7 books that will fill you with wanderlust
For many retirees, the top of their to-do list is one simple word that can have life-changing implications – travel. Whether you’ve already begun your journey or need a little inspiration, we’ve rounded up seven books that will make you want to grab your passport and leave all your worries, responsibilities and fears behind.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
After retiree Harold receives a letter from his old friend Queenie informing him she is in hospice care with not long left to live, he leaves his cold, bitter wife and sets off on a journey to see Queenie one last time. During his travels, he encounters new friends who stir up old memories about Harold’s marriage and his failures as a parent. Back home, his wife unexpectedly begins to miss Harold. Will his pilgrimage bring them together? And will he make it to Queenie?
Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman
Tired of her glamourous yet unsatisfying life in L.A. and on the brink of divorce, Rita Golden Gelman sold all her belongings and took off around the world. Her few months of travelling turned into years as she finds love in Mexico, works as a tour guide in the Galapagos Islands, lives in a royal palace in Bali and adopts a school full of children in New Zealand. Her inspiring tale of mid-life reinvention will make you want to follow in her incredible footsteps.
No Reservations by Anthony Bourdain
Whether you’re already a fan of his hit TV show or not, chef Anthony Bourdain’s tales of eating his way around the world will have you itching to board a plane – and perhaps a bit hungry, too. Filled with never-before-seen snaps from his trips and outrageous accounts of travels from New Zealand to New Jersey, you’ll feel as if you’re right alongside Bourdain as he hits the road on an empty stomach.
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett and Amanda Pressner
On the cusp of their 30th birthdays at something of a crossroads, friends Jennifer, Holly and Amanda decide to gain some perspective by setting off on a year-long search for meaning and direction in their lives. 60,000 miles, four contents and more than a dozen countries later, the girls certainly have a story to share. Join them as they recount their experiences in the Amazon Jungle, the beaches of Brazil, the villages of Vietnam and the Aussie outback.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
15 years ago, newly-graduated and well-to-do Christopher McCandless gave his life savings to charity, abandoned his possessions and began a new life as a nomad. Four months later, his decomposing body was found by a hunter. In between, however, McCandless lived more in those few months than many people do in a lifetime. He reinvented himself as “Alexander Supertramp” and made his way deeper and deeper into the wild.
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
This book became an instant classic when it was first published in 1991, and if you’ve read it before you’ll know why. Peter Mayle and his wife realised their lifelong dream of moving from England to a beautiful old farmhouse in the French Provençal region of Luberon with their two dogs. Their delightful account of life in the south of France will speak to anyone who’s ever dreamed of relocating to another country.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
At the age of 26, Cheryl Strayed found herself mourning the death of her mother as well as the breakdown of her marriage. Desperate to escape, she did the most impulsive thing in her entire life – she packed a bag and set off on the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to Washington State in the US with no knowledge or experience of hiking. Find out why this hilarious, relatable, heart-warming and heart-breaking memoir became a worldwide bestseller.
Has a book ever inspired you to travel? Share your story with us in the comments below.
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