118 of 119 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Tome Ripe with Ideas, November 15, 2007
This review is from: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)
If you're looking for a reference book on travel ideas, look no further! This book is beyond excellent.
I am currently researching for an extended round-the-world backpacking trip with my son. I spend a lot of time in bookstores taking notes. This book, however, was so full of excellent info that I actually bought it, despite my strict budget. It is one of the best travel investments I have made so far.
It is arranged in chapters, each dealing with a specific region, such as the Iberian Peninsula, Southeast Asia and even the Polar Regions! For each region, there are plenty of fantastic and interesting things to do. There is a great variety: from walks on castle walls in Wales to walks on hot coals in Greece, from Christmas shopping in Kutch India to sampling wines in Liechtenstein, from turtle watching in Costa Rica to tracking rhino in Namibia. There are, literally, a thousand things to do. And they're of all varieties - relaxing, adrenaline-pumping, cultural, outdoorsy, athletic, lazy, cheap, pricey - there is truly something for everyone in here.
At the end of each chapter, there is a "Miscellany" section with little tidbits about each region, such as the best places to dance or dine, trivia, unusual hotels, best souvenirs, etc.
At the end of the book, the activities are listed alphabetically by country. Then they are all listed by number, after which there is vital info for each entry, such as a website or directions.
Each entry is well-written by its respective author, condensed but informative and interesting. The photographs are numerous and fabulous - they get you excited about the place. I suppose even armchair travelers will get their kicks from this book!
In short, this book is a bargain, a must-have for anyone who plans to travel anywhere. Or even for those who like to pretend! Hold me to it, you won't regret it.
P.S. Rough Guides has been cranking out some great books lately. I also highly recommend World Party, similar to this book, but with a focus on festivals and other celebrations both wild and tame. Awesome.
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much better than 1000 Places to Go Before You Die, June 30, 2008
This review is from: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)
We have both books, the 1000 Places to Go Before You Die and this book. This one is much better, because it focuses much more on experiences rather than shopping and staying at fancy hotels. The other book seems like half advertising. Sure, the experiences might not all be my cup of tea. I won't be doing any extreme sports, and I won't be partying now that I am a mom. However, there is something for everybody, the pictures are compelling and the descriptions are opinionated, evocative and short.
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dream on!, January 7, 2008
This review is from: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)
I buy a lot of books from Amazon, especially books on travel. This is hands down the best purchase I have made in that genre. The descriptions are great, there is lots of valuable information, and the photography is wonderful. I would say that this is a book that will give you many, many good ideas, but you will need to depend on other more specific guidebooks for the actual planning (Lonely Planet and Footprint are what I prefer).
As an aside, I also purchased the "World Party" book that too is published by Rough. There is some repetition, but on the whole I think that the two books compliment each other quite nicely. If I were choosing between them, I would probably select this volume. After all, there is more to life than parties...or so I've been told.
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