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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jlawrence01
I am NOT saying that they are not popular. They are extremely popular, especially among Australian and European travelers. Their website also is fairly interesting.
However for me, a good portion of the information is not relevant to me as I am not that interested is safe sex, lgbt travel, and where to party all night.
Even as bookshops decline it seems that the 'travel' section is just huge. Not surprisingly it's dominated by the blue spines of LP.
...
For our 3 week France/Spain trip last Christmas, I did read books beforehand, but did not bring anything with me except for a small phrasebook and my i-Touch. My husband brought the i-Pad.
Our kids both had GPS apps in their smartphones.
Pretty amazing when I think about how all I had back in 1977 was my Let's Go, and somehow I managed to survive.
In 1970 I took Frommer, the original "Europe on $5 a Day", back when you could actually spend that.
As for your smartphones, etc., what kind of data connection charges did you have for doing this in France/Spain? Were you able to get some kind of deal on rates for foreign data roaming?
As for your smartphones, etc., what kind of data connection charges did you have for doing this in France/Spain? Were you able to get some kind of deal on rates for foreign data roaming?
Our kids had the smartphones--they live over there.
I just used the iTouch or iPad wherever we had free WiFi, which was common.
My two favorite guides are the Moon Guides and the Off the Beaten Path books. The Moon Guides are generally written by locals and try to cover every small town in the state. Most of their hotel and restaurant recommendations are very affordable and some are pretty inexpensive. The Off the Beaten Path cooks cover a lot of small and lesser known attractions throughout the state.
We used Off the Beaten Path for Hawaii. I've borrowed Moon Guides from the library but have never purchased one. Both were helpful.
One series of books I have enjoyed is Traveler's Tales. They cover different genres, different countries. I am a person who tends to go back to the same country repeatedly and I never tire of rereading these.
However for me, a good portion of the information is not relevant to me as I am not that interested is safe sex, lgbt travel, and where to party all night.
These are obviously your impressions of what the guides contain. I've never seen such a concentration in the many LP guides I've purchased over the years.
These are obviously your impressions of what the guides contain. I've never seen such a concentration in the many LP guides I've purchased over the years.
After reviewing about thirty of the guides, those are my impressions.
I've borrowed Moon Guides from the library but have never purchased one.
I often travel in Mexico and consult, purchase various Moon guides. Particularly ones authored/edited by Bruce Whipperman. For specific regions of that country ... they're the best available IMO. But I do travel also with an LP, not just for where to go what to see (I think I know much of that already) but for so much helpful information about the culture, the maps and the language translation section(s). Years ago, when I'd travel China, USSR, etc., I wouldn't leave home without a Nagel guide. They were outstanding books.
They are *all* guides, not mandatory training manuals.
It was back in 1999 that I experienced the mistake in the LP book. Since then, it's become much easier to find pertinent, up-to-date information on the internet. I have a few favorite sites. Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree can be prickly, but I do appreciate the content. There are others I go to as well.
However, I do still enjoy holding something tangible in my hands, reading the print, looking at the pictures.
I completely agree that they can be handy as basic introductory guides and can be helpful to get your toes slightly damp rather than visit a country with absolutely no idea at all about it. On the plus side for LP is that they cover a wide range of subjects.
LP's Thorn Tree is okay, but I got tired of it with all the bickering, haggling, and flames. a lot of it coming from people who have never stepped foot in the country. As forums go, ex-pat forums are more likely to have information that's more current and helpful by people who live and work in various countries.
I agree with your point that having a book in your hands can still be helpful in unfamiliar surroundings. Even though access to the Internet is easier these days with wi-fi and Internet cafes popping up in more places, there are still times when it's not readily available. In addition, a travel guide like LP, or any of a number of others, can be helpful to browse for quick reminders while on the go. It's not always so easy to whip out a notebook computer or other device on a crowded plane or bus.
You set up a straw man by asking if LP is the end all for everyone. No one book is best for everyone. I always want to leaf through the books in a book store to see which ones have the best info on the exact areas I'm going to, and for the types of accommodations I want, etc. For some, info on hostels is critical. For others, that's irrelevant, but info on high-end hotels/resorts is important. I've bought LP most, but have also bought Moon Guides, Rough Guides, etc. LP's Web site is a good source for info. You can write in and other travelers will respond. If you've done some basic info, you'll get the best responses. As for general Internet Web sites as sources, as with anything else you have to learn which sites are best, most objective, etc. Astounding fact: just because it's on the Internet doesn't make it true (this post being the obvious exception).
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