Travel has always been a bit of a luxury, except for the highly-spirited adventurers out there who leap headfirst into it. Today, we’re going to give you a few reading selections in this particular vein so that you can get a taste of this life while you’re stuck at home.
When you read about what’s waiting for you out there, then you might just want to plan a few adventures on your own!
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best nonfiction books about travel that are out there so that you can whet your appetite for a little wanderlust.
Love with a Chance of Drowning by Torre DeRoche
If you are afraid of taking the travel plunge, then Torre Deroche’s Love with a Chance of Drowning is a book that you are going to want to read.
In this book, you can hear the story about how Ms. Deroche met an Argentinian man who gives her a chance to explore the world together with him in his sailboat!
The problem… Torre is deathly afraid of the water. Despite this, she takes the plunge and accepts his offer, setting off on a leaky sailboat for the adventure of a lifetime. It’s a year-long voyage that is sometimes scenic, sometimes funny, and a deviation from the author’s comfort levels.
If you are looking to escape the world but you don’t know if you have the courage, then Love with a Chance of Drowning might just inspire you to get out there and start having some adventures on your own!
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
While technically fiction, Jack Kerouac’s famous On the Road is based on his own experience and on that of his friends, so we simply had to include it on this list. The tales of ‘Sal Paradise’ and ‘Dean Moriarty’ give you a glimpse into 1947 travel when things were just a bit wilder.
As it is based on 4 actual road trips, this novel has a ring of the truth that only comes from obvious experience. If you like your travel tales to have a taste of counter-culture, then Kerouac’s classic is an excellent place to get started and a great source of inspiration for aspiring nomads around the world.
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
If you are thinking about getting on the road to adventure yourself, then Rolf Pott’s Vagabonding is a great and useful read. At the time of writing, Mr. Potts had spent 10 years abroad, with experiences that include even walking across the length of Israel!
If you are considering a nomadic lifestyle, then aside from getting to share the author’s many adventures, you’ll get a whole lot of practical information that will be useful to you when getting out and into the world yourself. It’s a great read and a how-to guide, all rolled up into one, and we highly recommend it.
Unlikely Destinations: The LP Story by Tony and Maureen Wheeler
If you’ve heard of a little publishing house called ‘Lonely Planet’ then you might be interested to learn a little about its founding. Tony and Maureen Wheeler, Lonely Planet’s founders, tell you about their many travels in this book and also how Lonely Planet came to be.
While the latter half of the book suffers a little, the first half is quite engaging, and you’ll get to read about some exotic and far away places across the world that the Wheelers found and visited.
It’s a fantastic look at adventures that sometimes occur in places you’ve never even heard of and a taste of the realities that go with building a business from scratch.
In closing: If you can’t travel now, you can still prepare for later!
Between the rat race and current health concerns, travel isn’t necessarily the best option right now but these books can help to get you ready for when all of that changes.
If you’re stuck at home, be sure to give one or more of the books which we’ve recommended today a good and hearty read.
Just be careful… once you’ve received a good taste of the travel life there’s a solid chance that your whole world – and your views of it – are about to make a very interesting and a very permanent change!
Image by [Thought Catalog]
