This year I’ve discovered a great way to get ready for vacations to other countries. A month before I go, I buy a book on my Kindle related to the place I’m going. Reading that book gets me totally jazzed up for the trip. As a side effect, I pick up a lot of local culture stuff from the story and try to see how much of it I can spot ‘in the wild’ when I get there.
For example, before we headed to the Bahamas last spring I read a book about a couple who took over and managed a resort on an island down there. One recurring theme was the Mailboat that came around once a month with supplies and mail and stuff. When we got down there, I saw an actual Mailboat and was pretty pumped up about it.
We’re going to Jamaica next week, and I have a new book I’m reading about a trip to Negril (not where we’re going, but close). I’ve learned great stuff like handshakes and local slang. I love it!
Anybody else do this kind of thing or have better suggestions along these lines? I’m enjoying not going into new places totally cold but I don’t generally do well with simply reading history books or web sites about countries. Too cold and impersonal.
Yeah, I really enjoy getting travel books. You also bring them with you, superior over stacks of white paper print outs from websites.
If you’re going with other people it’s nice that each person gets different books - for example, for Italy, I could get a general Fodor’s book, whereas I could get books that focus explicitly on Rome, or just the Coliseum, or something.
It probably varies by destination/author, but I like historical facts more than THIS IS THE PLACE WITH THE BEST ENCHILADAS. The national geographic traveler (Japan) for example was really entertaining to read. You kinda need it thought, otherwise you go to a place with poor informational signs and have no clue of significance.
I’ll add that searching for video documentaries to add to a mobile device you take with you is a nice thing to have as well. One of my trips to China coincided right after “China Week” or something similar on Discovery I think it was. Adding some of this episodes gave me nice, mood setting videos to watch on my flight.
It probably varies by destination/author, but I like historical facts more than THIS IS THE PLACE WITH THE BEST ENCHILADAS.
Right, what I enjoy is getting a dose of local flavor and custom before I get there. I don’t need recommendation lists for places to eat or anything like that (although those are also handy, but generally pretty easy to find anywhere you can get an internet connection).
I’ll add that searching for video documentaries to add to a mobile device you take with you is a nice thing to have as well. One of my trips to China coincided right after “China Week” or something similar on Discovery I think it was. Adding some of this episodes gave me nice, mood setting videos to watch on my flight.
That’s a cool idea! I’ll maybe bring my iTouch and do that…
