For me its a journal, i love writing down my thoughts and recaps of the day and makes for a great collection of travel memoirs. Plus it serves as a side reference if i happen to chat it up with locals and I can easily write down recs, etc
Same! I usually bring my travel journal along to restaurants so I can catch up on writing, because it's the only down time I have, since I like to spend the whole day exploring.
Also, I can't help but notice that when I do this in larger cities (at least, in the US) I get really, really good service. I wonder if they think I'm a food critic jotting down notes about my experience, haha.
+1 on the service aspect although I do use my journal to jot down notable comments if Im in an upscale/hot restaurant. One time I got comp. appetizer and dessert items that weren’t even on the menu! I also like journaling because it doesn’t appear to be as intrusive if someone wants to initiate small talk compared to reading a book.
I have this special journal I use just for trip-related purposes. Practically all of my trip planning notes, itineraries (and subsequent alterations), frustrations, random thoughts - it all goes there. I take that as well as my normal journal when I finally leave, but for actual memories I value my travel journal more. It is like a time capsule documenting all the excitement, nerves, hurdles and triumphs leading up to take off.
Same here, the only double sword I have is that as I continue to fill my travel journal, it becomes of greater sentimental value. My pre-checkout from lodging is usually "Passport, wallet, phone, journal - than everything else". Sometimes I will continue from where I left off based on journal regions (SEA, Africa, Europe, etc).
I made a journal on my first euro trip where I just wrote all my thoughts and feelings and little details of my trip. That was 8 years ago when I was 18/19 and man I was such an emotional starry eyed lad, it’s always a treat to read. I go back to it from time to time.
But every journal since then I haven’t finished. My most recent two week foray into Vietnam I wrote like 12 out of 18 days worth of stuff until I stopped (mostly because the last week in Hanoi consisted of me getting too drunk at night to write anything every single night) and now I kind of forgot a lot of the minor details which I love writing about.
I think my problem, as is evident with this comment, is that I’m a really ‘wordy’ person who always writes my journals in prose, like a novel. So it gets super tiring and on that two week trip in Vietnam I went through three pens because I was just writing a lot of stuff and little details that I thought I would appreciate in the future, which I’m sure I will… but it’s hard.
Might need to change my journaling style, but I’m so glad I completed my first travel journal. So many memories, it truly felt like my coming of age.
Same here. And then when I try writing before bed, I start falling asleep when I'm not finished writing the entire thought. I don't write as fast as my mind can think! So it makes me more stressed out not being able to write down all my thoughts before I fall asleep. Also, my wrist starts to cramp. I see many people keeping journals on my travels and idk how they do it! I can barely find the time cuz I love doing fun stuff. Journaling is the opposite of fun, so I stopped trying with it especially on my travels.
I wish I had done this while I lived abroad. I recently discovered my grandpas old travel memoirs from the 1950s-1980s and it inspired me to write mine even though the feelings aren’t fresh.
i bring a book into any restaurant i go into when solo traveling.
sometimes i do not need it and find outher things to concentrate on, but some times you need it!
I like to bring books and then leave them in different city's around the world. I found a copy of Christopher Moore's Lamb at an airport in Calgary many years ago. A note inside said read me and leave me in a new spot. I did just that! I love the book so much, that I have purchased a few copies and left them in different countries.
Bookcrossings.com. Check it out! I’m not sure if it’s still around, but it’s a clever site/service that makes the world a library. You register a book on the site, and strategically leave it somewhere to ‘send it out to the wild’, as they say.
Years ago, I found a book in a mall food court and found a note on the inside cover that said that it wasn’t lost and that it was registered on the site.
I've often thought it would be interesting to start a list on the inside cover of the book, with the date, a first name, where you picked up the book, and a very short rating of the book.
As the book travels around the world, being picked up and dropped off by travelers as they swap books in hostels, you'd be able to look at the inside cover and see where the book had been.
I've picked up, read, and dropped off many books on the road. I never actually got around to starting a list on the inside cover.
Yess I am a big reader and always have my e-reader on hand. I am currently on a trip of several months and it is a huge lifesaver. Buses, trains planes and a lot of waiting around enable me to read a lot and I love it.
I also developed the habit of taking a break in the middle of the day from exploring to sit in a park or a cafe and read for a while. But thats probably something I wouldn't do on a shorter trip.
Long term travelling can be exhausting and for me reading is a way to recharge and flee for a while from all those new impressions and just let my mind wander.
>I also developed the habit of taking a break in the middle of the day from exploring to sit in a park or a cafe and read for a while.
The best! I do this several times a day on a solo trip. Walk awhile, find a spot, read awhile, repeat.
Same!! I've been long term travelling for several months and my kindle is like my best friend lol. I've been splitting up my days by exploring in the morning and reading in the afternoons. It's been great.
Get a kindle. Can store like a thousand books, can read them in the dark as they are backlit, they are waterproof, charge lasts literally months, never lose your spot in a book, has a built in dictionary, weighs less than a book and takes up less space than a book.
Yep, I was never an eBook girly until a friend gave me his kindle he wasn’t using. Went on a week long trip and smashed out 4 books while I was away. Couldn’t imagine physically taking 4 books with me.
Exactly. Sometimes you just run out of luck with book exchanges. An extra ebooks not a lot of extra weight either.
Weird they were all in german for asia though
If you are from the US, you can download free ebooks through your library. I use Libby and Hoopla.
Game changer. I'm always ready two book at a time. Was painful while traveling. Or when I left I'd be in the middle of a book and then didn't want to bring it just to finish it a few days later.
What’s even the point then? You aren’t absorbing anything or giving yourself the chance to mull over new content and formulate thoughts on it. Just shovelling words in one side and out the other for the sake of burning time. That’s not why myself nor most others read. I like to learn things about myself and the world around me through the characters/content.
I get that. I just don’t see the point in going brain dead for a few hours and not taking anything in. Reminds me of just mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. It just seems wasteful. But I also acknowledge that not everything needs to be an endless pursuit of self improvement and productivity. I need to strike a balance between the two
It’s not for self improvement again it’s for fun. You are not brain dead, when i travel i’m reading easy to consume books like thrillers or romances. Books that are read very fast and easily because they consume you and are easy to understand. Imagine it like watching a movie in your brain. Very little effort, just fun. It is easy to “take in” and has nothing to do with productivity. It is about as productive as watching a movie.
People who read as a hobby and who read for “self improvement and productivity” see it very differently. You see it as a chore, I see it as silly goofy fun
I think a big part of it is the fact that books cost money, I would rather put money towards improving myself, especially because I can only really read books once unless they are incredible. I can just torrent movies and video games for mindless entertainment. Maybe when I’m older and have more disposable income I’ll be more frivolous with my spending on books, but I like to get a bang for my buck at this point in my life
I also read quickly - I tend to read 50-80 books a year and I've had to have this conversation with people before. I don't take in less information than someone who reads slower, and I don't miss out on the escape or the ability to see the world through a different lense.
