4 May 2020

The Louwkul’s wanderlust must read books

By In Travel

Travelling is indeed the best way to broaden your horizons, change your perspective and create endless memories. The famous quote by St Augustine sums up the importance “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”  

These days though, we don’t know when we will be able to travel again with COVID-19 and the struggling economy. We also know the struggle of haggling for more leave, crunching the numbers to afford your next trip and shuffling your bucket list around to manage FOMO. Being avid readers and travellers alike we figured we’ll compile a list of must read travel inspired books. You will feel like you have been transported to another country, another life, even only for a while. 

The books selected, paired with their destination, will leave you wanting more. They are well written and will transport you to their respective destinations without moving from the comfort and safety of your own home.

    1. White Tiger

Set in the poverty driven slums of India, this book is amusingly descriptive and quite the rollercoaster. It illustrates a very real picture of India and the Indian lifestyle. A different take on a journey to break ‘free’.

 

   2. Eat, pray, love

Everyone knows this one, if you haven’t read it, you have probably seen the movie, a real feel good story that will make you want to travel ASAP. Taste the pasta and pizza in Italy, feel the sun and the ocean breeze on your skin in Bali and experience the stillness in the ashram in India. PS: we ate pizza at the L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele restaurant where Julia Roberts ate in the movie and it was not only really good, but shockingly inexpensive as well.

 

 

   3. Shantaram

Yes, another one set in India, what can we say? We cannot get enough of this interesting and diverse country as can be said of Lin, the main character in the book who happens to be an escaped convict finding cover in the busy streets of Mumbai. Quite the read and yes it’s a long one, but worth it.

 

   4. Alchemist

A book about following your dreams, this is one of the most-read books in recent history.  You cannot help but to be moved by this book and all the inspiration that lies within. You’ll get to travel through Spain, Morocco and the Egyptian desert while finding inspiration on every page.

 

   5. Little Paris bookshop

So it’s set in Paris, need we say more!? Not only will this book make you want to pack your bags and travel Europe immediately, it is also a lovely story that will tug at those heartstrings.

 

   6. The Geography of Bliss

Writer Eric Weiner visits a number of interesting places in order to find a possible answer to this impossible question, “What makes a society happy?”. Go on an adventure through Moldova, Qatar, Iceland and Denmark, to name a few, while discovering interesting facts and findings from the different populations and cultures.

   7. Under the Tuscan Sun

A story of new beginnings while also getting to travel through Italy. An inspiring story that makes you want to buy an old Villa in Italy and move there asap.

 

These reads should at least get you through the next few months and if all goes well we might still have a December holiday amidst the current chaos. We’d be keen to hear about your favourite reads and destinations.

Written by The Louwkuls

a guy, a girl & an old land rover

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