As a change from all the slightly depressing COVID related cancellations, I thought I would do a series of articles on how to travel from your armchair. I have enlisted some help from other travel bloggers to come up with a list of books, films and TV series to binge-watch until we can travel again. If you want further inspiration, then feel free to check out my fellow bloggers’ websites! You can find my first article about binge-worthy TV travel inspiring series here, and the next one about films here.
In this article, we will look at books that inspired us to travel or remind us of our travel experiences.
Firstly, quite a few of the films we featured yesterday were adapted from a book. I usually read the book first and then watch the movie, although normally the films are a disappointment after the book!
- Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mays
- Lord of the Rings Trilogy
- Seven Years in Tibet: My Life Before, During and After
- PS I love you
- Call me by your name
Some of my favourite travel-related books:
In this post:
A Year in Provence
This is a series of books about a man’s struggle to adapt to the French way of life when he moves to Provence. If you love good food, this first book of the series will be right up your street with all the descriptions of the wonderful food and wine. Add in some local characters and beautiful portraits of Provence, and it makes me want to head back to the lavender fields of Grasse right now!
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
The Beach
Set in Thailand, this is a thriller that will keep you turning the pages late into the night. From the infamous Khao San Road in Bangkok to the idyllic beaches of Thailand’s islands, this book will have you searching for cheap Qatar flights to Thailand faster than you can say, Pad Thai!
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
Emily Barr – Cuban Heels, Baggage, Backpack and Stranded
Emily Barr was formerly a travel write before switching to fiction. Many of her novels are thrillers but based in various locations around the world. Stranded is set in the remote islands off Malaysia, Backpack is set in Asia, and her first novel Baggage was set in the Australian outback.
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
Nothing to Envy
For something non-fiction, this book was probably one of the most fascinating books about a different culture that I have read. It is harrowing reading and certainly makes our current situation seem like a walk in the park compared to what went on in North Korea during the famine after the death of the country’s great leader Kim Il Sung in 1994. The book was written after the author Barabra Demick interviewed North Koreans who had managed to escape. In it, she pieces together the feel of everyday life in North Korea, and it made me really want to visit the most secretive country in the world.
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
The Art of Travel
In a very different look at travel, Alain de Botton looks at how and why to travel, not where to go. He talks about one of my favourite aspects of travel – the anticipation of a wonderful trip ahead. From a beach in Barbados to the taking off at an airport, Alain explores every aspect of our relationship with travel.
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot
If you are an aviation geek, this is a must-read book. The book is more than just a description of what it’s like to fly as a commercial pilot. Mark looks at the mechanics of flying, the life of a pilot and describes it all with perfect eloquence.
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
Cruising Altitude
This book by Heather Poole is about life as cabin crew. It’s a pretty light-hearted, easy reading about what it’s like to work as a flight attendant. From dealing with pilots and rude passengers, it has oodles of funny tales and makes you appreciate what crew have to deal with!
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback.
And now a selection from my fellow bloggers. Some classics, and a few I had not heard of until now!
Around the World in 80 days
Around the World in 80 days by Jules Verne is a great book to read when it is not possible to travel. The book tells the adventures around the world of Mr Fogg, an English gentleman living in the London of the 19th century, and his French valet Passepartout.
Mr Fogg’s frequents the exclusive Reform Club daily, where he likes to read the newspaper and play twist. It is there where he bets a very high sum of money that he can travel around the world and be back to London in 80 days. The bet is accepted by everybody in the Club, so Mr. Fogg leaves London the day after for this big adventure.
During their journey, Mr Fogg and Passepartout live many adventures but also some misadventures that threaten the success of the journey. Indeed the Police believe Mr Fogg is behind a very important bank robbery in London and wants to arrest him during the tour! Will Mr Fogg make it to London before the deadline?
by Elisa from World in Paris
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
The Alchemist
When I can’t travel, I like to read books about other people embarking on their own amazing journeys. One of my recent favourite books about travelling is a fictional novel written by the Brazilian author Paulo Coelho known as The Alchemist. Originally published in Portuguese in 1988, the book has been translated into my different language and is now an international bestseller. The classic follows the story of a boy named Santiago and his quest in finding his own Personal Legend, the one thing he must accomplish to live a satisfying life. In order to do so in the book, Santiago must travel far away from the comfort of his home, risk the love of his love, and give up a wealthy lifestyle. Reading the book reminds me of my own travel tales, the adventures I had partaken, and the heartaches I had suffered, but most importantly, the friendships I have made!
By Sean from https://www.livingoutlau.com/
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
What I was doing while you were breeding
While we can’t travel right now, reading books is a great way to be transported somewhere else without leaving your home. It’s also a well-needed distraction from reading the news! I just finished binge-reading ‘What I was doing while you were breeding’ by Kristen Newman. It’s a hilarious memoir about mastering the art of the ‘vacationship’.
Like many of us, the author spent her 20s and 30s dealing with the stresses of a high-pressure job and anxieties of watching her friends get married. Not ready to settle down, she starts travelling the world, often alone, falling in love with the world and (many) attractive locals.