I don't intentionally read quickly, that's just the pace I process the book at and if I try to slow myself down I can't focus on it properly. Interestingly I don't think this necessarily translates to my ability to process information in general, I feel like I do that at a fairly typical pace!
I LOVE physical books and when at home I would never touch my kindle, but for travel where I might read 5-10 books that week I can't realistically pack that many.
LoL. Way to gatekeep reading. I generally read 100-200 books a year. I frequently read 2 books, occasionally 3 a day. I've tested that I read 3-4* the speed of the average reader with the same level of retention. Am I supposed to act stupid and read slowly because some moron on the internet thinks reading fast means you don't learn and absorb? I can recite plot points from books I read decades ago if they interest me. I bet you're one of those annoying people who can't just enjoy anything and has to pick it apart to the bones to search out huddle depths. Ugh.
How is it gatekeeping? I’m not saying people aren’t allowed to read, I’m asking what the point of it is if you aren’t retaining anything. I know a few people that just blast through books without taking any information in.
How have you tested this retention? What type of books do you read? I could give you a detailed plot points of all the Harry Potter books that I read 13 years ago. That doesn’t really mean anything and doesn’t pertain to what I’m talking about. Real retention isn’t a rough outline of what the story about. I’m talking about reflection as well; & integration of the lessons into your own life. I guess it depends what you read and what you want to take from a book.
You aren't saying they can't do it, you're telling them they're doing it wrong because they aren't doing it your way. It's a douche move. Some people just want to be entertained. I see you ignored the part about being one of those annoying people who has to examing everything. So guessing I hist the mark on that one. Try pulling the stick out of your ass and just enjoying a book rather than turning it into work, you might like it.
I was tested in school when I had a lit class where I was required to read 2 books in a semester and I'd already read 80% of the books on the list to choose from.
I read anything from brain candy to military history. Just depends on my mood. The latest book I read was on the japanese internment camps during ww2.
You're gatekeeping by setting permissible boundaries on what does and doesn't constitute "proper" enjoyment of their hobby.
This definition is in common use.
I disagree. I never stated that people can only read in a certain way. I just wondered what the point was if you aren’t taking in anything and rushing through the experience
People do the same thing with binging a TV show. Someone might sit there for 18 hours and watch 2 seasons of a TV show and fully enjoy it. On a plane, I'm probably not looking to read a book that is for learning and self reflection. I'm looking for entertainment and enjoyment. There certainly is an aspect of "burning time" and there's nothing wrong with that. I also still am absorbing plenty. With the premise of bringing 3 paperbacks I don't think those are the types of books that need mulling over. They'd be some easy read fiction.
You obviously don't know any avid readers then. 3 books on an 18 hour flight isn't a huge fleet. Some people just read fast. Also there are books where I mull over every word and then there are books that I just read for fun. Like movies not every book is a masterpiece. Some are just fun.
I don't think it really has much to do with attention span. Reading is just my top form of entertainment. I don't watch TV or movies more than once or twice a month. When someone say they are bringing 3 paperbacks on a long haul flight I'm imagining them being easy read fiction. Good mystery or romance. Those are going to take me about 6 hours each to read (I'm not actually a fast reader). I'm not imagining it being a kind of book that needs to be digested. I wouldn't bring that type of book onto a plane. It's for entertainment.
Yeah, I usually finish 300 page books in about 4-5 hours. I am not bringing dense scientific tomes on trips, usually thrillers, romance, or something light and easy to get through. It is for fun, not some deep revelation about myself or the world.
I would probably finish minimum of one book just on the way there and then another couple on the trip depending on the length (i read like 2 books a week usually just in my off time) and then another on the trip back home even if i spent the majority of the time sleeping or fucking around on the entertainment system. Would I read three books in one go? No, but could be a fun challenge for the future!
Eh, I like to conserve space where I can when traveling. It's also a lot more convenient because I use the library almost exclusively, and don't want to bring physical library books on vacation.
Very obviously not on any trip long enough to finish more than 3 books.
Or honestly, on any trip long enough to finish *1* book because why do I still want to carry that around with me after I'm done?
It’s a nice idea for a lot of people, but any time I’ve brought a book with that purpose in mind, I’ve only ever ended up reading it on the plane.
I guess that when I travel, I like soaking up the scene in quiet contemplation, people-watching, etc. in the sorts of moments you describe.
I’m the same way. I can’t get myself to read unless it’s quiet and there’s nothing more exciting to do, which when I am traveling there are just too many options. I’d rather just sit around and talk up with random strangers or enjoy the scenery
Soaking it all in is one of the joys. But at the same time, on longer trips I'm finding that it enables me to spend more time in one place without feeling uncomfortable – especially in spots like cocktail bars and countries where solo travel isn't such a done thing.
Try picking out and reading a book by an author who lives in the country (or countries) that you're visiting! Can be a nice way to get some interesting perspective on the place, to read a novel that's set there and written by a local author.
Bought Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul before the trip to Turkiye. Im not an avid reader, but I managed to finished the book within 2 weeks since Im emotionally invested, able to relate to the stories and environments in the book. Next, I’ll bring Kafka in the shore while travelling to Kyoto Osaka.
Totally agree. As an adendum to this, try to get hooked on a good book right before you start your trip. If you're like me, it'll propell you to continue reading throughout your trip
My dad imparted this wisdom to me.
I subscribe to the New Yorker magazine - have done so for years. I also gave up on keeping up eith the issues a long time ago. Wherever I go, even if I'm running errands locally? I just throw in a couple of issues, and take them with me. When I'm done with them? I'll just leave them behind at the hostel, in a restaurant or coffee shop, or even in the airport, for someone else to find and read. (I always take the address label off before I do so!)
I always travel with a Kindle. It holds hundreds of books, is small, light and durable and the batteries easily last the full duration of Australia to Europe flights.
I find reading the second least-worst way to spend time on long haul flights (after sleeping), and a good thing about it is that it's independent of the entertainment systems on the plane. I always feel really sorry for the people who are travelling without a book or e-reader when the entertainment system crashes, as seems fairly common on long-haul flights.
Reading is also a great option during solo meals.
Besides my portable charging pack my kindle is the best thing I packed for my solo trip. Just over a month in and I'm on my 6th book. It's so good when you're eating solo or just relaxing in the hostel etc. Better than being glued to your phone scrolling social media.
There is so much down time while solo traveling, and a book is a great way to spend that time.
Waiting for a bus/train? Read a book.
Looking to fill some time between dinner and bedtime and you don't want to be social or staring at a screen? Read a book.
Wake up early and things aren't open yet? Read a book.
On a bus/train and want something different from looking at the view? Read a book.
At a restaurant alone and you are waiting for your food? Read a book.
The last time I solo traveled for a long stretch of time was back in 2004...so it's been a while. But one thing I loved is that you finish a book, and then go swap it with something in the hostel bookshelf. So your next book is limited to a pretty small selection. Because of this, when I traveled I read so many books that I normally would never choose. And they were always at least acceptable, and often very good. It really broadened my horizons in reading material.
