Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious

by Seth Kugel

Having captivated millions during his five-year tenure as the New York Times’s “Frugal Traveler,” Seth Kugel has become one of our most internationally beloved travel writers. While his famously unassuming journeys around the globe have forged a signature philosophy of whimsy and practicality, they have also revealed the seemingly infinite booby traps of vacationing on the grid. In a book with widespread cultural reverberations, Kugel takes the modern travel industry to task, determined to reignite humanity’s age-old sense of adventure that has virtually been vanquished by the spontaneity-obliterating likes of Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Starwood points. Woven throughout with vivid tales of his perfectly imperfect adventures, The Intrepid Traveler explains—often hilariously—how to make the most of new digital technologies without being shackled to them. For the tight-belted tourist and the first-class flyer, the eager student and the comfort-seeking retiree, Kugel shows how we too can rediscover the joy of discovery.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir, Essays, Audiobook, Adult

320 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2018

Reviews

[Devyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads.

Let me just save everyone some time.

Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious is almost all lecture and no fun- at least in the beginning.
If you want to read Seth Kugel drone on and on about how his way of travel is better than anyone else's, read the book cover to cover.
But if you're just in it for the useful tips, skip to the last few chapters.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it didn't take until page 207 to acknowledge that women traveling by themselves may feel unsafe doing many of the things the author talks about.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rediscovering Travel” is an amazing companion for those who want to see the world by Seth Kugel, beloved in his six-year fifty-country tenure as the New York Times’s “Frugal Traveler.”

Geared to newbie and veteran globetrotter alike, “Rediscovering Travel” shares Kugel’s own tales of perfectly imperfect adventures, while helping readers seek their own. He is especially adept at helping travelers make the most of new digital technologies without being hamstrung by them. With vivacity and humor, Kugel shows how we too can rediscover the joy of discovering the globe. 5/5

Pub Date 30 Oct 2018

Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#RediscoveringTravel #NetGalley

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on travel. Kugel makes some points that really resonate and others where I am in disagreement. He tries to be understanding of other's perspectives most of the time, but occasionally there are moments when his bias shows through. This happened most particularly when he dismisses the idea that people can have valuable travel experiences that do not involve meeting new people, which basically dismisses the idea that other people can get pleasure out of things he does not such as art, solitude, and beautiful vistas.
On the other hand I really appreciated the parts on being thoughtful about our travel experiences, spending less to get a more real experience, and making travel meaningful to you rather than to the world at large. A good book to get you thinking about what travel means to you.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will say this is well written and engaging and gives lots of tips to think about.

However the author makes a fatal flaw in assuming everyone’s ultimate experience in travel is the same - or should be the same - as his ultimate experience in travel. I don’t even like going to parties if my closest friends in the world will be there - why would I want to go to a new year’s party of the mother of a stranger?

I feel like the lesson he is trying to communicate is to not be afraid to pursue what you really want out of travel - for him it is human connection - but for others it might be the best donuts in the world - or the coolest video game bar - or something that many other people don’t like but you really do.

Also, even though he says he realizes that the experiences of people other than cis straight white men might be different than his safety wise - I don’t think he fully or even partly understands what that means. Which is also what bugs me about the get off your phone and live thing. For a lot of us who are not cis straight white men connecting with other people like us needs to happen and that just may happen using the phone. Not all of us have the luxury of being fully ourselves by just walking down the street.

And finally, while I appreciated his reflections on authentic experiences, a lot of what he was doing felt manipulative or gaming of his hosts. Again, even though he said it wasn’t.

Three stars though because it did help me think about what I want from traveling.

[Bryan Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right in my wheelhouse. Kugel wrote the frugal traveler column for the New York Times. This is about how to have spontaneous adventures while traveling. I loved it.

One of the best times of my life was backpacking around Eastern Turkey and Northern Iraq. I didn't have a hard schedule. I mostly wandered around meeting a lot of people. At one point I was dropped off in Erbil, Iraq, seven miles from my destination. I could see the citidal high above the city and just kept walking towards that. I stumbled on the public library and spent an afternoon talking to the director of the library. I want to have another adventure like that.