Through several tales of romance on the road, Newman takes readers around the world. She writes about other countries and people in an engaging way that transports you to that place, with many laugh out loud moments. Reading this book gave me so much wanderlust to get back on the road when it’s safe again!
By Lora from Explore with Lora
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
Travels with My Aunt – Graham Greene
Retired bank manager Henry is sucked into a wonderful world of travel and adventure when he meets an estranged eccentric aunt at his mothers funeral. Aunt Augusta quickly convinces Henry to give up his quiet life tending his dahlias to jaunt with her all across Europe and on to Paraguay.
Although completely at odds, Henry and his Aunt have a very clear bond. It doesn’t take long before he is boarding the Orient Express and being swept into a lifestyle he had never even considered, but soon struggles to give up. Aunt Augusta’s life is one of adventure, promiscuity, pleasure and unscrupulous swindling.
Displaying far more energy than her nephew, Augusta has plenty of joie de vivre and has mastered the art of travelling in style. She always makes a point of travelling first class and accepting a glass of champagne. As time goes by, Aunt Augusta reveals more and more of her flamboyant exploits to Henry with plenty of skeletons in the closet popping up to twist the tale.
Enjoying all the romance of travel before it was commonplace, the wonderful ambience and detailed depictions of the stops on their travels really bring the destinations to life. The book displays such a passion for travel that is truly infectious. It will ensure the travel bug keeps biting even when you are on home soil.
This whimsical classic book should not be taken too seriously. It will have you laughing out loud and wishing you were going along for the ride.
By Laura from Whimsy Nook
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth
‘Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth’ is about a radio journalist named Lisa Napoli and her trip to Bhutan as a volunteer for the first youth-oriented radio station in Bhutan. Kuzoo FM was a radio station run by young volunteers and broadcasting 24 hours a day. She writes about the beauty of Bhutan and the many changes it was undergoing at that time as it opened its doors to the outside world. She has described her experience living in the happiest country in the world so beautifully, that it has the reader yearning to visit this unique little country. From hiking up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery which sits at 10240 feet above the sea level to meditating in one of the many traditional temples, there a lot one can do in Bhutan. Bhutan has changed a lot since the book was written, but it still holds the same old mysterious aura to it. This is a great book to read before you plan to visit Bhutan.
By Athul from Our Backback Tales
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
The long way around – Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman
We all know Ewan McGregor, the famous actor, starring in movies such as Star Wars, Moulin Rouge, and so many more. But together with his friend, fellow actor and bike lover Charles Boorman, they had another wild plan. A journey around the world on their motorbikes, leaving from London and arriving in New York.
What started as a daydream, soon ended up in an epic adventure across this globe. They travelled through Europe, Kazachstan, Mongolia and Russia, crossed the Bering Strait and drove back down through Alaska, Canada and the US all the way up to New York.
Their incredible 4-month journey is covered in this book, The Long Way Around. Although wanderlust was already part of our lives, it inspired us to visit the less known countries in this world, such as Kazachstan and Mongolia. It made us longing for a similar adventure with our own converted bus or van, something we’re still planning at the moment. This incredible story allows us to get in the mind of these two famous and adventurous people. They tell us their ups and downs, their hopes and disappointments, their successes and setbacks. A touching and inspiring book every traveller should read.
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
There is also a sequel called Long Way Down and a TV series
By Heleen from the Global Wizards
Mountains: epic cycling climbs
When I’m not able to travel, the book I always turn to is the beautiful coffee table book, Mountains: epic cycling climbs, by Michael Blann.
Blann is a very well-known photographer in sporting circles, and this coffee book contains gorgeous photos of mountain roads, from bleak wild, empty mountain roads to roads lined by cycling spectators and filled with the bright jerseys of road cyclists taking part in the Grand Tours. Most of the photos are of mountains in the Alps in France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria, but it also includes the Asturias, Spanish Islands, and the Dolomites.
The book is ordered by mountain, and each mountain is introduced by a personal take on the mountain, written by a famous cyclist. For example, the Gavia Pass includes a firsthand account by Andy Hampsten of his legendary ride over the mountain in the 1988 Giro d’Italia.
Even if you’re not into cycling, you’ll love this book if you love mountains and adventure. The printing is excellent quality, and it’s a fantastic addition to any coffee table.
By Clare from Epic Road Rides
Start reading now – Buy it here in hardback
Jupiter’s Travels
In 1973 Ted Simon decided to go for a motorcycle ride. Not just any ride, but a ride that would take him four years, cover 64,000 miles (103,000 km) through 45 countries.
Why? Best to quote the author – “It was going to be the journey of a lifetime, a journey that millions dream of and never make, and I wanted to do justice to all those dreams.” And he did.
This book is much, much more than a travel diary. Ted’s remarkable writing ability of using rich descriptions and metaphors to bring every experience vividly into each reader’s consciousness is unparalleled.
