Rebecca A Withey: A review of Go With the Unexpected by Tyron Woolfe (BSL)

Travelling for eight months across thirteen countries and many cities, Tyron recorded his experiences in the form of this travel book.

It was actually during the pandemic when Tyron found himself browsing his travel albums and journal entries and he decided to compile all of his experiences during this time in one book.

Now, as someone who has always wanted to visit South America (and Peru in particular) I was excited to dive into Tyron’s accounts to find out what it was like.

I enjoy reading travel books in general yet this was the first time I had read one that was by a deaf person!

From the very first chapter I was hooked. Tyron describes the events that inspired him to leave his job, rent out the rooms in his house and pack away all of his belongings so he could go and fulfil his travel dreams.

His time in South America hardly had the best start as he arrived in the middle of nowhere in the pouring rain, with no idea of where he was or where he should be going. Instantly the challenges of being a deaf traveller came to light – what do you do when you don’t speak the language and you’re also deaf?!

Tyrons candid writing explains all as he shares with the reader the ups and downs throughout his journey; the time he fell poorly with altitude sickness, the moments that he was hit with homesickness and plagued with doubts about whether he was doing the right thing.

He tells us about his holiday romances and all the quirks he spots in people he meets, often accompanied by photographs. As a result we often feel like we know them too!

Tyron doesn’t sugarcoat anything, he describes times where he is tired or fed up and shares the inner most thoughts he has when he is frustrated by some cultural differences or a plan that doesn’t work out.

This authenticity is really refreshing and makes the reader feel as though you’re Tyrons best friend, rooting for him to have a great time.

Tyron treats us to delicious descriptions of the scenery, the food he enjoys, the animals he sees and the people he meets. We are educated on the cultural nuances Tyron encounters across the various countries and the observations he makes as a westerner.

Christmas, for example, we learn is more of a party than the traditional sit down meal we have in the UK. Tyron also divulges that towards the end of his travels he feels calmer, less stressy and less concerned about following strict timelines or everything being planned to the finest detail. His travels have undoubtedly influenced him.

As a deaf traveller, it was interesting to note how Tyron communicated throughout South America. When he wasn’t meeting up with deaf friends, he would use his phone or gestures to converse with others. Body language, lip reading also played a part here too.

During one part of the book, Tyron describes how he meets a couple who know English and asks where they’re from. “Seema” he lipreads. Baffled, he asks whereabouts this is. “Europe” they reply. Confused, it turns out the couple had said “Denmark.” Lip reading errors happen to us all!

I feel as though Tyron’s openness and honesty as a writer truly does allow the reader to really experience it all, inspiring all of us to make our own exciting travel plans too.

Tyron’s fun personality and sense of curiosity really keep the reader interested and I personally loved reading about Tyron’s passion for musicals, which he mentions throughout like a soundtrack for his travels. He recounts how, after handing in his work notice and starting his plans he had a ‘Billy Elliot’ moment with the track “I’m free!” playing in his head.

Then, towards the end of his travels Tyron finds himself on the back of a motorcycle and he says how Grease 2’s “Cool Rider” came to mind. I can completely relate to the theme of having random songs come to mind to suit the occasion!

On the whole, Go With the Unexpected is a highly amusing and fascinating travel account and I’d definitely recommend it. It is heartwarming to see how Tyron went through not only a physical journey but a personal one too as he arrives back in the UK at the end of it all feeling inspired to make permanent changes to his life.

Regardless of whether you’re deaf or hearing, a traveller or a stay-vacationer, Go With the Unexpected is a great way to experience the joys of South America, all from the comfort of your sofa.

Rebecca Anne Withey is a freelance writer with a background in Performing Arts & Holistic health. She is also profoundly deaf, a sign language user and pretty great lipreader. She writes on varied topics close to her heart in the hope that they may serve to inspire others. www.rawithey.com