Anyways, that was 11 years ago. I think of it often. I highly recommend this book.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This probably falls somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me. I agree with a lot of what the author has to say about seeking out the things that are of particular interest to you rather than ticking off a list of "must sees" in an area that maybe wouldn't make your list otherwise. As a woman, I wouldn't however feel comfortable taking a lot of the chances Kugel takes while traveling. At any rate, I found this to definitely be worth a listen and inspiring for future travels.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with much of what Kugel has to say about the travel industry and with his travel philosophy. I do fall in the camp of female readers though who would not feel comfortable doing many of the things Kugel does (I don’t know many moms who are going to show up in a random location with no plans and then accept overnight accommodations at the homes of strangers they meet on the street). Not a criticism of him, just an acknowledgment that his way may not be right for everyone.
His points on tourism sustainability are spot on, as are his criticisms of travel review sites.
The biggest takeaway for me was to remember to be mindful of breaking out of our bubble when we travel. Talk to strangers, try new things, go off the beaten path, wander aimlessly, enjoy.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Kugel's weekly Frugal Traveler columns in the Sunday NYT. This books reflects his pleasure in travel and offers interesting anecdotes, strong opinions, and practical advice--and everything reflects his sense of humor. If found Appendix 2 with the information on risks of travel and the appropriate preparations for any travel to be particularly useful. This is perhaps better read than heard.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is for those who are "rediscovering travel" after not having traveled abroad since 1987.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the traveler who likes to go outside the norm. There were lots of great ideas on how to connect with the places you go.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun collection of researched essays on traveling tips with lots of fun anecdotes. It made me desperately want to be traveling somewhere!

[Adelaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was incredibly useful as I planned for a summer full of travel. It was very anecdotal and sometimes kind of boring. I appreciated the section on risk management and would recommend to anyone traveling extensively.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a Goodreads giveaway copy of this book - Go me! I tend to just rate and not write reviews, so I'll do my best.
I wanted this book because we've been trying to travel more with our kids before they graduate. I'm a planner, and as a family we lean more towards independent and quirky travel rather than group tours and standard American hotel brands. This book not only scratched the travel bug itch, but gave a lot of good advice and covered some thought provoking topics. I got some really saavy travel research tips with regards to OTA's, and I was freshly inspired to think outside the "must see!" travel box and just let a trip unfold sometimes.
As I said in my update reviews as I was reading it, I knew I could trust him by his love of tostones, and his use of paper maps rather than google maps to navigate a city warmed this old geography major's heart.

[Geoff Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my travel binge books I recently finished. I really enjoy Seth's perspective on travel now vs. travel in the past. Sometimes, travel is a bit too easy with the technology we have today. A great primer on different ways to think about travel.

There is a big difference between a traveler and a tourist. This book is for travelers or want to be travelers.

[Shawn Fettig · Rating 3 out of 5]

For people who don't travel, this reads as a "Do; Don't Do," but for those who do travel, all of the author's suggestions seem to be common knowledge. A few nuggets of useful advice, but nothing too insightful.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the rare books that discuss travel philosophy and does a decent job with it.

Plainly said, this is a coherent and well-written rant from Seth Kugel. He discusses the positive and negative transformations in travel over the past few decades. This, in turn, puts the meaning of travel into question: what is a traveler nowadays? Why do we travel? How has the mentality towards travel changed?

Kugel tackles these questions from various angles, drawing from his personal experience and famous travel writers (ex. Mark Twain, Paul Theroux etc.). This includes: how to find authentic/organic travel experiences, the reason for travel (not just the philosophical reasons, the real reasons), the effects of technology, the risk factors, people, and money. In the final section of the book, he discusses how we can each work to be responsible travellers and make travel sustainable.

