Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (09/07)
There are very few people nowadays who decide to use a ship as the means of transport for a transatlantic voyage, and even fewer people who have the time and money to explore any location in real depth. Most of us are overly busy and any travel explorations are very often just short side-trips when we are away on business or maybe simply extended weekend trips to some of the famous locations. Although travel has become much easier, simpler and in many ways less expensive than it has been in the past, many people still hesitate to go and see the world. The reasons for that can be manifold, but very often they simply lay in the fear of the unknown and the relative unfamiliarity with the process. For all of those overly-busy and reluctant travelers "Spontaneous Tourism" by James C. Samans should end all of the excuses and send them happily on many adventures in the future.
Starting with a charming short story called "Travels with Harry," written by Larry Tritten, Mr. Samans clearly explains why we should travel. Then he proceeds with extremely detailed chapters on all aspects of travel, from how to get to a certain destination, including invaluable tips on how to choose the best mode of transportation for any given trip and any given type of a traveler, to how to get ready and organized, how to plan, where to stay, what to do and where to stay. I found those first ten chapters fantastically well-researched and enormously informative.
The next two chapters deal with domestic and international travel destinations, each of them presented on two or three pages. I liked these two chapters considerably less, mostly because I found them very uninspiring. While I realize that it would be impossible to give a comprehensive overview of any city in such a limited space, I found all of the recommendations very run-of-the-mill variety. In some cases there were some quite amusing errors as well, such as the info about the ferry to the New Orleans Zoo (no ferry runs there, just a hideously overpriced tourist boat ride - yet there is a ferry to the fantastic section of Algiers, which was not mentioned by the author). Oh, and Jackson Square is not a site of a historic brewery - that was a little bit further down... The Square itself witnessed a long line of significant historical events, yet not one of them is mentioned.
After those two slightly disappointing chapters the book becomes very interesting and useful again, with sections on Further Reading and References, Airlines, Hotels and Lodgings, Rental Car Companies, Major Currencies of the World and Packing List.
Overall I found "Spontaneous Tourism" very interesting and truly useful for novice to intermediate travelers. Even the seasoned travelers should be able to find a lot of useful tidbits, new ideas and interesting approaches, so I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody who is interested in seeing the world.
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Spontaneous Tourism: The Busy Person's Guide to TravelHave a great time, enhance your competitive edge in the global market, be an informed citizen you know that travel is a key to success, but how can you make time even to learn the ins and outs, much less go anywhere?If you're a busy person, this book is exactly what you need!You'll learn:- Travel can fit into the busiest lifestyle and it s important!- All about airlines, frequent flyer programs, and discounted fares.- When trains, cruises, and buses are better than flying.- How to keep track of all of thepaperwork passports, visas, exchange rates and customs.- Where to stay, what to do... even the basics of taking memorable photos!- Profiles of 24 great places (16 domestic and 8 international) to start exploring.- Money-saving tips, how to deal with jet lag, the airport security screening process, and more!
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