Nothing Routine

Each adventure is a memorable and sometimes dangerous excursion, told with compelling narrative and light-hearted commentary. Whether it's by canoe, foot, car, kayak, aircraft or rail, every chapter reveals a surprise: a Canadian river that mysteriously rises several feet a day, the mystical Charleena who magically alters Chilean Patagonia's stormy weather, the consequences of driving in a tiny rental car into the rugged Cordillera Mountains of the Philippines, or the masquerade used to enter Vietnam before relations with the United States were normalized. No matter where or how Helminiak visits, a fascinating assortment of individuals gravitate his way. Nothing Routine is a collection of travel essays that span four continents and five different methods of travel. As important, it is a book for anybody who rebels against mainstream tourism and commonplace lifestyles! "Jon Helminiak's narrative voice in Nothing Routine has a philosophical lyricism, humor, sagacity, and unselfconsciousness which allows him to reflect on certain experiences as an 'everyman,' but with a distinct and accomplished literary voice. The subtleties in his narrative are extraordinary, and make it apparent that his work is that of a natural." -K.J. Wetherholt, Producer/Writer/Director and Chairman of Manitou Films, LLC, New York and London "In Nothing Routine you feel as if you are right there with the author. The storylines are compelling and often harrowing, and the work has a wonderful blend of humor, insight, self-deprecation, and reflection." -Carolyn Kott Washburne, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee