Around the World in Books

Travel the World in Books

Books from different countries are my favourite kind of books. I never go anywhere without a book in my bag. Right now I'm lucky enough that I'm travelling whilst reading. But there have been many times in my life when I've turned to books to transport me to far away places, give me travel inspiration and teach me about other countries and cultures. 

So I've created a list of books to take you around the world without leaving the comfort of your couch. These are my favourite books to inspire travel that are set in a variety of countries, cultures and time periods. Click on the book to read more about it or purchase a copy!

The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - Sweden

Yes, the title is a mouthful but this is a truly brilliant book. Both Max and I laughed our way through this funny, heart-warming adventure of Allan the centurian as he gets caught up in all kinds of events. It also tells the story of his incredible 100 years. Very entertaining and clever. 'The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden' by the same author is also great. 

The Little Coffeeshop of Kabul - Afghanistan

I accidentally bought this book twice as it has a different title in the US (A Cup of Friendship). This story is about five women and their lives in Kabul. An interesting and gripping insight into their individual lives and how they all come together. 

The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas - Germany

This book was originally meant for children but it's harrowing subject makes it a good read for adults too. Set in a concentration camp in Germany two little boys strike up an unlikely friendship. Very sad but very striking, it's a book that stays with you. There is also a movie which is good. 

Also Read: 24 Hours in Frankfurt: Things to do

The Caliph's House - Morocco

This is the amusing and intriguing true story of a family who move to Casablanca for a year. I really enjoyed reading all of their hassles, problems and triumphs trying to renovate a house and fit in. It didn't sound easy but some of the descriptions of the place had me wanting to go back and explore more of Morocco!

Small Great Things - The United States of America

I always whizz through Jodi Picoult novels but often find them thought-provoking and gripping. This was no exception. The story of a nurse and a family whose baby dies at the hospital and a the following court case. Brings about lots of discussion about race in modern USA. 

Also Read: Seven Free Things to Do in New York

Mr Pip - Papua New Guinea

Set during the civil war in the 1990s on a small island. It follows Matilda, a teenage girl, through her experiences of the war. The one white man left on the island, Mr Watts,  begins reading 'Great Expectations' to the children and they are swept away by their imaginations. But soon terrible things happen in Matilda's village. This is a pretty sad and often graphic story but I definitely learnt about country's history I knew very little about previously. 

Do Not Say we have nothing - China

I read this one recently after picking it up at an airport in the UK (panicking that I wouldn't find a good range of English books for a while.) It's chunky (460 pages) and the language is very poetic but.. wow! With the risk of sounding corny it really takes you on magical journey. Weaving characters and families from modern day Canada to periods across Chinese history. And I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but this one is as beautiful as the story within!

Also Read: 12 Hours in Beijing: Layover in China

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Pakistan

This book is extremely well written. It takes place in a cafe in Lahore where a local Pakistani man sits with an American tourist over tea and tells him the story of his life. The cliff-hanger ending leaves the reader to decide how the story ends. I found this a very witty, interesting and gripping read. If you're looking for a true story set in Pakistan 'I am Malala' is a must-read. 

The Motorcycle Diaries - Argentina

This iconic true story of Che Guavara and his friend who travel South America by motorbike. Along the way they discover many of the social injustices within the continent and are inspired to fight for the cause. An great piece of travel writing but also an interesting insight into the start of Che Guavara's revolutionary thinking. 

The White Tiger - India

I found this book very different to lots of books I'd read set in India (I've read a lot). It's the story of a boy from a small village and his life as he tries to make something of himself, struggling against the class he was born into. It is written in first person in the form of letters and has some very sad, funny and thought-provoking moments. It is superbly written and won the Man Booker Prize in 2008. 

Anything by Ian Rankin - Scotland

When I moved to Edinburgh I lived on the street next to the police station where these books are set. After constantly being told by my dad to go and 'ask for Inspector Rebus' I finally decided to read the books and see what he was going on about. Thoroughly gripping crime writing and all set in the streets of Edinburgh which I called home. There are 21 in the series so they are a great option if you're looking to get hooked into something. Also a great read if you've been or are going to Edinburgh. There are Rebus tours of Edinburgh too!  

Also Read: Best Bookshops in Edinburgh

Half of a yellow sun - Nigeria

This is hands down one of my favourite books of all time. I love books that write from the perspective of multiple characters and weave the stories together and this book does it brilliantly. Set during the Nigerian civil war it tells the story from the perspective of twin daughters of an influential businessman, a professor, a British citizen, and a houseboy. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie also writes 'Purple Hibiscus' and 'Americanah' which are both fantastic. 

Reading lolita in tehran - Iran

This is a true story of a university professor who starts a book group in 1990s in Tehran when many books are still banned in the country. It also tells the story of the revolution in Iran through the experiences and favourite books of the author. A great read for book lovers, women and anyone interested in the history of Iran. 

Captain Corelli's mandolin - Greece

A love story set on a Greek island during World War Two. An Italian Army captain and local Greek woman fall in love and the story follows their relationship through the war and beyond. This is historical fiction so the events are based on real happenings during the war. An excellent story of love and life on a little Greek island. 

