Am I the only one who thinks reading and travelling are two sides of the same coin?

Reading, where you open a book and travel to a distant land (while sitting in your bed). 

Travelling, where you pack your essentials and go out into the unknown. 

They both take us on a journey – to another world, to a step forward, and to new people. They both stimulate our imaginations and satiate our urge to see, learn, and experience more.

They both thrill me. But what thrills me the most is a chance to read while travelling – A trolley bag. A book. And a distant land. 

And I guess it’s the same with you – or why else would you click open an article on reading and travelling?

So, today I’ve got some tips that can help bookworms travel with their favourite companions. 

Let’s start with the basics:

 

Pack Properly 

Divide the weight as much as possible. One book—your current aeroplane read—goes tucked in your purse, next to your suitcase. Packed books are seriously heavy, so don’t add unnecessary load. 

Also remember that if you’re packing big books, make sure to pick titles smartly. You might not have a room for backup so choose an author or a series you always enjoy.

 

Find the Right Books 

The best travel advice I can share with a book lover is packing the right books. When you’re packing the luggage, pick your books according to:

• Size:

Choose the smallest paperbacks from your to-read shelf or take poems or short stories that don’t need so much time to read, but need reflection. Travelling is a good time to reflect upon things, the bigger questions, the smaller issues of life, etc.

• Duration:

Choose a book according to your travel duration. For example, a short story for the 2-hour journey, and a novella for the 6-hour journey. 

Take only one or two – just enough to get you through the first long leg of travel. You can then find new books during your travels  – at the station, airport, local bookstores – books are everywhere. And if you’re travelling to a non-bookish destination, remember the first tip.

 

Stop at Sidewalk Cafes

If you’re travelling by your car, take a few breaks to block-out the noise and get a couple of pages in. Sidewalk cafes are an ideal place for you to be all bookish and blissful while you sip your beverage.

Sidewalk cafes or eateries are a must for people like me who feel sick if they read in a moving car. So, I take a break to read at a cafe and then spend rest of time enjoying the view outside and reflecting. 

 

Digitize Your Book Collection 

Yes, books get heavier. And if you’re not travelling from your private vehicle, standing at the queues and moving from one lane to another can be a real pain. 

It’s where e-readers help. Download all favourite titles when you’re at home, with a strong WiFi connection, and you’re good to go. This is an excellent solution against changing your mind about your current read. With a huge collection, you can trial and error as many titles as you wish. 

 

I hope that these tips help you with your next travel-reading adventure. Have I missed adding some tips to this list? How about using the comments box below? I’d love to hear from you.