Life Changing Travel Experiences
Some of the best moments of my life have been while traveling through Europe. I can remember the first time I landed in Frankfurt, Germany like it was yesterday. Even though I was overtired, I was immensely excited and anxious to start my — I’d like to say vacation, but it was more like a journey.
My father’s family was from Germany and I had dreamed about going there since I was a child. I was raised with Coo Coo clocks, lager steins, sauerkraut, and yodeling, so it was in my blood. I was also mesmerized with photos of enchanting castles like Neuschwanstein. I had to go to Germany but wasn’t sure if it would actually happen. It did, and my first trip led to many more excursions exploring other beautiful European countries.
Traveling has been such a wonderful experience for the most part. It broadens your perspective and you develop an appreciation for other cultures. You’re not the same when you return home This is the premise of two new books from Lonely Plant; sharing life-changing travel experiences from traversing the world.
A Year Off – A Travel Story
A Year Off is about a newly acquainted couple that did just that. They took a year off work to travel the world and decided to document every moment along the way. Their book is broken into three sections – Before You Go, On The Road, and Coming Back Home. Each chapter provides personal views from both authors and covers a different part of the journey.
The Before You Go section gives a lot of beneficial pre-trip advice. It shares that once you make this big decision to travel, some necessary planning is in order. Getting your budget and finances arranged and agreeing on a travel route along with sights to visit are the first two steps that need to be mapped out and organized. Things we need to consider are cultural differences, temperatures, tourist’s season, and safety. It ends with how to stretch your budget further and how to smart pack for one year.
On The Road dives into adjusting to life on the road and living a nomad lifestyle. They share practical advice on how to find your travel rhythm, set your pace, and how to hob-nob with the locals. This part of the book also shares engaging stories about some of the people connections and interactions they made.
The last section Coming Back Home is filled with tips on preparing for the journey home – back to reality. They shared an experience about clicking on an email that was work-related and how it switched their focus from embracing the moment to pondering about being back in the workforce. A decision they regretted. Upon arriving back in the US, it was a culture shock to be home so some tips on reentry and how to find a new perspective on your old life are provided.
The Best Moment of Your Life – 100 Travel Stories
The Best Moment of Your Life covers The World’s Most Memorable Travel Experiences. If someone asked you what the best moment in your travel life was, how would you answer? Would you have an immediate answer, or would you have to ponder the question? Lonely Planet heard the answer to this question from 100 different people and compiled their stories into one breathtaking book. Each of the stories is placed under their fitting category, Culture, Adventure, Wildlife, History, Journey, and Environment.
Some memorable experiences include the Witnessing Nelson Mandela’s first free speech — Carnival Wave of Alegria in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil — Enlightenment on the Camino de Santiago — Exploring Colombia’s lost city Ciudad Perdida — Encountering Kuchi Nomads — Swimming with Whales in Tahiti — Encountering mountain gorillas in Rwanda – Riding the midnight train from Urgench to Tashkent, Uzbekistan — Wild camping in Wales — Chasing the Northern Lights and Learning to love solitude in Mendoza, Argentina.
Each story shares more than just a travel trip or adventure. Some convey a flash of realization or inner reflection while others expressed a moment of deep awareness, while others still, shared a release of pent-up feelings that finally purged unwanted emotions. Everyone felt better and their experiences changed the lives of the authors forever.
Disclaimer: I received product to facilitate a review. All opinions express are my own, yours may differ.