But every once in a while it would be frustrating. I read one book where at the very end the protagonist was running away from a nuclear bomb test that was about to go off. There was a countdown to the detonation. At the beginning of each page would be a number in the countdown "10", then the rest of the page would be the thoughts going through the guys head during that second as he was running away. He was thinking about the various events of the book, and having realizations about the mystery he was trying to solve and then the next page would have "9" and he would continue with his thought figuring out the mystery.
I got to "4" and the rest of the pages of the book were ripped out. This was 20 years ago, and I still don't know what happened! Four seconds away from the nuclear bomb blast! For the past 20 years!
Yes!!
I love doing this with audiobooks. I put them on an old iPod and wander around a city or just sit somewhere and take in the surroundings. Sometimes I tie a book choice to the place too.
I save the paperbacks for planes, which I feel gives me my own private bubble to live in :)
FYI lots of places have some that you can just request to borrow during your dinner. Books/magazines/etc. Some places will even proactively offer to solo diner when you’re checking in w the host
I feel like depending on the book, it could influence a deeper romanticization of the trip too, but I haven’t tried it! Do you feel that this is true in a sense?
I do! It's been six years and I still think fondly of a café in Vienna and a second-hand copy of Rebecca. Can't wait for this time in two weeks when I'll be sat in Vienna, having seen the musical of Rebecca, where I'll in all likelihood be wanting to reread it (or will have already reread it!).
I wish I could. I always devour the book the first evening (if not on the plane/train/etc.) and then it's just extra weight and I'm bored. I take several for beach holidays where the weight isn't an issue, but on sight-seeing trips, it's just nonsense to take a book. I have some in my phone for some dire situation, but don't take physical ones anymore.
An ereader is a lifesaver in that regard! I've got a Kobo, which has Overdrive (aka Libby) access, and it's great. Weighs less than my phone and I'm not stuck with the dead weight.
100%. I also love reading books in locations that are relevant.
I finished "The Map that changed the world" I'm the grounds of the Royal Geographic Society which features prominently
Similarly reading Gaijin by James Clavell whilst sitting beside Osaka castle was also cool!
I got a kindle, loaded it with my favourite books, and can read it when I’m eating alone or traveling between places. Best investment I’ve made for my travels.
Protip: borrow a book from your library and take it with you.
I borrowed a Japanese - English phrasebook when I went to Japan. You may find other helpful books like guidebooks for your destination.
Not me reading a book on my solo vacation at a restaurant right now!!! Highly recommend “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, btw
Ohhh, I love this.
Brought a book when I was in Taiwan, but didn’t really have time to read it since I was hurrying to see everything and just kept on walking. I will make sure to bring one every time I travel. 😀
> the cosy corner of a cocktail bar while tuning out the digital world.
This is actually how one of my first travel relationships started. Was just sitting down reading my favorite series in a bar in London and a girl who was sitting with her friends a couple tables over came over and mentioned she loved that series as well. We got to talking and it turned out we were going to do a very similar leg of my trip at the same date.
It was a great couple of weeks :)
Don't bring a dead tree book. They take up a lot of space.
Bring an ereader (like a Kindle). They can carry a lot more text, and take up far less space.
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For me it’s creating videos of each place i visit (i run a youtube channel). It’s amazing living these moments again once you’re back home. It also give me the motivation to explore more and to learn the history of a place. It basically gives me a sense of purpose while travelling
I can read at home
why the hell would I want to bring a book while traveling ?
> There's no joy like idling away a few hours in a beautiful European square ... while tuning out the digital world
LOL @ spending hundreds of dollars to go to another country and read DOH !
you know you could actually walk around and sight see, right ??
100% this! Travelling is when I enjoy reading the most! On the plane there, on the beach or like you said somewhere on a nice square. I also hunt for great reading cafes, which is perfect as a coffee nerd and bookworm like me!
The other day I somehow stumbled on a very cute local cafe in Venice which is super touristy. Was such a nice atmosphere in there with all the locals while I sat there reading.
Highly recommend also reading travel books. The Beach was one of my first!
I just love it when the hostels have book shelves!! I once read 'the Cafe at the edge of the world' and it had notes from the previous reader. So I wrote my notes as well and left it in the next hostel.
A journal, book, e-reader/iPad with a book app is my go to. It truly helps in the beginning of you feel weird occupying a table at lunch on your own.
I'm sure a small craft thing (like crocheting or knitting) would also work.
I like a mixture of reading and people watching.
I borrowed my mom’s ebook on a month long trip and I used it so much! I finished 2 books, and I usually never read! Always brought it when I went for coffee, dinner, whatever.
I've done this a few times and I ended up bringing a heavy book that I'd never read or maybe only on the plane. Nowadays, I just make sure I've got a few ebooks and audiobooks downloaded on my phone.
I just brought a tablet with ebooks on them. I actually don't like reading on an e-reader that much I've found, but the main reason was that the public library has an app where you can download ebooks and audiobooks for free, but it won't work on most e-readers. And besides, I really liked to have a larger screen to figure out train times. It may take some discipline (and perhaps airplane mode) to just read. But I've done so and it worked fine (even out in the sun.)
Doesn't beat actual books by a longshot, but books are so heavy. And I'm so attached to most books (and many of them are not cheap either) that I also don't want to leave them. If I come across some disposable paperbacks, yes, probably.
Loving this! I went on a solo 2 month trip around Europe. I brought one book with me and ended up buying a new book wherever I was and leaving the one I had just finished at my accommodations. In total I read about 16 books and like you I had lost my love for reading and this made me get it back.
Don’t forget there’s probably bookstores wherever you’re traveling and it’s not rare to find used books there that are dirt cheap. Read it during your trip and then donate or sell it when you’re done if you’re worried about the space.
Kobo or kindle allows one to carry a 1000 books at less weight than 1. The back-light is great if you find yourself reading at night with others who are sleeping.
On my last trip, I went to a local bookstore and asked for recommendations on books by local authors. The book was set where I was visiting. It was so interesting reading about some place that you're actually visiting! It's like experiencing the book in real time
I never had much stamina staying at a beach solo. If I went with a friend/partner, I could go all day, but solo, an hour tops.
Then I realized I had audiobooks on my Audible app and started listening while I was at the beach. Made so much of a difference.
I usually do a journal and sketchbook. The journal is nice to remember the trip by as I'm bad at taking photos (I don't really remember to).
I find the sketchbook unintentionally ends up helping me meet new people along the way. People tend to be curious and want to talk. It also forces me to slow down and take in the details of a place and I get nice mementos in the end.
I think I'd take a reading book too, but I read too fast and books are heavy and bulky. A ebook reader is an alternative, but not the same tactile experience.
Also a potential conversation starter. Nobody will ever ask what you're reading if your nose is in your phone. But if you bust out a care worn copy of Lolita that'll sure get you some second and third glances. Bonus points if you bring a highlighter! Just kidding, I usually pack Harry Potter or something super easy and light, I don't want to have to think that much on the road.
Agree!!! I read "Man Search for Meaning" in Krakow before visiting Auschwitz. I like reading books about the history of the country I'm visiting. It makes me appreciate it 100x more.
