Rough Guide books are always gorgeous, comprehensive, and engaging reading, but this one, Wow! The natural world truly is your oyster, here. Each adventure, wherever it lay on/above/below/floating on/diving into this planet, clearly indicates the level of fitness required (Physical), how scary/dangerous an experience will be (Psych), how surefooted one must be to get there (Skill), and even how awe-inspiring the trek is guaranteed to be (Wow!). There’s delightful trivia about the regions (animals, history, lore, even recipes from local fare), and a chart to easily determine the best time of year to experience the place that catches your fancy. Surely at least one trip recommended here in literary fashion (yes, these write-ups are quality travel writing, too), is something one must do before one dies. First step in inspiring your hard-working, nose-to-the-grindstone friend to ‘live a little’: give him this book. He’ll be requesting his vacation time from his boss by week’s end.