For readers who have not done independent travel, this book may be difficult to read. This is because the book criticizes the image of travel = comfort + pleasure, as constructed by the travel industry. For some time, travel has been synonymous with “vacation” (at least in North America). Meanwhile, disheveled backpackers are often associated with images of hippies and people in the midst of a life crisis.

Of course, these stereotypes have been subverted in the past few years as travel became increasingly more accessible for the developed countries (i.e. more mainstream). Like veganism, travel has become a roaring trend - a requirement for self-actualization, even. On one end, it is a way of self-discovery and active learning. On the other end, it is the new form of shopping (I call it the bucket list/destination checklist).

For the first few trips, I’ve never stopped to think deeply about travel itself. Who had the time, anyway? Trip-planning itself was enough of a hassle. Plus, with all the new experiences within reach, who has time to get all philosophical? Get out there first!

Though as I traveled more, I’ve noticed that I’ve started to travel differently. Instead of brimming with blind wanderlust, I begin to wonder why I travel and why travel is meaningful at all. This in turn changed the destinations I chose and the way I travelled. Instead of visiting the “must-visit destinations of year X” or “places you must see before you die”, I began to consider what are the most important aspects of travel for me. I started to choose destinations where I can speak (or learn to speak) the local language, choose local home stays, eat more street food, wander around the city instead of hop-scotch sightseeing, and slowing down. I didn’t care about checking off some metaphorical list or hit a certain number of countries - I wanted to go to places with cultures and languages that interest me.

Kugel’s book pieced together the answers for the vague questions I gathered throughout the years. It also raised many key ideas that I’ve omitted as a traveller. I’ll admit it is by no means a page-turner, but it certainly taught me a lot about traveling more deliberately and responsibly. It put travel in a more humbling light rather than the dazzling social media hype. For this reason, this is an important book for those who love to travel and want to continue exploring the world more sensibly.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some chapters are really great, particularly in the front half (Chapter 2: Organic Experiences, and my favorite Chapter, 3: Why We Travel). Some are less than great, particularly in the back half (Chapter 7: Money and Travel, and Chapter 8: Bad Influence, Good Traveler).

Maybe the most surprising, or even disappointing thing about the bad portions is the they are ones dealing with "how to travel" on a budget, which is surprising given this is the penned by the New York Time's Frugal Traveler (Seth Kugel). I'm not nearly as well traveled as Kugel, and yet even from m limited experience I set down the budget portions thinking, none of this advice feels relevant to me. Which tells me we are very different kind of budget travelers. There are good pieces of advice her or there (the African safari bit was actually quite eye opening), but there are also plenty of ways that I have created or discovered genuine experiences (a strong value of his) by way of cheap and budgeted travel through methods that would fly in the face of his advice and suggestions. It left me feeling like I wanted to write my own book, if only for myself, just to put some of his values into context of the every day person.

Nevetheless, chapters 2 and 3 were more than worth the price of the book. I feel like at least part of the problem is that I don't quite connect with his writing (or is relating) style. The book is highly anecdotal in nature, the portions that I found the least compelling. Chapters 2 and 3 are more philosophical, which is where I found myself being able to set aside his travel style and was able to really lean into some of his insights on the nature of travel. It pulled it out of the repetitiveness of the first chapter and buffers the specificity self reverential nature of the final chapters.

Chapter 4, which discusses travel and technology, is also pretty good, especially in how he unpacks the historical context and brings it into its evolution.

He also comes across as a bit anti-religious unfortunately in the early chapters, which I found unnecessary and a bit distracting. This despite the his admission that the primary place he goes to meet people when abroad is at a Church service.

The book as a whole wasn't what I was hoping it would be, getting caught between the practical, the anecdotal and the philosophical. It needed to pick a lane to keep from meandering, and then maybe market itself as such. For budget travelling, Big Travel, Small Budget: How to Travel More, Spend Less, and See the World by Ryan Shauers I found more useful, and for a more concise mix of the practical and the philosophical, Stop Dreaming, Start Traveling by Russell Hannon is a much better choice.