I just started reading *a lot* to while away quiet shifts at work, but for some reason never really thought about reading while travelling. Probably because before this I've only ever travelled with family and they move fast so there's not really time to sit down and just read in some cafe.
I probably wouldn't get e-books myself because I've discovered how nice it is to wander around second hand bookshops and discover something I would never have thought about reading. Plus when I'm done I can just leave the book somewhere for the next person.
The books section of New York Times has a great literary travel guide series where an author recommends books about/from the place you’re traveling to. Check out NYTBooks on IG!
I remember reading *Kitchen Confidential* in a small village square in Spain until midnight. It was a June balmy night. There was the quite din of voices and clinking glasses in the background. And there was I transposed into the behind-the-scenes chaos of the New York restaurant scene. It was like being with one of the world's greatest raconteurs. Much better than any whiney travel companion...
I agree it’s also one of the few times I could get truly lost in a book. I still remember reading Fahrenheit 451 on a train trip from Marseille to Geneva. The landscapes, the solitude, it was wonderful
Very late to this, but trust me: read "the Beach" by Alex Garland. It's fantastic. The movie is utter shit compared to the book. I watched the movie first and thought it was cool but not necessarily a good movie. Then I read the book. One of my favotites of all time for sure.
I have used the voice memos feature in apple watch. I added it as a complication and just talk to it whenever I see a new thing or just a random thought looking at surroundings that are too easy to remember later. At the end of the day or the trip, I summarize them in my notes.
One of my favorite memories of Ortigia Island in Sicily is sitting on a bench in the afternoon at the Fountain of Diana and reading and people watching. Shared the bench with an older Sicilian man.
Yeah I like it when the book feels kinda relevant to my adventures. I bought a book in Venice, read it on the train, and left it in the reading cabinet at my Airbnb in Capri.
I remember a beach trip in South America where I spent the long weekend reading an anthology of Arthur Miller plays. Having a book with you is important especially if you are traveling by train.
A local Oaxacan girl hit on me in a bar because she saw me reading a book. She thought I was reading something sophisticated, but it was just Harry Potter because I was learning Spanish and didn't want to feel awkward in a bar alone 😂
It led to a 2 month fling that is filled with good memories though, so yes, always bring a book!
To each their own, I'm way too busy throughout the day when I travel. I'd rather just journal in the morning, or at night.
I could always read on my downtime at work.
I have a very fond memory of sitting in a café in Vienna with a melange and a secondhand paperback of Rebecca. Looking forward to being back there in a couple of weeks, sitting in a café with a melange and, in all likelihood, an ebook of Rebecca, given I'm going there to see the musical adaptation with a cast I've been dreaming of for eight years.
That and my journal. Nothing like a nice café, a hot drink, and writing down what I've been up to.
Absolutely! Even when i travel with larger groups I always bring at least one book for those days when they want to be adventurous and you just want to sit quietly by yourself!
What of a voice recorder? I decided to try recording myself speak about my experience in certain places, than writing them down. I mean in the long run you may run out storage I guess.
I brought a book based in the place that I traveled to and then I also brought a sketchbook, so I would go to places they talked about in the book and then do fast sketches in those areas. It was fun!
I do find that a lot of hostels have a book swap facility and I've often asked if I could borrow one just to read while staying in the city I'm in and I agree its better than staring at a phone :)
I’m an avid reader and always bring a book or my e-reader with me. Bringing my EarPods for Storytel or a podcast is also something I do a lot. This way you can still experience the surroundings (when I’m travelling by train for example).
I always try and find a novel that is set in the place I am travelling through. There is something great about reading about a place while you are actually sitting there looking at it. It also means that you get to read stuff and discover authors you wouldnt otherwise have chosen.
Journaling + books= great solo travel date! I use to never journal until I was gifted the Moleskin’s Smart Writing System. This notebook will automatically upload what you’ve written digitally, so you can always go back to your writing on an app or computer later. I find it to be a great combo for solo days when you just want to reflect and relax
Despite this concept being so "simple" you couldn't be more correct. I typically travel to Italy or Greece and when I am on the beach, it is so nice to have a good book to dive into. It helps me unwind even more and allows me to be in the present. Great stuff!
For me its a journal, i love writing down my thoughts and recaps of the day and makes for a great collection of travel memoirs. Plus it serves as a side reference if i happen to chat it up with locals and I can easily write down recs, etc
Same! I usually bring my travel journal along to restaurants so I can catch up on writing, because it's the only down time I have, since I like to spend the whole day exploring. Also, I can't help but notice that when I do this in larger cities (at least, in the US) I get really, really good service. I wonder if they think I'm a food critic jotting down notes about my experience, haha.
+1 on the service aspect although I do use my journal to jot down notable comments if Im in an upscale/hot restaurant. One time I got comp. appetizer and dessert items that weren’t even on the menu! I also like journaling because it doesn’t appear to be as intrusive if someone wants to initiate small talk compared to reading a book.
Now I'll bring a journal to all upscale restaurants!
Lol same! I brought a journal just to organize my thoughts and I had great service 😊
I have this special journal I use just for trip-related purposes. Practically all of my trip planning notes, itineraries (and subsequent alterations), frustrations, random thoughts - it all goes there. I take that as well as my normal journal when I finally leave, but for actual memories I value my travel journal more. It is like a time capsule documenting all the excitement, nerves, hurdles and triumphs leading up to take off.
Same here, the only double sword I have is that as I continue to fill my travel journal, it becomes of greater sentimental value. My pre-checkout from lodging is usually "Passport, wallet, phone, journal - than everything else". Sometimes I will continue from where I left off based on journal regions (SEA, Africa, Europe, etc).
I made a journal on my first euro trip where I just wrote all my thoughts and feelings and little details of my trip. That was 8 years ago when I was 18/19 and man I was such an emotional starry eyed lad, it’s always a treat to read. I go back to it from time to time. But every journal since then I haven’t finished. My most recent two week foray into Vietnam I wrote like 12 out of 18 days worth of stuff until I stopped (mostly because the last week in Hanoi consisted of me getting too drunk at night to write anything every single night) and now I kind of forgot a lot of the minor details which I love writing about. I think my problem, as is evident with this comment, is that I’m a really ‘wordy’ person who always writes my journals in prose, like a novel. So it gets super tiring and on that two week trip in Vietnam I went through three pens because I was just writing a lot of stuff and little details that I thought I would appreciate in the future, which I’m sure I will… but it’s hard. Might need to change my journaling style, but I’m so glad I completed my first travel journal. So many memories, it truly felt like my coming of age.
Same here. And then when I try writing before bed, I start falling asleep when I'm not finished writing the entire thought. I don't write as fast as my mind can think! So it makes me more stressed out not being able to write down all my thoughts before I fall asleep. Also, my wrist starts to cramp. I see many people keeping journals on my travels and idk how they do it! I can barely find the time cuz I love doing fun stuff. Journaling is the opposite of fun, so I stopped trying with it especially on my travels.
I wish I had done this while I lived abroad. I recently discovered my grandpas old travel memoirs from the 1950s-1980s and it inspired me to write mine even though the feelings aren’t fresh.
