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Does anyone else have as strange of an interest in collecting guidebooks as I do? I probably have 30 or so country or city guidebooks, even though I've been to about half of those places.
Even if the internet will always provide better, more up-to-date information on any given location, there is something about having it all in a book, with all the colourful photos, maps, descriptions, and restaurant listings that I find very difficult to give up. It's obviously not any more practical than printing out some notes offline and folding them up somewhere into my backpack, so I think what it comes down to is that I just prefer the aesthetic of books.
So, if you're like me and you do like guidebooks, which are your favourite publishers? They all seem poised for different demographics.
For example, Fodor's seems geared to high disposable income retirees, Rough Guides seem to cater to semi politically-incorrect bottom-line budget university students, Lonely Planet is somewhere in the middle with the monopoly of travel publications, while Eyewitness is just for week-long city vacationers. Where do you fall in?
My favourite is Lonely Planet. I think they generally have the best authors, who don't write in a stale, overly expository style. I think they are the by far the best organized in terms of sections, and are the easiest to reference given that they tend to have a vast amount of information.
I prep for trip on the net but I like having a guidebook. Fodor's or Frommer's will usually do. I sometimes pass it on as I'm checking out to leave. I hope they're no longer publishing the "Let's Go" series which was the WORST! Bad information!
I did my last trip without a guidebook. I just picked the main destination, and then changed my plans several times en route, adding countries I had no original thought of seeing, and deleting some others. I carried a tablet, and looked at WikiTravel once I got a notion to go some place, mostly to scope out accommodations. I'm getting too old to tote my luggage for miles searching for a place to sleep. Local word of mouth pretty much covered what I did once I found a bed.
I did my last trip without a guidebook. I just picked the main destination, and then changed my plans several times en route, adding countries I had no original thought of seeing, and deleting some others. I carried a tablet, and looked at WikiTravel once I got a notion to go some place, mostly to scope out accommodations. I'm getting too old to tote my luggage for miles searching for a place to sleep. Local word of mouth pretty much covered what I did once I found a bed.
I like and use Wikitravel a lot, too. The only problem with it is that occasionally I notice a very obvious 'plugging' phenomenon, wherein people are obviously listing personal establishments and businesses for their own gain, rather than basing on merit.
Just bought Frommer's Italy guidebook for my mother, who is traveling to Italy next year for the first time. I like the Frommers, and usually listen to their Sunday radio show, where they interview people in the travel industry, and answer caller's questions. Their website is quite helpful, too, and there should be a link to the radio show and podcasts.
I think this is where I talk about how I actually love to browse thrift stores and used bookstores to pick up old travel guides for places I'm unlikely to go. I can't see ever actually backpacking my way through Mozambique but love picking up the Moon Guide that tells me how others do just that.
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