The “The Art of Travel” by Alain de Botton is a more focused, philosophical treatment, although Kugel does a slightly better job of connecting his philosophical portions in a practical fashion (again, the best portions of this book). And if you are looking for anecdotal, just browse the wealth of specifically story driven travel books out there. One of my favorites is The Italians by John Hooper.

[Kathryn Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author feels that there are are several forms of travel: 1) for relaxation, 2) for status and 3) for exploration. He advocates that one travel to explore, and that instead of exploring the famous landmarks, that one try for more "authentic" or "organic" experiences by wandering off the beaten path, where the people will be friendlier than they are where there are tourists, and so one might get to peek into what people really live like there rather than the tourist version. The stories he shares in the book seem like they would only motivate people who are already looking for "authentic" experiences rather than people who just want to escape or who would be really disappointed if they spent all that money and didn't see something famous that was the reason they wanted to go to the country in the first place.
He says that we shouldn't get upset when we American fast food chains because "it is a huge mistake - an utter misunderstanding of authenticity - to pretend we are visiting a civilization that has no contact with our own world. Instead of looking for authenticity in isolation, we must understand that our world's fascinating interconnectedness is the ultimate authenticity, and that it's absence is an equally intriguing exception." This misses the point that many who travel are looking for something "authentic" to their destination rather than their origin so are disappointed to arrive to see something that looks like where they left. Will have to admit that my children have opened my eyes to the possibility of using American fast food chains as a glimpse into the food tastes of the country being visited, e.g., a KFC menu in China does not have anything in common with the American version.
He observes that what is one country's local beach is another country's exotic destination (the same can be said for cars).
He says most of the world seems to travel more than Americans do. This is without acknowledging that America and Europe are about the same size, so while someone is Europe goes through many countries in a short distance, that same distance may not even get you out of one state if you're someplace like Texas.
In summary, although there are some interesting stories, the book was longer than it needed to be and sang to the choir (says someone in the choir, i.e., who already prefers self-guided rather than formal tours and staying somewhere other than hotels).

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some guidelines for planning:

1. Make a list of places you want to go, with very specific reasons for each. Consider whether that reason will make you enjoy the trip itself and benefit from it in the years that follow. (When you eventually go on the trip, remind yourself of those reasons every morning and use them to plan your day.)

2. If you are married, make individual lists with reasons and compare. If you are free to travel alone or choose your companion(s), consider which potential travel partners will enhance your trip—say, through their language skills or tolerance of your bad habits—or detract from it, because of different standards of comfort or different values.

3. Once you choose a destination, be sure the sources that led you to that choice are reliable and independent. Was there tourism industry money behind that blog you read? Do the friends who gave you the ideas have the same interests? Might they be embellishing their adventures?

4. Don’t feel the need to be original. You won’t be. Someone already went in search of the greatest cheese in Tajikistan. And you don’t need to find the little-known most romantic inn in Provence. A well-known, medium-romantic inn will do just fine.

5. Don’t obsess about “escaping” or “relaxing.” Even difficult trips can bring you back refreshed, and even luxury beach getaways can end in disaster, or rain.

6. If stuck between two finalists, choose the destination that is the most different from your hometown or region. Country versus city; hot versus cold; a place where your values might be challenged. Studies show that you get more out of destinations that are different from what you’re used to.

7. Review your proposed itinerary and consider eliminating half the destinations and doubling the time you stay in each place. Build in flexibility that will allow you to change plans and stay even longer in a place you like, or skip out of a place you don’t.


Potent Quotables:

We need to focus less on planning the trips we want to have taken and more on those we want to be taking.

Travel is awesome. But it can be even more awesome if we filter out some of the historical, societal, and commercial pressures to travel in a certain way to certain places, and just go where we truly want to go, and for the right reasons.