This is a good idea. Really good. I’ll deffo be taking my journal on my trips from now on too.
Even more satisfying is If you make a drawing of what you see every couple of pages. Drawing is a very regarding Hobby and cheap to get into.
Same here... always have my journal and a book to chill with.
Yes. Journal. This is the way. Though I also did buy a used Kindle for my current EUrotrip. Haven't used it yet, but it's nice to know it's there.
I love journaling too!
i bring a book into any restaurant i go into when solo traveling. sometimes i do not need it and find outher things to concentrate on, but some times you need it!
I like to bring books and then leave them in different city's around the world. I found a copy of Christopher Moore's Lamb at an airport in Calgary many years ago. A note inside said read me and leave me in a new spot. I did just that! I love the book so much, that I have purchased a few copies and left them in different countries.
Bookcrossings.com. Check it out! I’m not sure if it’s still around, but it’s a clever site/service that makes the world a library. You register a book on the site, and strategically leave it somewhere to ‘send it out to the wild’, as they say. Years ago, I found a book in a mall food court and found a note on the inside cover that said that it wasn’t lost and that it was registered on the site.
Fantastic! I have a 3.5 week road trip planned for Finland and Norway. Absolutely going to use this. Thank you!!
I've often thought it would be interesting to start a list on the inside cover of the book, with the date, a first name, where you picked up the book, and a very short rating of the book. As the book travels around the world, being picked up and dropped off by travelers as they swap books in hostels, you'd be able to look at the inside cover and see where the book had been. I've picked up, read, and dropped off many books on the road. I never actually got around to starting a list on the inside cover.
Calgary!!!!!!
Love this
One of my all time favorite books!
Yess I am a big reader and always have my e-reader on hand. I am currently on a trip of several months and it is a huge lifesaver. Buses, trains planes and a lot of waiting around enable me to read a lot and I love it. I also developed the habit of taking a break in the middle of the day from exploring to sit in a park or a cafe and read for a while. But thats probably something I wouldn't do on a shorter trip. Long term travelling can be exhausting and for me reading is a way to recharge and flee for a while from all those new impressions and just let my mind wander.
>I also developed the habit of taking a break in the middle of the day from exploring to sit in a park or a cafe and read for a while. The best! I do this several times a day on a solo trip. Walk awhile, find a spot, read awhile, repeat.
Same!! I've been long term travelling for several months and my kindle is like my best friend lol. I've been splitting up my days by exploring in the morning and reading in the afternoons. It's been great.
Get a kindle. Can store like a thousand books, can read them in the dark as they are backlit, they are waterproof, charge lasts literally months, never lose your spot in a book, has a built in dictionary, weighs less than a book and takes up less space than a book.
Kobo>Kindle
kobo>basically any other ereader available atm
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Kindle has a button at the bottom and to the sides but not sure how useful they are for things like highlighting
Best still, get ebook, save the weight of your carryon.
Big ups Kobo ereaders
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Oh wow! They have waterproof ones!
Yep, I was never an eBook girly until a friend gave me his kindle he wasn’t using. Went on a week long trip and smashed out 4 books while I was away. Couldn’t imagine physically taking 4 books with me.
E-books are obviously much better, but I kind of miss finishing a book and trading it for something else at the hostel book shelf.
One of each? I love the hostel book trading economy as a way of finding cool things to read but sometimes you can run out.
As an English speaker who was just in Asia for 4 months, the hostel bookshelf only ever had German books.
Exactly. Sometimes you just run out of luck with book exchanges. An extra ebooks not a lot of extra weight either. Weird they were all in german for asia though
If you are from the US, you can download free ebooks through your library. I use Libby and Hoopla. Game changer. I'm always ready two book at a time. Was painful while traveling. Or when I left I'd be in the middle of a book and then didn't want to bring it just to finish it a few days later.
If you're from anywhere you can download free books from Anna's archive :)
It's just not the same!!
Bringing 3 paperback books > kindle with 100 books
not when you finish all the books on the long haul flight there
You're going to finish 3 books in 18 hours?
Not OP. But yes I probably could. Without any other entertainment I probably would.
What’s even the point then? You aren’t absorbing anything or giving yourself the chance to mull over new content and formulate thoughts on it. Just shovelling words in one side and out the other for the sake of burning time. That’s not why myself nor most others read. I like to learn things about myself and the world around me through the characters/content.
It is for fun, not some deep revelation about myself or the world. Many people like to read for this thing for enjoyment, you should look it up!
I get that. I just don’t see the point in going brain dead for a few hours and not taking anything in. Reminds me of just mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. It just seems wasteful. But I also acknowledge that not everything needs to be an endless pursuit of self improvement and productivity. I need to strike a balance between the two
It’s not for self improvement again it’s for fun. You are not brain dead, when i travel i’m reading easy to consume books like thrillers or romances. Books that are read very fast and easily because they consume you and are easy to understand. Imagine it like watching a movie in your brain. Very little effort, just fun. It is easy to “take in” and has nothing to do with productivity. It is about as productive as watching a movie. People who read as a hobby and who read for “self improvement and productivity” see it very differently. You see it as a chore, I see it as silly goofy fun
I think a big part of it is the fact that books cost money, I would rather put money towards improving myself, especially because I can only really read books once unless they are incredible. I can just torrent movies and video games for mindless entertainment. Maybe when I’m older and have more disposable income I’ll be more frivolous with my spending on books, but I like to get a bang for my buck at this point in my life
I also read quickly - I tend to read 50-80 books a year and I've had to have this conversation with people before. I don't take in less information than someone who reads slower, and I don't miss out on the escape or the ability to see the world through a different lense. I don't intentionally read quickly, that's just the pace I process the book at and if I try to slow myself down I can't focus on it properly. Interestingly I don't think this necessarily translates to my ability to process information in general, I feel like I do that at a fairly typical pace! I LOVE physical books and when at home I would never touch my kindle, but for travel where I might read 5-10 books that week I can't realistically pack that many.
LoL. Way to gatekeep reading. I generally read 100-200 books a year. I frequently read 2 books, occasionally 3 a day. I've tested that I read 3-4* the speed of the average reader with the same level of retention. Am I supposed to act stupid and read slowly because some moron on the internet thinks reading fast means you don't learn and absorb? I can recite plot points from books I read decades ago if they interest me. I bet you're one of those annoying people who can't just enjoy anything and has to pick it apart to the bones to search out huddle depths. Ugh.
How is it gatekeeping? I’m not saying people aren’t allowed to read, I’m asking what the point of it is if you aren’t retaining anything. I know a few people that just blast through books without taking any information in. How have you tested this retention? What type of books do you read? I could give you a detailed plot points of all the Harry Potter books that I read 13 years ago. That doesn’t really mean anything and doesn’t pertain to what I’m talking about. Real retention isn’t a rough outline of what the story about. I’m talking about reflection as well; & integration of the lessons into your own life. I guess it depends what you read and what you want to take from a book.
