Must Read Travel Journals – Real People and their Unbelievable Journeys
What transforms travel journals into the most popular genre of travel books is their ability to give readers an intimate insight into the featured destinations. Along with information about fascinating places in the world, these popular travel journals also carry a hearty dose of the writer's character. It is this combination that makes reading these individual tales of enthralling experiences a genuinely personal encounter that is both enlightening and interesting.
1. On the Trail of Genghis Khan by Tim Cope
Buy Now on Amazon
On the Trail of Genghis Khan is a journey that is as inspirational as it is unbelievable. The story of Tim Cope's trip from Mongolia in Central Asia to Hungry in Eastern Europe might not seem remarkable enough until you find out that he did this on horseback, over three years. On the footsteps of Emperor Genghis Khan, who ruled this region in the 12th century, Cope immerses himself into the traditions, culture, lifestyle, food, and humility of the people in a part of the world that remains unexplored by the majority of travellers. While his travels take him away to distant and secluded parts, it is Cope's interactions with the locals, learning about their joys and sorrows, that forms the heart of this essential travel read. A book with an alluring wanderlust spirit, reading On the Trail of Genghis Khan, will ignite your passion for adventure.
2. Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin
Buy Now on Amazon
Michael Palin, known for his work in the Monty Python series, is one of the original and much-loved travel presenters. Around the World in 80 Days is his attempt at recreating the memorable route taken by Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's classic book of the same name. Avoiding taking any aeroplanes, Palin tracks the original path on land and sea, with a camera crew that documents his many exploits and interactions with locals along the way. The book is a companion to his travel series and a pleasure to read thanks to Palin's loveable nature. He's a gentle soul who believes in the goodness of people, has original charm, and narrates in an engaging and lively manner. Just like Palin's travel series make for fantastic viewing, this travelogue is a must for travel book lovers.
3. Stupid Guy Goes to India by Yūkichi Yamamatsu
Buy Now on Amazon
If you enjoy a bit of unconventional storytelling, then Stupid Guy Goes to India is just the travel book for you. A manga comic translated from Japanese to English, the author, YūkichiYamamatsu, is as quirky as his escapade, which brings him to India to sell translations of his previously-written manga books. What we get, as a result, is an in-your-face travelogue that dabbles in India's uniqueness as well as its clichés. Bringing the story to life is Yūkichi Yamamatsu's never-say-die attitude towards life. It is his high-octane energy when facing one adversity after another, that adds to the soul of this joyfulness read. Comical, inspiring, and enjoyable; this is unlike any travel memoir you've ever read.
4. From Heaven Lake by Vikram Seth
Buy Now on Amazon
Having written some of the most read novels, including the ever-popular A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth is an Indian author with a worldwide audience. From Heaven's Lake is his travel journal, published in 1983, wherein he documents his trip from Nanjing University in China back to New Delhi. En-route he hitch-hikes through Tibet and Nepal in what is a classic voyage told in faultless prose with a promise to enlighten the reader with astute observations and descriptions about the people and events that Seth encounters during his quest. A relatively short read, Seth has a way with words that captures the essence of his travel brilliantly. His wit, interest in people, open-mindedness, a non-political stand on the region, and zeal to complete the tour under any circumstances make this an unmissable travelogue.
5. Sea Legs by Guy Grieve
Buy Now on Amazon
Sea Legs is a fascinating, inspiring, and memorable travel book that chronicles a voyage from Venezuela to Scotland, taken by Guy Grieve, his wife, and two sons, over one year. Out in the open seas, on a boat named Forever, the Grieve family face bad weather, make unexpected friendships, learn to appreciate nature, and form an ever-lasting bond with the sea. The travelogue reads like a charm where Grieve's matter-of-fact writing avoids unnecessary tension or drama, sticking to the facts, focusing instead on the spirit of adventure that led them on a journey of this magnitude. A story about passion, family, and the will to carry on, Sea Legs is compelling enough to interest readers who have never sailed in their lives before.