[DA · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first four chapters is all about don't be afraid to explore, be spontaneous, interact with locals, don't schedule too much, be open, be curious, don't relay on technology, shed herd mentality, don't let user reviews guide/ misguide you, don't follow a guidebook, avoid cliché, and there is no must-see in travel it is all about your taste. Obviously, some of these ideas won't work for everyone (those traveling with kids or solo female travelers) and everywhere (relatively unsafe countries).

I don't think the author is very judgemental about other ways of travel. He says his style of travel will bring more surprises and unique experiences to you and I agree with it. Have you ever been surprised by taking a hop-on hop-off tour in a city? I am glad he don't buy the 'I am a traveler not a tourist' cliché but he make a sensible classification of travelers (active and the exploring kind) and vacationers (take it easy and relaxing type). He has a logical explanation why locals in big cities like Paris are rude to tourists.

The author is not very happy with electronic map because google map didn't meet his expectations many times. I don't think that is a reason to ditch electronic maps and GPS for paper maps. I recommend Open Street Maps.

If you are an experienced traveler, this book will be a very dull reading experience. If you are new to travel, this book will help you avoid the mistakes experienced travelers made in their first couple of trips abroad.

[Chris Jaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kugle is a travel writer (he does The Frugal Traveler for the New York Times) who gives his perspective on travel here. There is a mixture of two items in this book: 1) an overall critique of how people travel, and 2) Kugel's own travel preferences. Those aren't exactly the same things as Kugel at times points out that what works for him won't necessarily work for everyone. He's generally successful at being aware of when he's talking about Item 1 or Item 2, but the line between the two areas is clearly blurry.

He's a big believer in travel working better as an experience you can immerse yourself in. He wants to takes chances at risks going off the beaten path to unexplored avenues and small little towns, even when he has no contact there or idea of where he'll stay. It sounds interesting, but he ain't kidding when he says it's not for everyone. (That said, I think he underestimates just how much problems most people would have adopting his ways of travel). His most effective critique is when he attacks the importance some place on having a pampered hotel experience - if you're just going to focus on the hotel experience, then you'll miss so much of what you supposedly came to travel for.

[Mary Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard an interview on NPR with the author talking about his unscheduled stop in a small town in very rural Hungary. I've been in various parts of Hungary, so was interested.
The first chapter re his stay in Mezobereny was great; he'd known nothing about the town and area and had no Hungarian language. Altho' there were some challenging moments, he seemed to recommend this type of random travel.

I read Ch 1 a couple of times, but only dipped into sections in the rest of the book, which are a compilation of articles over several years.

He has great advice for satisfying travel that i haven't seen in other articles. He also has precautions of which advice to be suspicious of and avoid, including many reviews on Trip Advisor and also gushing comments from travel editors who are comped into travel at the highest level.

I wish that he had included an index --altho with some chapters including scattered locations, it would be a long index. He does have a NOTES section at the end, divided into chapters. This is what would have been "footnotes" in the old days, a much more useful and convenient way to read, IMO.

STrongly recommend this book!

[Ami Abramson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seth Kugal was a NYT writer and budget traveler whose tenure and column The Frugal Traveler helped people explore on a budget. His writing style is funny~peppered with his unique experiences and perspectives.

His philosophy of travel is well aligned with mine. His suggestions and stories were funny and helpful. Like Kugal, I often travel solo, eat locally, stay at hostels or Air B&Bs, meet friends of friends, and tend to spend on experiences rather than luxury accommodations. In my experience, the best way to save money is accommodations. I would prefer to explore over a month being budget minded then spending lavishly at an upscale resorts for a week.

He suggests using technology as travel resource rather than a bible. Look at reviews but also ask locals and leave room for serendipity. Sometimes people miss the experiences because they are glued to their phones. Everything has different ideas of travel or vacation. This book is geared towards travelers rather than vacationers. It’s an easy and enjoyable read for fellow globe trotters.

