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Books to further your traveling dreams
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Sometimes, after most of the fall leaves have fallen off, and everyday seems like a one gray, wet doldrum after another, the travel bug bites. Suddenly all of these places you have been dreaming of for so long seem even more worthwhile. White sand beaches. Clear blue skies. Towering snow-crested peaks.
Yet tragically financial or social shortcomings or the simple fact that there's no decent vacation time available until at least Thanksgiving mean that you simply have to just wait this storm of grayness out. If that is the case, the following is a list of some books that will keep you dreaming of, and hopefully planning for your next trip.
Typically the purchase of a plane ticket initiates the process of going somewhere exciting. However for me, I don't think it really starts until you but that guide book. I have two favorite brands; Lonely Planet and Let's Go.
Lonely Planet is the old-reliable comprehensive guide, featuring information on everything you need to know about visiting a place. In addition to being really useful, the Lonely Planet guides typically include pictures, the perfect enticement to spend even more time pouring over the guide book instead of doing work or something actually important.
I recommend Let's Go because it focuses its advice for those who travel on the cheap. While Lonely Planet may list resorts and 5-star restaurants, this Harvard-based travel series looks at hostels and cheaper, traveler friendly restaurants. It's very useful for those with a limited supply of money and if utilized, will save the traveler money on their trip.
If you're going someplace where you don't know anyone, buying a guide book is really worthwhile. No matter what brand they usually offer excellent advice on places to go, what to eat and things to see. Without a guide book you really take a chance on missing out on some key, local experiences.
For anyone looking for a good book about hiking, the book A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson is excellent. Actually, I have read a few of Bryson's books and they are all great but I really think Woods stands out among them all because of the camaraderie present between Bryson and his co-hiker Stephen Katz. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, and those who have done a long-distance hike before will easily connect with Bryson and Katz as they stumble and discover, along the Appalachian Trail.
A Long Way Round (also a documentary), written by actors Ewan McGreggor and Charley Boorman, is a fascinating travelogue about a cross-country motorcycle ride around the world. The duo start in London and ending in New York City. I'm going to be honest, the writing in this story is nothing special, but it's hard not to get drawn into their story as they pass the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia. They described their passage through mile after mile of unpaved road, their encounters with people who haven't the faintest idea who Obi-Wan-Kenobi is, and their sheer exposure to some of the most wild landscapes in the world. Those who love the open road will find this story hard to put down.
source: amazon.com
Finally, Travels by Michael Crichton is fascinating from beginning to end. One of my favorite writers, Crichton penned this as a memoir, chronicalling his life through the experiences he gleamed on a variety of trips and excursions. The story begins as Crichton sinks his scalpel into a cadaver on day one at Harvard Medical school and ends with a speech on science vs. religion written but never presented to a coalition of scientists. In the middle, Crichton brings to life his trip swimming with sharks off of Tahiti, his exhausting climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro and his search for the legendary Shangri-La. This book is about traveling but it is about life and finding out who you are. From the first page to the back cover it is an enthralling read.
A good travel book, should make you excited to go out and travel. I think a good traveler too, is always looking to learn about and see something new. A great place to start is a book. These are my favorites. Know of any others? Write them below
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