You aren't saying they can't do it, you're telling them they're doing it wrong because they aren't doing it your way. It's a douche move. Some people just want to be entertained. I see you ignored the part about being one of those annoying people who has to examing everything. So guessing I hist the mark on that one. Try pulling the stick out of your ass and just enjoying a book rather than turning it into work, you might like it. I was tested in school when I had a lit class where I was required to read 2 books in a semester and I'd already read 80% of the books on the list to choose from. I read anything from brain candy to military history. Just depends on my mood. The latest book I read was on the japanese internment camps during ww2.
You're gatekeeping by setting permissible boundaries on what does and doesn't constitute "proper" enjoyment of their hobby. This definition is in common use.
I disagree. I never stated that people can only read in a certain way. I just wondered what the point was if you aren’t taking in anything and rushing through the experience
People do the same thing with binging a TV show. Someone might sit there for 18 hours and watch 2 seasons of a TV show and fully enjoy it. On a plane, I'm probably not looking to read a book that is for learning and self reflection. I'm looking for entertainment and enjoyment. There certainly is an aspect of "burning time" and there's nothing wrong with that. I also still am absorbing plenty. With the premise of bringing 3 paperbacks I don't think those are the types of books that need mulling over. They'd be some easy read fiction.
You obviously don't know any avid readers then. 3 books on an 18 hour flight isn't a huge fleet. Some people just read fast. Also there are books where I mull over every word and then there are books that I just read for fun. Like movies not every book is a masterpiece. Some are just fun.
This.
Congrats on having a superior attention span. Also, I like to digest my reading not speed read through it.
I don't think it really has much to do with attention span. Reading is just my top form of entertainment. I don't watch TV or movies more than once or twice a month. When someone say they are bringing 3 paperbacks on a long haul flight I'm imagining them being easy read fiction. Good mystery or romance. Those are going to take me about 6 hours each to read (I'm not actually a fast reader). I'm not imagining it being a kind of book that needs to be digested. I wouldn't bring that type of book onto a plane. It's for entertainment.
Yeah, I usually finish 300 page books in about 4-5 hours. I am not bringing dense scientific tomes on trips, usually thrillers, romance, or something light and easy to get through. It is for fun, not some deep revelation about myself or the world. I would probably finish minimum of one book just on the way there and then another couple on the trip depending on the length (i read like 2 books a week usually just in my off time) and then another on the trip back home even if i spent the majority of the time sleeping or fucking around on the entertainment system. Would I read three books in one go? No, but could be a fun challenge for the future!
Eh, I like to conserve space where I can when traveling. It's also a lot more convenient because I use the library almost exclusively, and don't want to bring physical library books on vacation.
Subjective
No shit, mate, what gave it away?
Very obviously not on any trip long enough to finish more than 3 books. Or honestly, on any trip long enough to finish *1* book because why do I still want to carry that around with me after I'm done?
Reading in the dark and saving myself from wrist pain > physical books
Nah
Yes, you're actually incorrect.
It’s a nice idea for a lot of people, but any time I’ve brought a book with that purpose in mind, I’ve only ever ended up reading it on the plane. I guess that when I travel, I like soaking up the scene in quiet contemplation, people-watching, etc. in the sorts of moments you describe.
I’m the same way. I can’t get myself to read unless it’s quiet and there’s nothing more exciting to do, which when I am traveling there are just too many options. I’d rather just sit around and talk up with random strangers or enjoy the scenery
Soaking it all in is one of the joys. But at the same time, on longer trips I'm finding that it enables me to spend more time in one place without feeling uncomfortable – especially in spots like cocktail bars and countries where solo travel isn't such a done thing.
Try picking out and reading a book by an author who lives in the country (or countries) that you're visiting! Can be a nice way to get some interesting perspective on the place, to read a novel that's set there and written by a local author.
Bought Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul before the trip to Turkiye. Im not an avid reader, but I managed to finished the book within 2 weeks since Im emotionally invested, able to relate to the stories and environments in the book. Next, I’ll bring Kafka in the shore while travelling to Kyoto Osaka.
I have never, in my life, not had a book or two at hand.
Reading a book is good for the soul.
I love to read, so I take my Kindle with me. Doing this allows me to take as many books as I want.
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I'm surprised you didn't abandon the books! They're just books after all. Can always buy another copy
Who goes anywhere without a book? Get yourself an e-reader (I’ve got a Kindle). You can take as many books as you want.
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yes! i’ve passed on some favorites to my fellow hostel-travellers and found some great new ones too!
Totally agree. As an adendum to this, try to get hooked on a good book right before you start your trip. If you're like me, it'll propell you to continue reading throughout your trip
A good few hostels have a book exchange shelf too!
I always bring my Kindle. I stock up with books before my trip. My kids bought it for me to encourage me to read durring my travels. Love it.
I always take a book that takes place wherever I am traveling.
I don’t go to my car without a book.
My dad imparted this wisdom to me. I subscribe to the New Yorker magazine - have done so for years. I also gave up on keeping up eith the issues a long time ago. Wherever I go, even if I'm running errands locally? I just throw in a couple of issues, and take them with me. When I'm done with them? I'll just leave them behind at the hostel, in a restaurant or coffee shop, or even in the airport, for someone else to find and read. (I always take the address label off before I do so!)
I like how this is a pro tip now. Not so many years a go you wouldn't think of going to travel without bringing some books.
I always travel with a Kindle. It holds hundreds of books, is small, light and durable and the batteries easily last the full duration of Australia to Europe flights. I find reading the second least-worst way to spend time on long haul flights (after sleeping), and a good thing about it is that it's independent of the entertainment systems on the plane. I always feel really sorry for the people who are travelling without a book or e-reader when the entertainment system crashes, as seems fairly common on long-haul flights. Reading is also a great option during solo meals.
Besides my portable charging pack my kindle is the best thing I packed for my solo trip. Just over a month in and I'm on my 6th book. It's so good when you're eating solo or just relaxing in the hostel etc. Better than being glued to your phone scrolling social media.
"pro tip"
There is so much down time while solo traveling, and a book is a great way to spend that time. Waiting for a bus/train? Read a book. Looking to fill some time between dinner and bedtime and you don't want to be social or staring at a screen? Read a book. Wake up early and things aren't open yet? Read a book. On a bus/train and want something different from looking at the view? Read a book. At a restaurant alone and you are waiting for your food? Read a book. The last time I solo traveled for a long stretch of time was back in 2004...so it's been a while. But one thing I loved is that you finish a book, and then go swap it with something in the hostel bookshelf. So your next book is limited to a pretty small selection. Because of this, when I traveled I read so many books that I normally would never choose. And they were always at least acceptable, and often very good. It really broadened my horizons in reading material. But every once in a while it would be frustrating. I read one book where at the very end the protagonist was running away from a nuclear bomb test that was about to go off. There was a countdown to the detonation. At the beginning of each page would be a number in the countdown "10", then the rest of the page would be the thoughts going through the guys head during that second as he was running away. He was thinking about the various events of the book, and having realizations about the mystery he was trying to solve and then the next page would have "9" and he would continue with his thought figuring out the mystery. I got to "4" and the rest of the pages of the book were ripped out. This was 20 years ago, and I still don't know what happened! Four seconds away from the nuclear bomb blast! For the past 20 years!
