BootsnAll Travel Community

Pretty much anything by Bill Bryson.

I was stationed in Germany after getting drafted, and in 1972 read Michner's "The Drifters" and ended up doing some travelling through Europe when I could get the leave time. Stood out like a sore thumb with my GI haircut but had a great time and fond memories. Have had the bug ever since.

Some of my first memories are of pleading my Mum to read this kids book to me - you know the ones where each page is a sheet of cardboard. It showed drawings of people in traditional dress from about 10 different places. The eskimoes that live in the igloos were the best!

I still have the book when I was a kid. It's called 'Round the world with Teddy Edward'. It's a bear who visits all the continents. It's not animated or photoshopped. It's a real teddy bear in the real locations. Its a great book.

Recently I have just read "Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term world Travel" by Rolf Potts. Despite the title it is not a guid book but a collection of inspiring stories and things to help enhance you travel experiance. He talk a lot about the philosophy of travel and how it describes a human being. Really good book.

The book that got me off my heinie was the original People's Guide to Mexico, which I must have read about three or four times. That started me off on more than fifteen years of vacation trips to various parts of Mexico.

Does anyone know of books like that for other parts of the world, with all that detail on foods, customs, etc.?

I read Eat Pray Love right before I left for China. It calmed some of my fears about traveling alone.

My mom read the "little house on the prairie" books to me since I can remember and they were always on the move. I was a bit of a minimalist as a child just in case we had to pack all our belongings into a tiny covered wagon (yes I was a wierd kid)...and it helps me now as a backpacker!