I sat down with all the travel books
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31046)
United Kingdom
March 12, 2013 9:40am CST
This morning I sat down with all the travel books. I own some Lonely Planet books including Eastern Europe and their book on the Ukraine. Unfortunately there isn't an up to date travel guide book for Moldova. Luckily in my local library I borrowed a book called Romania and Moldova however it was published in May 2007. I much prefer an up to date book like published in 2012 or 2013. I also borrowed a book on Poland and it was published in April 2012. I also look for information on the Internet.
Yesterday on the phone I spoke to the German Railway Company. They said there is only one wheelchair accessible compartment on a City Night Line Train. So I should get choosing our way back from Eastern Europe and then places in Western Europe to Brussels. I am not sure if I want Munich to Paris so my kids can have a day at Disneyland Paris. Then we could stay overnight near Paris before getting a train up to Brussels.
Last year in South America my journey came along as it progressed. I didn't book everything in advance. Then in Rio all buses were full so we had to take an internal flight. That got us back to Argentina's capital city in time for a day trip to Uruguay on our last day. Then we flew home on time back to England.
Do you borrow travel books from your local library?
If so how up to date are the books tending to be?
Did you ever travel on transport overnight? If so how comfortable was it?
Were you ever unsure where else you wished to visit?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Mar 13
Hardly can afford to travel. I do not want to have to sell my house and my piano just to travel. I have not looked at travel books, except for perhaps maps as I prefer to visit someone who lives in the country. I do find that the travel books in our bookstore are very general, but never looked at them. I definitely want to visit England and Wales and maybe Italy, and maybe the Caribbean and definitely want to take a world cruise as I love the sea.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 13
It is well worth being an air chair traveler my friend. I didn't have to sell my cottage just let it out to get a monthly income. In addition I had some wages in Australia when I was 20 to 21 years old.
It is lovely to hear you love the sea and one day I wish that you will be able to afford a world cruise. I live in England very close to Wales. Italy is a very interesting country and I would like to see the area near Naples. I visited St Lucia in the Caribbean when I was 19 years old.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
14 Mar 13
I would like to go somewhere, although I am nervous about those searches at the airports. The thing is when I start saving money, someone else comes along and says I should use it for something more worthwhile. So maybe I should start a travel fund.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
13 Mar 13
We usually check out books from our local library, we love to get library cards and visit often. We've checked out books about local things to do but most of the time we read the local magazines to find out what is up and coming.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 13
It is lovely you read local magazines to know what is happening in the near future. My local council publishes a free magazine about that sort of thing. I often like their suggested rural walk. It is excellent you are a keen member of your local library.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 13
Although I have a love of trains, I didn't find the overnight sleeper from London Paddington to the West Country very comfortable, it doesn't help when you are 6 foot 2! And you have to be up ultra early! I remember feeling drowsy and lethargic all day on the first day of the holiday, the only plus side is that you save time travelling at night, especially if you have a tight schedule. I am always borrowing books from my library, books are so expensive and also take up so much room!
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 13
Hello Wolfie. I didn't think the sleeping bunks on the train in Malaysia were more than 5 foot six inches long. I know the people in Malaysia seem to be short however many travelers are tall. It is excellent you often borrow books from the library. It is a shame you felt tired after a night on the overnight sleeper from London to the South West.
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
12 Mar 13
I've bought quite a lot of travel books and guides in the past myself - I have only really rented them out from the libary a few times as I prefer to be able to keep them permanently so I can look at them whenever I want!
I have bought the majority of mine when they have been reduced or by buying used ones and have only spent the full amount a couple of times!
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
12 Mar 13
Before a trip I usually borrow some travel books at my local library. My local library has a lot of travel guide guide books about the popular destinations in Europe and some of the popular destinations in other parts of the world. It is much harder to find books about the less wellknown destinations.
Before our trip to Asia I wanted to borrow some books about each country. There were plenty of books about Thailand and a quite a lot of books about Vietnam, but it was much harder to find books about Cambodia and Laos. If we want to borrow books about the popular destinations it is relatively easy to find new versions of the books, but when I wanted to borrow a book about Laos I discovered that the library only had one book and it was several years old, so it wasn't very useful. I bought Lonely Planet's book about South East Asia and used that one instead of the books from the library.
I have travelled on overnight busses, trains and ferries. I prefer an overnight ferry, and my second choice would be an overnight train. The overnight busses I have tried weren't very comfortable. It was the cheapest option, but I didn't enjoy the trip much.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 13
I am glad that your local library has some travel guide books however it is a shame it does not have the books for destination off the beaten track. Around 104,000 British people went the Philippines though around 800,000 visited Thailand last year. That means more books are published on Thailand because many people go there. I like the book called South East Asia on a Shoestring by Lonely Planet. I imagine not many books have been published on Cambodia or Laos.
On a bus passengers sleep in the seats and this can be uncomfortable. I am glad you feel most comfortable on an overnight ferry and that your second choice is train.
@mrswhitfield (2044)
• Indonesia
12 Mar 13
wow you really a master of travel stuff and you will influence it to your kids I think. When I was arranging a travel I never borrow travel book. I usually use internet for my research on the places I will visit. I think you are awesome
and you will influence it to your kids I think. When I was arranging a travel I never borrow travel book. I usually use internet for my research on the places I will visit. I think you are awesome@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
13 Mar 13
In my early traveling days the Internet way not around. Now I can get much travel information on the Internet and make transport bookings. I can read how other travelers liked accommodation in the different places.
Thanks for saying such lovely things.
@yugocean (9963)
• India
12 Mar 13
During my journey days in childhood I used to buy comic books and other pocket books for my time pass in the journey. Now I don't read any other book expect important books and other things. Now most of the people travelling either read Newspapers or use their cellphone/ipad/tablet etc during their travels.