The Whale Rider - New Zealand

I struggled for a while to choose a novel from my home country but this one is pretty iconic. It's set is a small town on the North Island of New Zealand and follows a young girl who wants to be the chief of her tribe. The story also incorporates the Maori traditional myth of the whale rider. A good read for anyone interested in Maori culture and myths. 

Also Read: Christmas in New Zealand

All the Light we cannot see - France

Set during World War Two a blind girl and her father escape from Paris. The story simultaneously follows a German soldier and throughout the story you know they will meet but are constantly drawn in as to where and when! It's a beautifully told story that spans the lives of two interesting characters both before and during the war. 

The ruins of us - Saudi Arabia

Told from the perspective of a American woman who spent part of her childhood in Saudi before marrying a Saudi Arabian man and moving back there and raising two children. Her husband decides to take a second wife and the family is suddenly put through some very trying times. I found this situation interesting and enjoyed reading about ideas such as polygamy, marriage and religion from a different perspective. 

Child 44 - Russia

A crime thriller set in Moscow during the Stalin regime of the 1950s. Leo, a former state security agent, begins to investigate a series of murders and is exiled. But he continues to search for answers with the help of his wife. A real eye-opener into life under Stalin and also a gripping thriller. 

Also read: Why Russia Should Be Next on Your Travel List

Without you there is no us - North Korea

North Korea is by no means on my travel list but it's sure an interesting place to read about, especially considering the lack of information coming out of the country. This is the true story of a woman who goes to teach in English in North Korea. Her stories and experiences are entertaining, scary and at times completely mind-blowing to think this is really happening in our world in 2017. 

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of harold fry - England

As I read this book I found myself thinking of a little less complicated version of 'The 100 year old man...'. Harold receives a letter and is compelled to leave his home and walk the length of England to see an old friend. A simple, touching, sad and funny story. 

The Poisonwood Bible - The Congo

This is about a missionary family from the US who move to the Belgian Congo in the 1960s. It follows the family through the narratives of the four daughters during their time there and the years that follow. It's a long read but has an interesting storyline and deals with important themes such as colonisation, family bonds and guilt. 

Long Walk to Freedom - South Africa

Ok confession: I haven't finished reading this book. It's a real brick and is currently keeping all of the other books stable on our van bookshelf. But I think it's a really important book to read about an incredible person. The autobiography of Nelson Mandala is a great way to understand some of the recent political events in South Africa. It covers his early life and his 27 years in prison leading up to him being released and becoming the first black president of South Africa. Inspiring to say the least. 

Cloud Street - Australia 

Somewhat of an Australian classic I'm told. This is set in the suburbs of Perth over the 1940s-60s and is about two working class Australian families living in a two floors of the same house. The way their lives become entwined over the 20 years makes for a funny, sad and entertaining read.  

So now you know all my favourite books from around the world. The next time your looking for a book to inspire travel, teach you something new or just to cuddle up with on the couch, pick a country and get reading! 

Want more? Check out my favourites books about other cultures or the best books to read while travelling.  

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8 Reasons to Visit Bosnia and Herzegovina

8 Reasons to Visit Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina was always on our route but not somewhere we had done a lot of research into. We had, of course, heard about the Bosnian war in the 90s and knew of Sarajevo and Mostar but that was about it. The beauty of travelling in our van is that we can stop wherever we like and we found many places to pull over!

Bosnia's cities and towns are full of interesting things to explore and the mix of stunning scenery and crazy roads mean you'll never be bored getting from A to B! We loved our time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so here's 8 reasons it should be (high) on your travel list! 

1.The Nature

Driving through Bosnia and Herzegovina was a real treat. We had heard about the cities in Bosnia but didn’t know just how beautiful some other parts of the country are. Huge mountainous regions forming stunning valleys, crystal clear rivers and leafy forest paths. Nature lovers should definitely put Bosnia and Herzegovina on their list!

2.The old towns

In contrast to the striking scenery Bosnia has some beautiful towns with cobbled streets, bridges and castles. The most famous of these is Mostar which has become a very popular tourist destination. The old town in Sarajevo is also a great place to wander. Počitelj has some impressive castles and is not far from Mostar.

3.The prices

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a budget travellers paradise. Food, drink and accommodation are all affordable, even in the cities. Free or wild camping is very easy or there are many beautiful and cheap campsites. A meal costs around €4 and a beer is €1 or less in a bar/restaurant.

The local currency is Bosnian mark and when we were there it was around 2BAM = €1.

4.The history

Arriving in Bosnia we found ourselves lacking in knowledge about even the most recent history. A bit of googling and some visits to museums helped us gain more insight into some of the tragic events that have taken place in the recent past. But the in the old towns we also discovered the more ancient past from the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungarian rule. All of this made for a really interesting experience and we loved learning about the history of this young country and the surrounding areas.

5.It’s still relatively untouristy

Compared to other areas of Europe and neighbouring Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains pretty calm on the tourist front. Outside of Mostar and Sarajevo there were very few Western tourists to be seen and we often found ourselves in smaller towns without another foreigner in sight.

