3 Books That Will Get You Amped To Travel

There’s nothing better than going on an trip. It doesn’t even have to be a long trip. Sure, I get excited about a big mountain mission or even better, going away somewhere for months at a time, but even the little trips get my wanderlust on. A weekend away, maybe a short road trip down the coast…as long as I’m headed away, I’m happy. ‘Cause you never know what can happen. That’s the beauty of traveling. Every day is a new adventure and almost always a surprise.

When I’m not traveling, which to be truthful, is most of the time, I find myself gravitating to books that will stoke my adventurous fire. It’s a distant second place to being on an adventure, but reading about or living through an adventure in the pages of a book comes second nonetheless. It’s satisfying getting lost in someone’s travels, especially if they are a gifted writer. While my list of recommendations would span about ten pages of writing, I’ve managed to narrow it down to my three favourite books that get me fired up to go on an adventure. All three are vastly different, but all three have something to give. Enjoy.

3. Into The Wild, John Krakauer, 1996. This the story of Christopher McCandless, a young man that gave his college education fund to charity, spent two years traveling around the Western US and then hitchhiked his way to Alaska. He then went into the Alaskan wilderness with 10 pounds of rice, a .22 caliber rifle, a book on edible plants and some reading material. If you haven’t read this book, it’s fantastic. Krakauer is more famous for his Everest epic, Into Thin Air, but this is by far and away my favourite of his books. It’s a crazy story, extremely well researched and very well written. While it may have ended tragically, the book is both an inspiration and a warning about those heading into the wild.

2. A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson. 1998. This is arguably the funniest book you will ever read. Bryson, whose travel books are famous for being a layman’s take on big adventures, takes us through one of the longest hikes in the world when he tackles the Appalachian Trail with his friend, Stephen Katz. The book is an absolutely hilarious account of two regular guys, not even close to being in good physical shape, attempting to hike from Georgia to Maine. Bryson has written many books, but this is his finest work. Absolutely worth the read.

1. On The Road, Jack Kerouac, 1957. One of my favourite books of all time. Originally written as one continuous sentence, Kerouac’s classic is the story of Sal and his travels from New York into the west. What I love most about this book is through Sal’s travels, making new friends and partying his way across the American Heartland, we see a character grow and mature, becoming a more confident person along the way. I think this is why this book resonates with those of us who have lived the nomadic existence. Traveling teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. It teaches us to balance the extremes in life and helps us understand that we are all the same.

So if you’re stuck at home and in need of an adventure, head down to your local bookseller and pick up one of these books. All will take you someplace different and all will fire your inner nomad for it’s next trip.

Be safe, and go wander.