“From kinky tales of naked lovers’ shark-proofing themselves with tequila to reflections on the consequences of chance, or the secret principles of paradise, Stone spews outrageous, sunbaked, gonzo road-trip tales. His blend of humor and insight portrays the heartbeat of adventure inside the pursuit of paradise.”
— Jimmy.
Paradiste.com
Introduction by Perry Stone
It is pretty safe to say that The Palm Tree Express – A Trip to the Never-Never is not what you might expect. This is because while I was writing it, I never knew what to expect or understood where I was going. Now, that might sound like a recipe for disaster, but in fact, the words shaped their own meanings.
They came to me, not word-for-word but in bunches, maybe fifty words, maybe one hundred words, or five hundred, or a thousand at a time. It was like assembling jigsaw puzzles; my job was not to select the individual words, but to put them in their proper order so that the stories could emerge for readers to see.
The only idea, or mandate, I had when I started out was to share the life-impacting joy of living in a tropical paradise through the transmission of feelings, experiences, and the corresponding thoughts they generated.
I wanted to be your fly on the wall, the parrot in the tree, the turtle in the sea, and the patron in a seaside café. I wanted to be a color commentator for the Super Bowl. I wanted the reader to see what I saw, feel what I felt, and dream what I dreamt.
I wanted the reader to imagine the reality they could have—the magic of floating in tropical waters, the massaging sensation of wind flowing across their bodies, and the warming touch of the sun embracing not only their skin, but their very souls.
As the book evolved, like wave after wave hitting the beach, each page told its own story. Sometimes about kinky things, sometimes about communions with nature, sometimes by unveiling the past, and sometimes by sharing secrets that shouldn’t be secrets.
I thank the universe that my “Never Never” has become my ever ever. Through entertainment, humor, and a bit of profound intellectualism, all mixed up in a kaleidoscope of concepts, the Palm Tree Express became not a description of adventure; it became an adventure in and of itself.
Strangely, it is a book of love, love for the tropics and love for humanity. It seems that at the end of my efforts, I created a guide or ticket to finding your own paradise. And I assure you that you can if you only try.
From the secrets of the Lost Medallions of Paradise and their tenets, to negotiating with the immigration officer, or not annoying the cartels, the ten steps of “Going Coconut,” or just getting drunk on margaritas and being hungover at 5 PM, a tropical paradise is for you.
If it isn’t, I feel sorry for you. Obviously, something went wrong in your mother’s womb, and somehow you were born with your head up your ass.
Have the courage to laugh at yourself, shun the noise, and pursue paradise. I did, and I am not coming back.
“Part Hunter S. Thompson, part new Margaritaville, and part therapy, Palm Tree Express is a fearless ride through the Tenets of Paradise — wild, funny, and unexpectedly profound.”
— The Real Mayor of Kitsilano
The Palm Tree Express takes readers from their armchairs to sun-drenched beaches, offbeat encounters, and the pursuit of a life worth living. It releases one’s spirit like pent-up wild Mustangs breaking free from their corral, invigorated with a newfound sense of limitless possibilities. A mix of storytelling, insight, discovery, and a touch of craziness wrapped in an entertaining and thought-provoking voice.
Who’s it for? It’s for you!
The Palm Tree Express is for travelers, dreamers, the newly retired, and the soon-to-escape. People who wake up each day and think, “There has to be a better way.”
Dare to think outside the cul-de-sac!
