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Guidebooks
Why oh why do guidebooks need to be so heavy? I ordered 4 books for my upcoming trip online:
National Geographic – Croatia 2015
Lonely Planet – Southern Italy 2014
Lonely planet – Budapest pocket guide 2015
Rick Steve’s – Rome pocket guide 2014
I decided on which book by the date of publication. I’m a backpacker mainly because I want both of my hands to be free. I have an elbow replacement (childhood injury) so I’m not supposed to lift, push or pull more than 5 lbs. with that arm. Last year my backpack got way too heavy by the end of my trip. This year I want to go as light as possible.
The National Geographic is the heaviest at a whopping 1lbs 3.2 oz. There is no way the shipping weight is correct. I used the mail scale at work.
| Publisher: | Random House Inc |
| Publish Date: | Apr 2015 |
| ISBN-13: | 9781426214691 |
| ISBN-10: | 1426214693 |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 318 |
| Shipping Weight (in pounds): | 1.2 |
| Product in Inches (L x W x H): | 5.25 x 8.25 x 0.75 |
Why on earth would a travel book be so heavy? I decided to buy this one (unaware of the weight issue) because it was published in April 2015 and covered all of the towns I’m planning on going to. I like the “not to be missed” section.
I ordered Rick Steve’s Rome pocket guide because I did not want to carry around a huge book. At just over 200 pages it’s on the heavy side at 8.3 oz
| Publisher: | Pgw |
| Publish Date: | Jun 2014 |
| ISBN-13: | 9781612385563 |
| ISBN-10: | 1612385567 |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 209 |
| Shipping Weight (in pounds): | 0.52 |
| Product in Inches (L x W x H): | 4.5 x 6.0 x 0.75 |
I like the size of the pocket guides; they can easily fit in my small “over the shoulder” bag (I’ll do a review later on this awesome bag). About half of the book consist of six self-guided tours of Rome’s top sights. It does include tips and information on Rome.
Lonely Planet – Southern Italy 2014
| Publisher: | Lonely Planet |
| Publish Date: | Apr 2014 |
| ISBN-13: | 9781742207513 |
| ISBN-10: | 1742207510 |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 295 |
| Shipping Weight (in pounds): | 0.7 |
| Product in Inches (L x W x H): | 5.25 x 7.75 x 0.75 |
At 11.2 oz it is a huge difference from the Croatia book. This is a full size book covering the towns I am interested in including Matera! Lonely planet is the lightest of the books. There are not color pictures like in the other books. However there are colored maps and loads of information.
Lonely Planet – Budapest pocket guide
| Publisher: | Lonely Planet |
| Publish Date: | Jul 2015 |
| ISBN-13: | 9781743605134 |
| ISBN-10: | 1743605137 |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 160 |
| Shipping Weight (in pounds): | 0.35 |
| Product in Inches (L x W x H): | 4.25 x 7.0 x 0.5 |
Unfortunately I’m only making it to Budapest in Hungary before heading to Croatia. Lonely Planet just released a new book this month.
I love the size and that it only weights 5.6oz. It’s full color and includes a city map. The book is great. I like the sections on top sights and the Survival Guide.
I’ll have to do a review when I return to see if I used any or all of them while traveling.
Dubrovnik and Italy!
I end my time in Croatia in Dubrovnik. I have 3 days here. I hope to get in a day trip to Mostar. I just recieved all my guidebooks for my trip.
I need to start researching more although I don’t plan out my days. I just want to make notes of not to miss sites. I reserved a cabin for the overnight ferry from Dubrovnik to Bari Italy. This ferry does not run everyday so make sure to plan ahead!
I’m then making my way to Matera! I cannot wait to see this beautiful town. People have lived here for over 7,000 years.
I’m a little nervous on how I will get to my next town of Sant’Agnello. My B&B is 1 km from Sorrento and only 400 metres from the beach. I think this might be the hardest travel day. After 3 nights relaxing, pompeii and the island of Capri, I end my trip with 4 nights in Rome. I’m staying in a monastery with the nuns.
Europe 2015
I’m not sure why I stopped writing about my beautiful amazing trip to Europe last year. Maybe I’m sad it’s over or maybe I’m just too busy right now. Being a full-time employee and a full-time student is hard. When I started school it didn’t seem this hard. Well at 39 I’m feeling it. I worked 5am-7pm yesterday with a 3 hour lunch break to go to class. It’s 5 am and I’m back at work. Thankfully I only have 6 classes to go!
In the mean time I am planning another solo trip for late this summer. I would love to hear what you all think of my plans.
Flying into Budapest 3 nights
Then I will be spending a lot of time in Croatia. I’m trying to decide if I should use public transportation or rent a car.
Zagreb 2 nights
Plitvicka Jazera 1 night
Zadar 2 night
Skradin 1 night
Split 2 nights
Dubrovnik 2 nights
From here I take an overnight ferry to Bari Italy then make my way to Matera
Matera 2 nights
Sant’Angelina 3 nights
Rome 4 nights
That’s a total of 23 nights.
I’m going to try to start posting pre-trip plans. I have found what looks like great hostels, B&Bs, hotels, and even a monastery I would love to tell you about.
Okay, let’s start planning!
I want to buy my plane ticket in January so I need to figure out where I’m flying into and where to fly out. But I am having a horrible time deciding. My first trip this last summer was so amazing I’m a little worried my luck will run out this next time. Any of you feel that way after your first trip aboard or I’m I just crazy? I know I am crazy!
I started thinking of going somewhere completely different, like Japan. But I really want to go to Croatia. Croatia looks so beautiful. I want to see Zagreb, the Plitvice Lakes, and Krka National park. I would like to find a nice seaside town to end my visit to Croatia then I was thinking of taking a ferry to Italy. I would love to stay in Sorrento and see Pompeii then end my trip in Rome.
I’m not sure where to start this trip. I was thinking of starting in Prague or Budapest. But I’m getting nervous about traveling to those places alone for some reason. Do you think they are safe for a solo female traveler? Any other ideas of places to start my trip?
I started a Pinterest board of the places that looks like a great place to go. The cool thing is adding the map, which really helps to see the distance between each place. I do love traveling around to many different places. I try to stay at least 3 nights in each place though. I’m planning on going for 3 ½ weeks leaving at the end of August.
Never too early to start planning!
Hello! Thanks for checking in. I need your help. I am planning my next trip to Europe next summer. I believe I have come up with a great itinerary.
Prague Czech Republic – 2 nights
Night train to Kraków Poland – 1 night
Kraków Poland – 3 nights
High Tatra Mountains Slovakia – 3 nights
Budapest Hungary – 3 nights
Zagreb Croatia – 2 nights
Split Croatia – 2 nights
Sorrento Italy – 3 nights
Rome Italy – 3 nights
This is just a first run. I would love to hear about your favorite towns/cities in Eastern Europe. I enjoy National Parks and places I can hike.
Get out there and travel!
Carrie
Walk With Carrie 