Beyond the Sunset, a travel memoir – Volume 1: Adventures Outside My Comfort Zone

Beyond the Sunset Vol. 1 is a travel memoir presented by Sherry Knowlton. You may know her as the author of the Alexa Williams novel series. Having had the privilege of reading and loving one of these novels, entitled Dead on the Delta, I was immediately drawn to the book. I couldn’t wait to learn more about Mrs. Knowlton’s travels and adventures, especially those in Africa. The essays in this work provide readers with a glimpse into her background and her first forays into travel by way of camping and hiking in the United States. Before moving on to more exotic locations. It also gives some good advice and a fantastic array of memories and musings about the many exciting and far-flung locations visited over a lifetime of holidays. As she explains, early on, it was reading and literature that sparked an interest in learning more about people and places far from her home in Pennsylvania. And some of her favorite writers are mentioned throughout the book, giving readers a chance to discover or rediscover their works.
To my mind, there was never a dull moment in this book. Whether recounting an unforgettable journey that took her to Woodstock for the famous music festival in the 1960s, where unfortunate circumstances resulted in missing the long-awaited performance by Jefferson Airplane, or trekking through Indian forests searching for elusive tigers, she recounts adventures with a flair and talent that made me feel almost like I was a part of the journey. I hadn’t expected how much her stories would remind me of my own travels, which brought back fond memories long forgotten.

I especially loved her tales of all the people she encountered. The account of a scuffle that broke out while trying to view the famed Komodo dragons in Indonesia was memorable, as was her account of being charged by a rogue hippo in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. And I found the advice to give yourself an extra travel day a wise one. But the best advice was her motto of being prepared but relaxed. Enjoy the journey because you never know what you might discover. Whether you are an armchair traveler or one who seeks more adventure, Mrs. Knowlton’s memoir is sure to impress. I can’t wait to read volume two. She shows us how much we can learn if we open ourselves up to the wider world, which is out there to discover and experience.