A well-written tale can take you further than a passport. When I prepared for my first year-long working holiday, well-thumbed narratives and dog-eared guides were all I packed. Whether you’re planning for a long-term trip or just dreaming of new shores, these six travel books will help inspire, organize and finalize your own workabout abroad.
“Even if the practical reality of travel is still months or years away, vagabonding begins the moment you stop making excuses, start saving money, and begin to look at maps with the narcotic tingle of possibility.” – Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
1. The Songlines, Bruce Chatwin – Part anthropological study and part philosophical discourse, this is the enthralling story of the Australian Aboriginal’s walkabout. While Chatwin learns about the ancient sojourns of this indigenous people, he discovers certain nomadic characteristics that are shared with all world cultures. If you had doubts about the sanity of long-term travel, this book will assure it’s as natural as breathing.
2. Vagabonding, Rolf Potts – The “Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term Travel” is a handbook for turning brief vacations into a more permanent lifestyle. From budgeting techniques and tips for picking a destination, to suggestions for work and volunteer placements, Potts’ topical breakdown will have even the most settled person considering a change of scene.
3. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho – Like all fables, The Alchemist is strewn with metaphors and deeper meanings. Brazilian author Coelho sculpts the ultimate quest story: one boy’s journey to discover his unique place in the universe. Santiago, our hero, travels vast distances to learn that love and happiness are the greatest destinations of all.
4. A Year in the World, Frances Mayes – After an ugly divorce sent Mayes to rehabilitate in an Italy in Under The Tuscan Sun, her conventions on life and long-term travel crumbled and merged together. In this, her follow-up reflections on 365 days of European exploration with her second husband, Mayes repeatedly acknowledges the lure of a never-ending journey.
5. The Old Patagonian Express, Paul Theroux – When travel becomes a constant part of your life, the journey itself takes on more importance than the destinations in-between. It’s this idea that spurs Theroux to step onto a subway in Boston, and end up – with no solid itinerary – in Argentina. The Old Patagonian pairs brilliant descriptions with astute comments on the human nature of movement.
6. Life On Fire, Kim Dinan – It took a few years and multiple anxiety attacks for Dinan to realize she was not pursuing her destiny. The exercises outlined in Life On Fire are designed to help others define their passions, set aside distractions and move closer to their goals.
Which travel books make YOU want to get up and go?
~ Until the next adventure! ~ Kelli