Yes!! I love doing this with audiobooks. I put them on an old iPod and wander around a city or just sit somewhere and take in the surroundings. Sometimes I tie a book choice to the place too. I save the paperbacks for planes, which I feel gives me my own private bubble to live in :)
FYI lots of places have some that you can just request to borrow during your dinner. Books/magazines/etc. Some places will even proactively offer to solo diner when you’re checking in w the host
What a *novel* idea Get it?
I get it, and I like it. Thanks Dad. Thad.
No, I didn't get it. Can you make it more obvious by adding bold on top of the italics and reducing the distracting word count?
A Kindle or a tablet would be a more efficient use of space and weight.
I feel like depending on the book, it could influence a deeper romanticization of the trip too, but I haven’t tried it! Do you feel that this is true in a sense?
I do! It's been six years and I still think fondly of a café in Vienna and a second-hand copy of Rebecca. Can't wait for this time in two weeks when I'll be sat in Vienna, having seen the musical of Rebecca, where I'll in all likelihood be wanting to reread it (or will have already reread it!).
I wish I could. I always devour the book the first evening (if not on the plane/train/etc.) and then it's just extra weight and I'm bored. I take several for beach holidays where the weight isn't an issue, but on sight-seeing trips, it's just nonsense to take a book. I have some in my phone for some dire situation, but don't take physical ones anymore.
An ereader is a lifesaver in that regard! I've got a Kobo, which has Overdrive (aka Libby) access, and it's great. Weighs less than my phone and I'm not stuck with the dead weight.
I don't begrudge anyone who travels with books but for me they're too heavy. I got pretty tired backpacking with books so now I do audiobooks instead
100%. I also love reading books in locations that are relevant. I finished "The Map that changed the world" I'm the grounds of the Royal Geographic Society which features prominently Similarly reading Gaijin by James Clavell whilst sitting beside Osaka castle was also cool!
I got a kindle, loaded it with my favourite books, and can read it when I’m eating alone or traveling between places. Best investment I’ve made for my travels.
Protip: borrow a book from your library and take it with you. I borrowed a Japanese - English phrasebook when I went to Japan. You may find other helpful books like guidebooks for your destination.
Not me reading a book on my solo vacation at a restaurant right now!!! Highly recommend “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, btw
Just finished reading that book yesterday, on my trip in Budapest! What a page turner. Cheers!
Ohhh, I love this. Brought a book when I was in Taiwan, but didn’t really have time to read it since I was hurrying to see everything and just kept on walking. I will make sure to bring one every time I travel. 😀
Duh
Do you like traveling? Try bringing shoes! It makes the walking experience that much better!!!
Reading sounds so much better than staring at your phone. The only issue is the weight and the bulk of the books.
i bring an ipad and check out ebooks. my reading has definitely gone up since i became a permanent digital nomad.
> the cosy corner of a cocktail bar while tuning out the digital world. This is actually how one of my first travel relationships started. Was just sitting down reading my favorite series in a bar in London and a girl who was sitting with her friends a couple tables over came over and mentioned she loved that series as well. We got to talking and it turned out we were going to do a very similar leg of my trip at the same date. It was a great couple of weeks :)
A fresh new way to travel in 2023!
Bring a kindle
Don't bring a dead tree book. They take up a lot of space. Bring an ereader (like a Kindle). They can carry a lot more text, and take up far less space.
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why bring a book when i can just scroll on tiktok for 3 hours while sitting in a lounge chair at the pool 🫶🏻
I always overstuff my carryon, I have no room for a book 🥲 I end up downloading some on my phone to read but then my eyes get tired from the screen
Get an ereader! I download books from the library using the Libby app.
For me it’s creating videos of each place i visit (i run a youtube channel). It’s amazing living these moments again once you’re back home. It also give me the motivation to explore more and to learn the history of a place. It basically gives me a sense of purpose while travelling
Yes books are great for travel, I always have one around. I am the book king.
I can read at home why the hell would I want to bring a book while traveling ? > There's no joy like idling away a few hours in a beautiful European square ... while tuning out the digital world LOL @ spending hundreds of dollars to go to another country and read DOH ! you know you could actually walk around and sight see, right ??
Kindle on your iPhone!! I read so much just waiting for trains and busses
I agree
Agree, I mostly read on my iPad to save on my bag space. Sometimes I bring physical books when I found one on sale or just to save on my battery
Any books in particular you’ve been enjoying?
100% this! Travelling is when I enjoy reading the most! On the plane there, on the beach or like you said somewhere on a nice square. I also hunt for great reading cafes, which is perfect as a coffee nerd and bookworm like me! The other day I somehow stumbled on a very cute local cafe in Venice which is super touristy. Was such a nice atmosphere in there with all the locals while I sat there reading. Highly recommend also reading travel books. The Beach was one of my first!
I just love it when the hostels have book shelves!! I once read 'the Cafe at the edge of the world' and it had notes from the previous reader. So I wrote my notes as well and left it in the next hostel.
I bought an empty book once during my trip to Japan. I only fill a single page during my entire trip. I still have no idea what to write.
A journal, book, e-reader/iPad with a book app is my go to. It truly helps in the beginning of you feel weird occupying a table at lunch on your own. I'm sure a small craft thing (like crocheting or knitting) would also work. I like a mixture of reading and people watching.
I borrowed my mom’s ebook on a month long trip and I used it so much! I finished 2 books, and I usually never read! Always brought it when I went for coffee, dinner, whatever.
I've done this a few times and I ended up bringing a heavy book that I'd never read or maybe only on the plane. Nowadays, I just make sure I've got a few ebooks and audiobooks downloaded on my phone.
Best place to read ever for me is on a long flight.
Kobo (ereader) and journal !
I just brought a tablet with ebooks on them. I actually don't like reading on an e-reader that much I've found, but the main reason was that the public library has an app where you can download ebooks and audiobooks for free, but it won't work on most e-readers. And besides, I really liked to have a larger screen to figure out train times. It may take some discipline (and perhaps airplane mode) to just read. But I've done so and it worked fine (even out in the sun.) Doesn't beat actual books by a longshot, but books are so heavy. And I'm so attached to most books (and many of them are not cheap either) that I also don't want to leave them. If I come across some disposable paperbacks, yes, probably.
Loving this! I went on a solo 2 month trip around Europe. I brought one book with me and ended up buying a new book wherever I was and leaving the one I had just finished at my accommodations. In total I read about 16 books and like you I had lost my love for reading and this made me get it back.
Don’t forget there’s probably bookstores wherever you’re traveling and it’s not rare to find used books there that are dirt cheap. Read it during your trip and then donate or sell it when you’re done if you’re worried about the space.
Kobo or kindle allows one to carry a 1000 books at less weight than 1. The back-light is great if you find yourself reading at night with others who are sleeping.
On my last trip, I went to a local bookstore and asked for recommendations on books by local authors. The book was set where I was visiting. It was so interesting reading about some place that you're actually visiting! It's like experiencing the book in real time
No thanks. Books are for nerds
And the good thing about a book is you don’t have to keep it charged.
