Make Sure You Have a Map

by Bryanna Plog

What's the worst travel advice you've ever been given?

Well-meaning counsel from friends, family, and fellow travelers such as "be careful what you eat," "don't accept gifts from people you don't know," and "never hitchhike" can be helpful--but what happens when you choose to go your own way?

Through her journeys across six continents, author Bryanna Plog has seen first-hand that there are exceptions to every rule, and that some travel advice is, to put it simply, just plain wrong. Covering adventures in Norway, Peru, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Australia, and beyond, Make Sure You Have a Map (and Other Bits of Travel Advice I’m Glad I Ignored) is a collection of witty travel tales from ten years of Plog's travels, as she learned—sometimes the hard way—what advice to heed and which to disregard.

Is it worthwhile to go somewhere for just a weekend? If you eat steak at a tango show in Buenos Aires, have you fallen into a tourist trap? Is "sticking to the trail" actually the best way to explore the grizzly-filled wilderness of Katmai National Park, Alaska? As you travel with the author to more than a dozen countries, Make Sure You Have a Map shares some practical travel tips as well, including how to act on buses in Tanzania, which type of coffee to drink in Colombia (and which to avoid), what to see if you’re ever in Naples, Italy, and what to expect if you ever take a four-day train trip across the United States.

From remote villages in East Africa to the bustling airports of Europe, from Australian train journeys to boat trips on the Amazon, the twenty stories in Make Sure You Have a Map are a delightful exploration of both good and bad travel advice, the joy of breaking the rules, and the world we all share.

Genres: Travel, Travelogue

204 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2016

About the author

Bryanna Plog is an international traveler and author of two travel books. Her first book, Misspelled Paradise: A Year in a Reinvented Colombia, was celebrated for being an honest and entertaining account of life and travels in a forgotten Colombia. Make Sure You Have a Map (and Other Bits of Travel Advice I’m Glad I Ignored) followed up with a delightful collection of stories exploring bad travel advice. Her writing has also been included in The Wonder of It All, a collection of stories from America's national parks to celebrate 100 years of the National Park Service.

Bryanna Plog's writing draws from her substantive travels in over 20 countries and her passion for the natural world and history. Plog is also an educator and park ranger with the U.S. National Park Service and she has worked in parks in Utah, Alaska, California, and New York. Originally from Western Washington, today she lives and works in Cascade Mountains. Her next book project explores her travels to some of the most interesting and infamous volcanoes around the world.

Reviews

[Leylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I felt that this was one of those books that tries to hard to find the silver lining in any situation. However, as the book went on, and the author shared her travel stories I became engrossed in her experiences in different countries and the states that I had never considered visiting. It built a desire to travel more often and not worry so much about "plans" because sometimes where you end up is better. It was a quick read with small chapters assigned to advice she was given and the eventual outcome. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to travel and is going to travel soon in order to see that delays and bumps in the road can be a rewarding experience as well.

I received this book by the author through a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Ruth Dresher-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this take on travel advice received from friends and others that should be ignored. The essay format was clean and neat for describing events that take place to make the usual "must do" lists moot. We've been traveling full time for seven years now and I agree in every aspect of her thoughts on how to be a successful traveler in the wide world.

[PC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book if you want to relax and simply... read. Something akin to the way you drift along while sitting around a campfire and envisioning the real-life adventures being told you by your well-traveled leader. You needn't strain your brain to periodically retain a myriad of alien entities sporting unpronounceable identities nor plots and plans of governmental clans. No. These tales take place right here on good 'ole Mother Earth with all her gritty discomforts and all told from the viewpoint of one adventurous Human, Ms. Plog. The stirring element in this (and what kept me awake and wanting to turn the page) was the undercurrent of the perception of myself on the same adventure(s). For example, how would I be found after catching a rag-tag bus on a dusty jungle road having only 20 minutes to break camp and pack up my every-single-thing-I-had-to-survive and run like h*ll? Well... leaning against the cleanest window trying *desperately* to apply my eyeliner, with toothpaste pooling beneath my chin because I spent way too much money on my teeth to EVER forget my morning brush (oh, and did I mention my nightly retainer?)! Yes... I would be the one to get us all killed by missing the encroaching headhunters while washing my hair in what little water we had left to drink. After reading this very entertaining book I am of the opinion that I might, conceivably, be somewhat-slightly high maintenance in my daily life *sigh* :( However, I guarantee you will close the cover with a desire to extend your horizons in whatever form suits your personal rituals.

Thank you to Goodreads, once again!

[Todd Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fast read and she covers a lot of territory in a short time. I found her storytelling very personable and she did a good job of showing you around the world. My only critique is that it would have been nice to learn more about the different countries she visited and her time there. I felt she scratched the surface of her life abroad, but I felt there was more to see and it would have been nice to see that. I guess it is good that I was left wanting more!

[Joyce A. Wendeln · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Advice

I have been reading travel books with humor as their base. This may have been what she was trying for, but she missed the mark. It gives you a good view of the countries, but the humor is sparse.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little fluffy book of short travel narrative took me only three hours to read. The stories are quite good ones; albeit if you travel a lot internationally (which I do), they may be similar to the foibles you've experience in your own travels.

This was a quick, decent read for a long car trip.

[Megan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. Not my favorite travel book but I still enjoyed it!

[Walter Rhein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice little collection of anecdotes anyone who has ever traveled will enjoy. From the fears of reserving a low-budget flight, to concerns over drinking the local water, to dealing with annoyance over travel delays, this is a book that covers everything the seasoned traveler will endure. All the tales are written in a breezy, easy style that is fun to read and quick to finish. This book would be an excellent companion for your own next great adventure.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from good reads first reads. It was a fast read that is a great way for travelers and tourists to focus back in on the fun of their trip and to shake things up. I did feel that much of its alive is better heeded on longer trips than shorter ones. It is a good reminder to just roll with things as long as you have some common and cultural sense.