Guidebook, and the winner is...

I have been making good use of the public library over the past couple weeks. It seems they have a vast and diverse array of guidebooks on India, and every other country. I spent a good amount of time scanning through them trying to decide which one best suits my style of travel.

A choice has been made and the winner is... Lonely Planet!

Lonely Planet came out on top with their edition published fall of last year.

It has great information about sights and accommodation in my price range and is all organized in a very neat 'easy-to-find' fashion.

Let the planning begin!





For a comparison of the different guidebooks go here: Choosing a Guidebook: Which Series Fit Your Style? (and Budget)


Have overdue library fees?

Here's what I do: Get a list of all the books that are overdue and call the library to tell them they where all lost. The library will inform you that you now have to pay to replay all these books, but don't worry we won't be paying this or the overdue fees. Wait a couple days then take those 'lost', and overdue, books back into the library and tell them you found them.

Bingo! You are now home free without having to pay anything.

How does this work? Well when you called the library to tell them you had lost the books they actually remove the overdue charges on your account and replaced it with the full cost of the book. When you return the book they of course won't be charging you for it and the overdue fees have already been removed so you won't owe anything!

Choosing a Guidebook

Choosing a Guidebook: Which Series Fit Your Style? (and Budget)

One of the first places most people turn to when they're planning a trip is the travel section of their local bookstore, where you can always find plenty of customers sifting through books about places they may never go. (I'm certainly guilty of being one of those previously mentioned loiterers).

This can be a pleasant way to kill time while a friend is searching for a present in the cookbook section, but if you're in the market for a guidebook, the number of choices can be daunting.

What's New

With people traveling more, and to more places, it's not surprising that more guidebooks are being published. But people are also traveling differently, so guidebooks have started to reflect some of those trends. For instance, with travelers taking more short trips, publishers have created more miniguides that focus on only one city. Travel publishers are also selling more specialty guides, either targeting a specific segment of the population such as families, women, various sexual orientations, or people who don't leave home without their pets.

Deciding which guide to buy

So what's the best guidebook for backpackers? There's no one-guide-fits-all answer to that questions, but here are some tips on choosing a series that's right for you, which will probably vary from trip to trip.

Look at the publication date

Guidebooks aren't always updated yearly, so before you head to the register, check the publication date. It's usually on the page with the copyright information, at either the front or back of the book. Some publishers make this detail difficult to find. I'm sure I don't have to go into detail why having an up-to-date guide is very impotent.

Check the prices.

No, not the prices of the books - the prices listed inside. You may be seduced by the color photographs and the glossy paper, but if all the hotels, hostels, and restaurants it recommends are beyond your budget and there's no information about public transportation, you may need to rethink your choice.

Look at the maps.

Besides your guidebook, no doubt you'll also take along a fold-out map of the country you're visiting, but you probably won't buy a map for every city you pass through and certainly not for every small town. It's a good idea to check out a guidebook's maps to see:how many here are, how well they're labeled, and whether you need a magnifying glass to read them.

Don't be afraid to stray.

Just because you've always bought the same guidebook series doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be a customer for life. People change, and sometimes so do travel guides. Some brands that were previously known as backpacker favorites have been broadening their focus to appeal to kinds now grown up and staying at nice hostels. Shop around, you may discover a new series you like.

You Guide to the Top Travel Guides (a brief comparison)