Reading in Paris. Credit: malias
There are endless opportunities when you’re traveling to put your nose in a book: on buses, beaches, planes, in airports or just enjoying a spring day sitting by the Seine. Especially if you’re going solo, you’ll likely be flipping continuous pages.
But because carrying around a stack of books is probably the least efficient way to cover your reading needs, we’ve put together some tips on how to to handle your bibliophile habits while on the road:
Take one and pass it on. Carrying only one book around at a time does your baggage weight-limit a favor. Hostels should and hotels might have at least one bookcase dedicated to travelers unloading stashes of used literature. Leave your old book there and take another. Protocol allows for this friendly exchange but the selection may be limited. Take what you can get. If your own accommodations aren’t working, it’s okay to go into a hostel to peruse their library. Just be considerate.
Buy new ones on the road. English book stores can be found in most major international cities, owned and operated by either ex-pats or English-centric foreigners. Take a day and go in search of one, you can refresh your stack and possibly even sell your old books to offset the cost.
Hit up your friends. If you’re visiting any friends or meet up with anyone you know, tap ‘em. If they’re literate, they’re sure to have a piece of leftover reading material in their bags they’d love to share.
Ebook readers. Amazon’s Kindle is taking over the public’s consciousness. These devices are light, simple to operate and moderately priced, now even more so. New technology has made reading these things easy on the eyes and their onboard memory can carry enough reading material to keep you busy for ten trips, let alone one. Seriously. The new Kindle can hold about 1500 titles, and the selection is vast! If you like to shop around, there are several brands other than Kindle to choose from—Sony’s PRS-600 and Barnes & Noble’s Nook give the best competition, both of which are solid products—so you can select the model that best suits your wallet, aesthetic and luggage.
Ipad. many travelers’ ebook salvation. While much has been said about its overall usefulness, and the price is high, but it’s a darn good e-reader. It’s heavier than the Kindle or Nook so it may hurt your hands after awhile (it’s meant to lie in your lap) and the screen is a little bright for extended reading, but the complete package of apps, email and web make it a viable travel option.
CNET has a great breakdown from their staff on which of the ebook readers to buy.
Take a look at our media page for suggestions of what to read on your trip!