[Sarah-Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For me, and perhaps for others, the constant itch to go somewhere comes in part from the frustration that our worldview is largely shaped by the thin sliver of Earth we inhabit for most of the year—geographically, professionally and socioeconomically—and the knowledge that so many other slivers exist that we could never see. In this sense, travel is an imperfect substitute for what many of us dream of doing: to live somewhere radically different, to inhabit an entirely separate patch of this planet long enough to know it intimately. Long enough to learn not just how to order espresso but also to practice the language, make friends, figure out supermarkets, navigate new kinds of bureaucracy, and grow accustomed to regular power outages. Long enough to realize that our abstract generalizations of entire peoples—such as 'incredibly friendly' or 'so rude'—exist only in the Jamaicas and Parises of our glossily simplistic imaginations."

Love that part; truly related to it.

[Niniane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrates how going to lesser-traveled places yields more spontaneous adventures, partly because locals are more friendly if there are few tourists.

The section about romance with locals was disappointing. He spends all this energy getting to understand others' mentalities, and it still takes him 15 years to understand how it's exploitative for him to sleep with a much poorer local who wants to escape their desperate situation?

He seems to want adventures with locals *as equals*. That is great when he is having an adventure in Europe. It is challenging when he has 1000 times as much money as them. I wish he addressed this more. He just tells story after story of enjoying hospitality from poorer families.

The sections criticizing luxury hotels made valid points. The hotels optimize for business travelers (efficiency and privacy) and also tourists (spontaneous friendly fun). It results in manufactured fakery.

[Greg Schloesser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather unusual travel book endeavor, as it differs greatly than many (perhaps most) travelogues that I have read over the years. It certainly isn't a travel guide, although there are a few places he recommends, and it really isn't simply a collection of the author's travel stories. Rather, it is more a conglomeration of philosophy of travel, personal stories and tips, all melded together in a somewhat choppy fashion.

I am a sucker for a good travel story, and wish the author would have spent more time sharing his experiences. There are chapters here that are of interest ("Why We Travel", "People and Travel"), while others either didn't interest me (the section on sexual encounters, in particular). While I agree with much of the author's travel philosophy and he provides many useful tips and suggestions, I felt the book needed more personal stories. I never felt truly connected to him or his message.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lover of travel, I can't say that I learned much new from Kugel's book. However, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a seasoned traveler - much like Kugel and his sense of adventure - or anyone who wants to expand their experiences. The author was the "Frugal Traveler" and has authored several travel books. In "Rediscovering Travel" - he shares his own stories, his ventures off the beaten path - and ways to lose the 5-star resort type of vacation. He unearths and explains the travel industry- how they "influence" our choices with their reviews, ads, etc. Besides some travel business advice- Kugel also expresses the social experiences of travel: how to meet "real" folks, try the regional foods, travel like the locals - and how to learn at the street level all the culture of a town or country.

[Mehmet Karal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was one of the business crowds having on average 50 flights a year around the globe. Like most of my fellow travellers I was grounded around February this year, after a last EK flight departing from Hamburg bound to Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport.
I haven’t had such a long no travel period in my last 15 years as an avid traveller. I travel on business class, on coach with family, stay in dodgy B&Bs when solo.
This book despite the surprisingly low rating came as a bliss to me when we were all in some sort of lockdown. I got carried away multiple times with good memories of past journeys.
The practical tips given by the author are natural at times, but also occasionally quite fresh and coming from a well versed traveller
It is part aphorisms and part a travel book. I really enjoyed it stuck in my Melbourne suburban life dreaming of my next trip back home to Turkey.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A breezy collection of travel suggestions peppered with the author’s personal travel anecdotes. His writing is conversant, often humorous, but also can feel very repetitive at times. I would’ve enjoyed it more if about a third had been edited down so it was more focused. As someone who is well-traveled, I found myself in agreement for the vast majority, yet still took away plenty of new suggestions. Throughout the book I was skeptical as many situations he puts forward are ones where those of us who are not cishet white males would be reluctant, but I appreciated that he discussed his privilege towards the end.

I think I would’ve appreciated this more as a few articles vs a full book, however it definitely inspired my wanderlust!