Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips
by National Geographic
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Book Summary Information
Author: National GeographicEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-16
ISBN: 1426201257
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: National Geographic
Book Reviews of Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips
Book Review: A Good Starting Point for Adding to Your Trip Choices
Summary: 4 Stars
If you take one trip a year and never go to the same place twice, even the most fortunate person will probably visit no more than 50 different places in a lifetime. What a great idea it is to be more aware of what your choices are before taking one of those 50 trips.
The book is organized around nine themes as described thusly on the contents page:
1. Across Water (Unforgettable voyages, from luxury cruises to dugout canoes)
2. By Road (Chasing the horizon: legendary drives and secret detours)
3. By Rail (Watching the world pass by your window)
4. On Foot (The pleasures of the oldest and greenest mode of travel)
5. In Search of Culture (Life-enhancing odysseys for lovers of all the arts)
6. In Gourmet Heaven (Seeking out the world of flavors)
7. Into the Action (Hands-on adventures for those who'd rather do it for themselves)
8. Up and Away (Flights, skyways, and bird's-eye views)
9. In Their Footsteps (Pilgrimages for readers, dreamers, and history fans)
Typical trip choices are usually described in one or two pages with color photographs and maps taking up at least half of the space. An entry contains brief advice on when to go, how long the trips last, how far ahead to plan, special packing advice, and Web sites for more information. Highlights of such a trip are also briefly described so you can get a sense of what you'll see and do. Some trips are, however, listed in as little as a paragraph.
Naturally, you have to judge a book like this very carefully. By definition, you haven't taken most of the trips!
I looked at trips I've taken that were terrific and noticed some weaknesses in the advice. Here are a few examples:
1. Each entry is treated as though there's nothing else nearby that might be of interest. As a result, you need to check the geographies to see how you might combine several trips listed in the book into one. For example, many of the New England trips are located not too far from one another and you should consider doing more than one on a visit.
2. The timing of how to enjoy other events isn't always considered in enough detail. For instance, Boston's Freedom Trail is listed in the book. But you aren't told that if you come around Patriot's Day (a Monday in April) you can also see re-enactments of the battles of Lexington and Concord and the running of the Boston Marathon on the same trip.
3. Some of the advice seemed just plain wrong from my point of view. When I went to the Galapagos, I was there for 10 days in the dry season and 4 days in the wet season. The wet season was awful! People there said to be sure to always come in the dry season (which ends around the beginning of winter in North America). The book made no mention of this issue in discussing when to go. Also, many of the most interesting things to do in the Galapagos aren't mentioned.
As a result, use this book to start dreaming a little about what you might go see. I was fascinated by some of the choices for Australia and New Zealand that I had never heard of but which looked very beautiful. But do plenty of homework beyond the book to find out what you really need to know before choosing and organizing a trip.
Bon voyage!
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