I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author. I love to travel, so I was very keen to see whether there was any overlap between my adventures and the author’s, and whether our observations had been similar.
“Around the World in 80 Tales” by Dave Tomlinson is a collection of stories about his adventures across many continents. Separated into 10 sections with 8 stories each, the book has a bit of a postcard-feel about it with each story a brief vignette about a place Tomlinson went and what he found there. Each section is broken up by photos Tomlinson took on his travels.
Tomlinson’s stories are bite-sized and it’s very easy to read a couple, take a break, and come back and read more later. He has a clear passion for the physical side of travelling and shares keen observations about transport, hiking, scenery, architecture and the practicalities of getting from one place to another. Reading Tomlinson’s book really made me think about the age-old tension between tourism and travelling. This book made me realise that there is no one way to travel. I think where I would focus on the people I met, the cultural nuances I observed, the language I learned and the food I ate, intrepid Tomlinson is much braver than I about pushing his body to its limits by tackling epic trails to observe some of the most ancient and wonderful structures in the world. The book is peppered with tips about visiting different places and I found myself wondering whether Tomlinson does much other travel writing. It turns out he does, so if you want some more great advice about travelling on a shoestring, check out his website.
A take-your-time book that you can put down and pick up whenever you like, and full of great snippets of what must have been some incredible trips.
Tinted Edges 