At the moment we’re going through the hardest part of the travel process: deciding on where to go. And it’s not down to a shortage of choices that’s making things difficult.
We’ve already written our own separate top-ten lists on where we want to go this year, but we’re still no closer to working out where to go. It’s an amazing dilemma to have, I suppose.
We’ve got so many places we draw our travel inspiration from, but we thought we’d share our top 5 books that have inspired us to explore the world.
1. How to Create a Travel Life You Love by Caz and Craig Makepeace
Most of us dream of taking off and just travelling. Caz, Craig and their two beautiful little girls do just that. Their site y-travelblog.com is an amazing resource of travel information and inspiration. Their book is a great read and it’s so useful.
We love the sections that guide you through the whole travel process, from how to decide where to go to budgeting to tips on how to travel the world for cheap or even for free!
“This ebook is for anyone who is super passionate about travel and creating lifelong memories.”
2. Love with the Chance of Drowning by Torre De Roche
This is an incredible tale of romance and travel – exactly the mix we like! Even after reading this story and seeing and reading further interviews, we still can’t believe it’s a true story.
Torre De Roche tells her tale of moving to a different continent, finding the man of her dreams, then sailing halfway around the world with him on his little boat… even though she’s scared of the water. The places they visit and the things that happen really keep you turning the pages and dreaming along with her.
“My mum, dad and five sisters sent me off with two requests: (1) Please do not fall in love with an American man and never come home, and (2) Please come home in one year.”
3. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
This was one of my all-time favourite books when I was a boy. Mrs Romance has also read this and loves it too.
Gerald Durrell, who went on to create his own zoo and conservation programme in Jersey in the Channel Islands, moved to the Greek Island of Corfu during WWII when he was a child.
This very funny story is all about the young naturalist’s adventures in Greece, the amazing creatures he finds and people he meets there, and his somewhat eccentric family. As an adult, he wrote a number of other books about his exploits rescuing animals for his conservation trust. They’re all great reads too.
“Gradually the magic of the island settled over us as gently and clingingly as pollen.”
4. Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin
Based on the popular TV series which followed the journey of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg, Michael Palin’s book details his voyage around the globe.
My mum loves Michael Palin (he was her favourite Python) and put me on to this book. It’s so interesting, all the people he meets and places he visits on the way.
“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”
5. Chasing a Dream by Carla Coulson
Have you ever wanted to quit your life and move to Italy? Carla Coulson did just that. She found her passion for photography at 35 and quit her successful corporate job in Sydney, rented out her apartment and moved to Florence.
Her book Italian Joy follows the start of her journey but Chasing a Dream recounts the development of her passion.
Including beautiful travel photography from Italy, France, Australia and India as well as Carla’s personal and fashion work, this book will not only inspire your travels but inspire you to live the life of your dreams.
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We love reading about other people’s adventures as they trot around the globe. There’s something about living a beautiful, exciting yet vicarious life on the road. But it also fills our minds with the possibility of a life so extraordinary we can’t wait to live it.
Do you have a favourite book that makes you dream of far-flung lands and exotic adventures? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Sammie
I love Down Under by Bill Bryson. It’s hilarious and informative and it made me fall in love with Australia before I’d even stepped foot down under. It inspired me to travel here in the first place and now I call Australia home. It’s a cracker!
Mr Romance
Love Bill Bryson, Sammie. Think I might get a copy of Down Under on my Kindle actually. You’ve inspired me!
Jx
Caz Makepeace
This is so awesome! Thanks so much for the inclusion. Books have always inspired me to travel. The Power of One really inspired me for Africa, and The Beach for Thailand. I read it on my Eurovan tour and knew I had to have that idyllic island paradise experience. I had such a similar experience to the book at Railey’s Bay in 99- My Beach come to life. It was life-changing for me.
Mr Romance
You are more than welcome, Mrs M! It’s a great book and an excellent resource. You should be proud of it!
I loved The Beach (much better than the film) though I tried to read Alex Garland’s next book Tesseract and got very annoyed with it. Nowhere near as good.
I was wondering if I should have included He Died with a Felafel in His Hand – I read that just before I first arrived in Brisbane… but it wasn’t written to be inspiring I suppose!
Jx
Caz Makepeace
Yes. I hated that book too. It was a major let down. And the movie was nowhere near as good as the book. I hated how they changed it so much
Mr Romance
I know exactly what you mean, Caz. Book’s totally different. And Leo Decaprio annoyed me in the Beach almost as much as he did in Titanic. But these days I have to say I rate him as an actor.
Jx
Our Instagram Diary – some art, some food and a weekend apart
[…] Today we’re thinking about all the things that have inspired our travels. We’ve started by talking about five books that have given us the motivation to see the world. […]