Don't Let The World Pass You By! [Paperback]

Sara Benson (Author)

Book Description

Series: General Reference | Publication Date: September 1, 2005

Whether you're considering your first trip abroad or your 100th, this book will invigorate your travel dreams…

With life-changing stories from everyday people, Don't Let The World Pass You By! 52 Reasons to Have a Passport inspired, informs and entertains. This one-of-a-kind book shows that traveling abroad is easier, more fun and less expensive than many of us might imagine.

Discover How To:
•Escape your daily routine
•Improve your resume
•See the wonders of the world
•Feel the thrill of adventure
•Tickle your taste buds
•Make new friends
PLUS 46 other reasons to have a passport

Also Includes:

•Preface by Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race and author of No Opportunity Wasted
•Introduction by Lonely Planet founder and compulsive traveler, Tony Wheeler
•Short history of the passport & fun trivia
•Essential travel websites & organizations
•Recommendations from expert travelers

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lonely Planet guides are a must-pack” --Toronto Star, February 2006

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740595785
• ISBN-13: 978-1740595780
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,753,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After graduating from college in Chicago, Sara jumped on a plane to the West Coast with just one suitcase and $100 in her pocket. She landed in San Francisco, and today makes her home on the central California coast. She also spent three years living in Japan, after which she followed her wanderlust backpacking around Asia for almost a year before returning to the USA, where she has worked as a teacher, a journalist and a national park ranger. She is an all-seasons outdoor enthusiast.

The author of 50 travel and non-fiction books, Sara's writing has featured in national and international newspapers and magazines, including online content for the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic Traveler and Jetsetter. Sara has written for travel guidebook publishers including Lonely Planet, Frommer's, Compass American Guides (Fodor's), Wilderness Press and Countryman Press.

Her top-three favorite countries (so far, that is) are Nepal, Morocco and Cambodia, but Iceland, Namibia and Vietnam are next on her must-see life list. Back in the USA, her favorite places to hang out include California, Hawaii, Las Vegas and just about any national park. And her most memorable travel experience? Falling off a camel at the edge of the Sahara Desert.

To hear more about Sara's travel adventures, visit her blog at http://indietraveler.blogspot.com or her website at www.indietraveler.net. You can also follow her on Twitter (@indie_traveler) or with her digital iPhone & iPad travel app, Viva Las Vegas, Baby! (www.sutromedia.com/apps/viva_vegas).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get your passport NOW (and more importantly, USE IT)!, October 19, 2005

By 

Erik Olson "Seeker Reviews" (Ridgefield, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Don't Let The World Pass You By! (Paperback)

A couple of years ago I made a bet with a friend on who would get their passport first (I actually had one, but needed to renew it). I won, and since then I've used it for various trips outside the US. As for my friend, she hasn't gotten hers yet. That's a shame. For someone like her who needs some incentive to get a passport, or if you just want something to tide you over between journeys, "Don't Let The World Pass You By" is what the travel doctor ordered.

Travel is one of the most profound and life-changing actions anyone can take. There's so much beauty to see, great people to meet, and awesome experiences to be had in the world. But unless you join the military, you can't easily leave North America without a passport (and in a post-9/11 world, you may soon need one for Canada and Mexico). "Don't Let The World Pass You By" lists 52 reasons why you need to get one ASAP. Having experienced many of them firsthand, I can vouch for their relevance. For example, I've "Dug Up My Roots" in Norway (17), "Pursued My Passions" in Paris (34), and found out that "Taste Is Everything" in Spain (38). Lord willing, I hope to continue living out the reasons as much as possible for the rest of my life.

Each of the contributors has a little bio under their passport photo so you can get to know a bit about them. They write in a lighthearted manner, and devote about two or three pages to each of the 52 reasons. For travel-oriented visual flair, the chapter headings are based on various types of passport stamps, and the text is superimposed over the pages of a passport. There is also a five-step guide to getting a passport, and even some passport history and trivia.

I'll never forget my adventures abroad. Indeed, reading this book made me want to run out and book my next ticket to wherever. "Don't Let The World Pass You By" would be a great gift for someone who needs to catch the travel bug, or a reminder of why you love travel in the first place.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travel the World without fear, October 30, 2005

By 

Global Traveler "www.travelganza.gttrends.net" (Traveling The Beaches and Mountains of the World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Let The World Pass You By! (Paperback)

Some people are just plain afraid to leave the confines of the United States because of terrorism, strange languages, different customs and the unknown, to name just a few items on a list that is growing all the time. Are you one of the people that feels this way? If you are, then consider some statistics culled from Don't Let The World Pass You By!:

The U.S has the most violent crimes of any developed nation. The U.S reportedly houses more than 75% of the world's serial killers.

Feeling a little better about travling now? The fact is, traveling the world is safer than travling in the U.S. Want a suggestion as to where to travel safely? New Zealand is the safest country in the world. Read Sam Benson's excellent book for more ideas and have fun traveling the beaches and mountains of the world, having fun and doing so safely.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful little book, December 9, 2007

By 

James D. Crabtree "Doc Crabtree" (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don't Let The World Pass You By! (Paperback)

After coming across this book in Iraq I decided that I really should have a passport (an idea brought home later when I had to do some unplanned travel later). To get one I had to apply at the U.S. Consulate inside the Green Zone. Just GETTING my passport was an adventure.

Now I have two, a regular and an official passport. I like my regular passport more though... every time I think of what I had to do to get it...!

In any case, this book was inspirational and I look at it every once in a while for new ideas. It's great!