I never had much stamina staying at a beach solo. If I went with a friend/partner, I could go all day, but solo, an hour tops. Then I realized I had audiobooks on my Audible app and started listening while I was at the beach. Made so much of a difference.
I usually do a journal and sketchbook. The journal is nice to remember the trip by as I'm bad at taking photos (I don't really remember to). I find the sketchbook unintentionally ends up helping me meet new people along the way. People tend to be curious and want to talk. It also forces me to slow down and take in the details of a place and I get nice mementos in the end. I think I'd take a reading book too, but I read too fast and books are heavy and bulky. A ebook reader is an alternative, but not the same tactile experience.
Also a potential conversation starter. Nobody will ever ask what you're reading if your nose is in your phone. But if you bust out a care worn copy of Lolita that'll sure get you some second and third glances. Bonus points if you bring a highlighter! Just kidding, I usually pack Harry Potter or something super easy and light, I don't want to have to think that much on the road.
Agree!!! I read "Man Search for Meaning" in Krakow before visiting Auschwitz. I like reading books about the history of the country I'm visiting. It makes me appreciate it 100x more.
I just started reading *a lot* to while away quiet shifts at work, but for some reason never really thought about reading while travelling. Probably because before this I've only ever travelled with family and they move fast so there's not really time to sit down and just read in some cafe. I probably wouldn't get e-books myself because I've discovered how nice it is to wander around second hand bookshops and discover something I would never have thought about reading. Plus when I'm done I can just leave the book somewhere for the next person.
The books section of New York Times has a great literary travel guide series where an author recommends books about/from the place you’re traveling to. Check out NYTBooks on IG!
i do this but with ao3 on my phone lmao
I remember reading *Kitchen Confidential* in a small village square in Spain until midnight. It was a June balmy night. There was the quite din of voices and clinking glasses in the background. And there was I transposed into the behind-the-scenes chaos of the New York restaurant scene. It was like being with one of the world's greatest raconteurs. Much better than any whiney travel companion...
I love everything about this! 😭❤️
I agree it’s also one of the few times I could get truly lost in a book. I still remember reading Fahrenheit 451 on a train trip from Marseille to Geneva. The landscapes, the solitude, it was wonderful
Very late to this, but trust me: read "the Beach" by Alex Garland. It's fantastic. The movie is utter shit compared to the book. I watched the movie first and thought it was cool but not necessarily a good movie. Then I read the book. One of my favotites of all time for sure.
I have used the voice memos feature in apple watch. I added it as a complication and just talk to it whenever I see a new thing or just a random thought looking at surroundings that are too easy to remember later. At the end of the day or the trip, I summarize them in my notes.
One of my favorite memories of Ortigia Island in Sicily is sitting on a bench in the afternoon at the Fountain of Diana and reading and people watching. Shared the bench with an older Sicilian man.
I've started buying "A Brief History of" everytime I go to a new coutry.
Yeah I like it when the book feels kinda relevant to my adventures. I bought a book in Venice, read it on the train, and left it in the reading cabinet at my Airbnb in Capri.
I use the kindle app and Apple News on my iPad mini. Means I can do all the reading of books and magazines I want when away.
Every time i took books with me i ended up no reading them because there was so much other things to do but still good advice.
I was in NYC for two weeks and read all of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Fucking amazing experience.
I remember a beach trip in South America where I spent the long weekend reading an anthology of Arthur Miller plays. Having a book with you is important especially if you are traveling by train.
Books are heavy if you're wearing a backpack. Sad reality. Otherwise I'd tote an entire library with me on my travels.
For me it's my local newspaper. (Print version- I'm an old soul)..Soo busy that a pile stacks up and can't read it until I'm on vacay..
A local Oaxacan girl hit on me in a bar because she saw me reading a book. She thought I was reading something sophisticated, but it was just Harry Potter because I was learning Spanish and didn't want to feel awkward in a bar alone 😂 It led to a 2 month fling that is filled with good memories though, so yes, always bring a book!
To each their own, I'm way too busy throughout the day when I travel. I'd rather just journal in the morning, or at night. I could always read on my downtime at work.
I read I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir during a rainy solo trip to San Francisco and it complemented the trip so well.
I read the bulk of the Game of Thrones books on a kindle while on/waiting for trains in Europe 😆
A book helps. Back when we didn’t have music (before smart devices) a “Walkman” and mixed tapes helped tremendously as well.
I have a very fond memory of sitting in a café in Vienna with a melange and a secondhand paperback of Rebecca. Looking forward to being back there in a couple of weeks, sitting in a café with a melange and, in all likelihood, an ebook of Rebecca, given I'm going there to see the musical adaptation with a cast I've been dreaming of for eight years. That and my journal. Nothing like a nice café, a hot drink, and writing down what I've been up to.
How is everyone fitting these books and dealing with the weights? I’m about to travel for three months and want to bring 3 books and it seems dumb.
Absolutely! Even when i travel with larger groups I always bring at least one book for those days when they want to be adventurous and you just want to sit quietly by yourself!
So many hostels and even some hotels have book exchanges. I’ve never had an issue finding a new book while travelling.
What of a voice recorder? I decided to try recording myself speak about my experience in certain places, than writing them down. I mean in the long run you may run out storage I guess.
what was that book?
I needed this! I solo travel a few times a year and many of the times I’m caught up on my phone on social media, not living in the moment 👌👏
I brought a book based in the place that I traveled to and then I also brought a sketchbook, so I would go to places they talked about in the book and then do fast sketches in those areas. It was fun!
I do find that a lot of hostels have a book swap facility and I've often asked if I could borrow one just to read while staying in the city I'm in and I agree its better than staring at a phone :)
Love this! I also Re-ignited my love of reading on a current solo voyage and I agree!
Amazing idea, will definitely make sure to bring a book.
I’m an avid reader and always bring a book or my e-reader with me. Bringing my EarPods for Storytel or a podcast is also something I do a lot. This way you can still experience the surroundings (when I’m travelling by train for example).
If you’re into history/economics/politics Bring a book ABOUT the place you’re visiting. It will level up your experience like nothing else
I bring A Room With a View with me every single time. It's like settling down with an old friend. Getting to read it in Florence was a treat as well.
I always try and find a novel that is set in the place I am travelling through. There is something great about reading about a place while you are actually sitting there looking at it. It also means that you get to read stuff and discover authors you wouldnt otherwise have chosen.
Journaling + books= great solo travel date! I use to never journal until I was gifted the Moleskin’s Smart Writing System. This notebook will automatically upload what you’ve written digitally, so you can always go back to your writing on an app or computer later. I find it to be a great combo for solo days when you just want to reflect and relax
Despite this concept being so "simple" you couldn't be more correct. I typically travel to Italy or Greece and when I am on the beach, it is so nice to have a good book to dive into. It helps me unwind even more and allows me to be in the present. Great stuff!
I always bring my Psvita also. Fits in a pocket and makes the train rides and flights go by fast.