He shares the high’s, the lows and the downright frightening about the entire journey. From the timeless beauty of the natural world; long, lonely days on the road to spending time in a Brazilian gaol.
However, the recurring theme right throughout the narrative is about the goodness, the unselfishness and the kindness other human beings showed him along the way. Irrespective of what god they worshipped, what language they spoke or what socio-economic strata they were born into.
The book was published in 1979, and the message it carries is as relevant today as it ever was. Particularly in this era of pandemic driven uncertainty; where the old world has gone forever. Jupiter’s Travels is not just about a motorcycle ride, but a rich tapestry where every day brings something that demands courage and determination.
We now need and will always need courage and trust in others. For we cannot take on the unknown, and the unknowable, without these. This is the very heart and soul of Jupiter’s Travels.
By Keith from Travellin Lite
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
Lost Symbol (Washington DC)
Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol might be over a decade old book, but it has not lost its charm, and I come back to it every once in a while. Often, when I feel wanderlust. Dan Brown is known for his engagement in real places and historical events with fiction and thus creating mystery thrillers, you can really imagine if you’ve already visited the places. In case you haven’t, it’s also perfect, because once you get there, you know what to look for, Dan Brown is a master in detailed descriptions. The Lost Symbol is in a series of Robert Langdon books and builds upon the same style of writing you might already know from the Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons for example. It is worthwhile to read it, even if it’s your first experience with his books.
Unlike previous Robert Langdon series books, which take place mostly in historical European cities, the majority of the Lost Symbol’s plot is happening in the US capital – Washington D. C. That’s exactly where you will want to head to after finishing this book. The main sights appearing in the book are the United States Capitol, Washington Monument and the Library of Congress, but you will also virtually visit the Freedom Plaza, the Washington National Cathedral, Franklin Square and the House of the Temple. I hope you will be as much as me in love with the book and get inspired on where to go next, once you can!
By Diana from Czech Souls
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
Eat, Pray, Love (Rome, Bali and India)
The book, which is a true story written by Elizabeth Gilbert, really resonated with me during that time. And, since then, it has been made into a popular movie starring Julia Roberts. Now, it’s not only my favourite book but film as well!
Elizabeth had everything she was supposed to want at this stage in her life — a husband, a high-paying job, and a house. But, she wanted more.
Realizing this, she makes the difficult choice to leave her loving husband and sets off on an adventure to find herself.
The journey takes her through Italy (where she eats), India (where she prays), and Indonesia (where she loves), and in each country, she learns a little more about herself and what she wants out of life.
The scenes filmed in all three locations bring the countries to life. From the narrow, cobbled alleyways of Rome, to the lively, gritty streets of Naples, you really get an authentic feel for Italy.
India is represented very well also. It’s chaotic and colourful while Julia Roberts is making her way to the ashram, then India shows its calm, spiritual side while she’s meditating and doing introspection.
Indonesia is where she falls in love among the lush rice paddies, swaying palm and banana trees, and crashing waves on the beach. The scenes showcase the now very popular city of Ubud and Padang-Padang beach in Bali.
I’ve now visited all three of the destinations in the book/film, and they are all incredible countries to visit. Add the countries, movie, and book to your list!”
By Dariece from Goats on The Road
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
A Cooks Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal
In “A Cooks Tour,” you’ll travel around the world with world-famous chef and adventurer Anthony Bourdain as he searches for the perfect meal. From remote regions of Cambodia to the French seaside, San Sebastian to St. Petersburg, Bourdain allows readers to explore new corners of the world through food.
What sets this book apart from many other culinary exploration stories is that Bourdain doesn’t just travel to the traditional foodie hot spots. He connects with people over food in tiny family kitchens, gritty dive bars, quintessential farmhouses, and late-night street stalls.
If you’ve never read a travel book by Bourdain before, I’d highly recommend starting with this one. His writing paints a vivid, relatable, and often hilarious picture of his culinary experiences in his travels. After reading this deep dive on local food culture, you’ll walk away ready to travel, infatuated with the world, and probably a pretty hungry!
By Nicola from www.seenicwander.com
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
Into the Wild (Alaska)
This book revolves around the tragic story of Chris McCandless, a young man disillusioned with a conventional life and heads off to discover something better in the Alaskan wilderness. He leaves his family and friends, abandons most of his material possessions to live at one with nature. Freedom and self-expression are the focus of this non-fiction biography by Krakauer who paints McCandless as a man with a brilliant mind and the soul of an artist, who didn’t fit into the modern world’s or his family’s view of how he was supposed to be. Even though it may seem that McCandless was reckless and arrogant, I think he was courageous on his search for meaning. The writing is so engaging that although it is clear from the beginning how McCandless’ story would end, I was hooked until the last page.
By Rai from A Rai of Light
Start reading now – Buy it here on Kindle or paperback
What’s your favourite book about flying or travel? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.
1 comment
I was getting ready to add Jupiter’s Travels and then there it was. That was the book that inspired me to travel. A long time ago.
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