities in Eastern Siberia, he decided to defect, crossing the East German border in balloon made almost entirely of hand-written death threats. With him had come the notoriety of his Anti-Guides. Within two years no airline would carry him, no hotel would accommodate him and no restaurant would serve him.

But Vodkin vowed to continue his work, flying in the face of the cosy, upbeat ‘what to do’ travel guides of Europe and instead bringing to the world’s attention not the best, but the very worst that our tourist destinations have to offer.

Today Vodkin has been forced to live in secret, unable to go out by day for fear of revenge attacks and hence unable to produce what are undoubtedly the rudest and the most honest travel guides the world has ever seen. But Victor never gives up.