This will most likely change as countries like Croatia and Montenegro become more expensive and Bosnia and Herzegovina establishes itself on the tourist scene. But for now you can enjoy some beautiful nature and cute towns without the crowds.

6.The Food

It’s hard to distinguish which food is specifically Bosnian and which is from the Balkans in general as most of this area used to be one country. But nevertheless you’ll find some great food here at really affordable prices. We lived off lunches of Burek, a food we’ve had cravings for since our trip to Cyprus. Basically a filo pastry tube filled with a choice of meat, cheese, spinach or potato and only about 75c per piece!

Meat platters and delicious homemade breads were also a favourite. Cevapicici is the most common dish in these parts and consists of small mincemeat sausages, bread and onions. Bosnia also has some decent local beers to try.

7.The views

There are so many hills and mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina, trust us, we drove over a lot of them! But the benefit of this is the amazing views you get from the top. Even Sarajevo is surrounded by hills so there are plenty of viewpoints to see the city. Our favourite was The Yellow Bastion - Žuta tabija which had a chilled out little café and great views for sunset.

8.It’s on the way

 

Bosnia is perfectly located for further exploration of the Balkans. With borders to Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia is just a few hours from many other great destinations. It is definitely worth adapting your route to go through this interesting and beautiful country

So what are you waiting for?! Get yourself to Bosnia and Herzegovina while it's still affordable and not packed with tour groups!

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Caves in Slovenia and Other Travel Challenges

Caves in Slovenia and Other Travel Challenges

Books about travel always interest me and recently I found a great book to spice up our travels. 203 Travel Challenges is an awesome book (and website) aimed at inspiring new and seasoned travellers to experience a different side of travel. From challenges in your own backyard to once in a lifetime experiences, just flip open a page and start planning!

We recently completed our first travel challenge of this trip #20 - Go inside an extraordinary cave. We found some amazing caves in the middle of Slovenia that we'd never heard of and decided to check them out!

Rak Škocjan Park is a valley created when some giant caves collapsed. Now the valley is marked by the natural bridges at either end. In between are plenty of beautiful walking tracks, sink holes, caves and rivers to explore. 

The area is accessible by road and is just a short drive from the town of Postonja and the capital city, Ljubljana. It is free to enter. Nearby there are also more extensive underground caves which can be viewed as a guided tour. Postonja caves and the less touristy Skocjanske caves are both incredible. 

Photo by https://www.flickr.com/photos/toddography/

We're totally inspired to keep searching for new and different experiences in the places we visit. My biggest dream is challenge #187 - Go to the airport and buy a ticket for the cheapest flight of the day. But that may need to wait until after van travel!

For now, here are ten other challenges we have already completed on previous travels. 

Travel Challenge #38 - Discover an abandoned place and take a walk in the past

On our last trip to Berlin we visited the Teufelsberg abandoned radar tower which has been turned into a street art haven. Well worth a visit if you're in Berlin! 

Travel Challenge #24 - Feel like an ant among rock phenomena

I had never experienced a proper canyon before our trip to Kazakhstan and was totally awed by the Charyn Canyon just outside Almaty. You can read more about it in our Almaty City Guide. 

Travel Challenge #52 - Feel like an ancient king or pharaoh

I finally fulfilled on of my childhood dreams with a trip to Egypt in 2015. It was everything I expected and more! I spent 10 days staying with friends before Max joined me for a further 10 days. One of my favourite trips to date! Here were out top five experiences. 

Travel Challenge #113 - The slow return challenge

We did this one by accident! Most of you know the story of how we missed our flight home from Edinburgh and ended up hitchhiking the whole way home. If you haven't read it yet you can have a laugh at us here. 

Travel Challenge # 117 (seasoned travellers) A one month trip with a backpack weighing no more than 7kg

Well my amazing backpack has been on several long trips and is only handluggage sized. The longest I've done so far is six weeks but we are prepapared to take it all out as we take only our 40L backpacks for indefinite travel. Yes, we have matching ones! Why do we love these bags so much? Read all about them here. 

Travel Challenge #108 - Spend Christmas at 30°C

Ok I cheated with this one a little being from New Zealand. But Christmas in the sun is an awesome idea! Here's what you can expect in a classic Kiwi Christmas.

Travel Challenge #76 - Drive along picturesque winding roads

Not buying a vignette in Switzerland forced us onto some smaller roads and we ended up winding our way through the Alps. Read our information about the vignette and how you can avoid the toll-roads here. 

Travel Challenge #62 - Get lost in a magic garden

As the book suggests, when in Holland we took a trip to the Keukenhoff Gardens. Not our usual travel activity but they were really beautiful!

Travel Challenge #194 Find the world's largest...whatever

In Astana, Kazakhstan we found the world's largest tent and boy was it impressive! It contained a shopping mall, mini theme park and swimming pool!

Travel Challenge #16 Sweet camper life

To quote the book 'You've read all those travel blogs of people who left their jobs and embarked on a journey around the world by van. We'll say no more. You know what to do'

Well we knew what to do and are currently living this challenge! Read more about our van. 

For these and other great travel challenges get the book 203 Travel Challenges. It's also available as an ebook for those travellers with no more space in their backpack! 

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