Whenever I travel on a long haul flight, I’d like to bring some reading materials with me. Sometimes it is hugely satisfying to immerse yourself in a good book. The only problem: I like to pack light, but physical books can weigh you down! Imagine if you want to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The title is the lengthiest book in the series, with over 700+pages. The book is the size of a brick, and it’d be a pain to lug it around anywhere.
The Solution(s)
I’ve since come up with a simple solution: I take magazines with me on trips and recycle them when I am done.
To save paper, an even more obvious solution is simply to read on mobile devices. I used to own an iPad (see why you should not buy an ipad). However, I was not a fan of reading books on the iPad, due to the glare. While I have never owned a Kindle e-Reader, a colleague lent me his device once. What stood out was how clear the characters appeared on the glare-free screen. I was also struck by how small and lightweight the device was.
Want a chance to WIN a FREE Kindle e-Reader?
Deadline: Enter by Friday, May 19, 2017, midnight EST for a chance to win.
If you want a Kindle e-Reader, here is your chance to WIN one. A staff at Boardingarea has generously offered a new Kindle e-Reader to a blogger as a reader giveaway. I thought it was a perfect tie-in given my interest in travel gadgets . I’m incredibly excited to give one lucky fellow reader a chance to win a Kindle e-Reader (base model)!
HOW TO ENTER: The giveaway is only open to residents of USA/Canada. One entry per person. Entering is simple. In the comment section of THIS post below, simply name a blog post I have written that you liked with a comment on why you liked the post. To see a list of my previous posts, click here. Alternatively, you can also name a book that you’d recommend to others and briefly explain why you liked the book. Deadline: Enter by Friday, May 19, 2017 midnight EST.
We’ll use a random generator to pick a winner from all the eligible entries received. The winner will be contacted and announced the following week. All decisions are final. Thanks for reading and good luck!
Thank you all so much for entering! I immensely enjoyed reading each and every one of the comments, and all the book recommendations! The entry period has passed and we have a winner for this drawing. The winner is: Sara J, with her entry: “I enjoy fiction over non-fiction on trips, as it is more entertaining for me. The last novel I read was China Dolls by Lisa See. It may be more geared towards women readers, however, the historical setting is interesting for anyone. That is a good book for a long bus ride. For mystery lovers, I recommend… Read more »
I really like your post “Scammed! Chump Change for a Rainy Day Fund”. Super helpful! Thanks for the super rad giveaway! Cheers!
heatheranne99 at gmail dot com
Book: anything by David Baldacci. My sisters and I love to read everything he writes! I am also a huge fan of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. It may be long but it is tremendous. If you travel with physical books, you can always “pay them forward” if you finish while in transit. Many times I have given my completed book to someone at the airport or received one from someone else.
I am going to recommend a whole series! The “Honorverse” books by David Weber will keep you entertained for many flights to come.
As a photographer myself I enjoyed your post about your mom’s travel photography: https://travelupdate.com/looking-moms-travel-photo-lens/
As we get older I find it’s interesting how much our relationship with our parents evolves. It’s great that you were able to see your trip to Korea through her images with fresh eyes!
My travel books include the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn. Unfortunately, I finished the series. I have also been re-reading the Da Vinci Code. Really, anything suspenseful to make the time go by…
I liked your post on why you should always book the flexible rates for hotels. I always book the advance purchase rate because it’s cheaper but what you wrote in that post makes perfect sense and I loveee saving money. I hate seeing a cheaper rate elsewhere after I book a nonrefundable stay = (
A book I would recommend for a flight is 1984. It is not too long of a book and can be read in full on a flight and it makes you think about the flying/security process in a different light.
I find your article “3 reasons why you should not buy an apple ipad” interesting, and was somehow inclined to agree with it. My husband and I each own our own iPads, plus one more iPad for work. A few years ago, both our iPads would definitely go into our bags when we travel, no matter where we go. But now with the bigger-screened phones that could do pretty much the same as what an iPad can do (albeit on a smaller screen), we found that iPads are, unfortunately, becoming cumbersome.
My first full-length fiction novel was one by Robin Sloan: “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hr bookstore”. It has paper books, digital techie stuff, and a secret society in it. A fun read that started me on my fiction hunting trip a while back. Good reading during flights, especially if you can’t bring anything bigger than a smartphone .
Highly recommended!
I like your suggestion on how to cash out small gift cards. I always end up with small balance gift cards that are difficult to use or gift… I’d much rather have the cash and use a card where I can get bonus points! https://travelupdate.com/how-i-accidentally-discovered-a-way-to-cash-out-store-gift-card/
Any book in the Covert One series by Robert Ludlum; great action to read, and you’re able to pick up where you left off easily… even if it’s days later.
I’ve been surprised recently to find I’ve been missing out for years on the sidesplittingly funniest writer ever – Terry Pratchett. It’s hard to single out just one of his books, but you can’t go wrong with Going Postal from the Discworld series. Pratchett whirls you through an improbable fantasy world, steering you through slapstick scenarios at breakneck speed. You’re left gasping with laughter, unable to stop reading but almost unable to breathe. Better than a roller coaster.
One of my favorite posts lately was the “What Happens to Your Miles and Points When You Die?” I’m currently enmeshed in trying to get my own will sorted out, as well as one for my mom, who’s not doing too well health-wise 🙁 So the question of what happens to all of our “stuff” after we’re gone is on my mind a LOT. I too love bringing a good book along, and I try to make it one that I can leave behind with no regrets. Some books are so beloved that I have a few copies of them,… Read more »
Book: Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy. Yeah, it’s been around for a long time now, but if you haven’t read it (or haven’t read it in a while), it is just so wacky that it can take your mind of anything, even a long plane trip cramped in economy.
I thank you for the tips regarding hotel stays and costs. I needed that Post !
Interviewing the CEO of American, Part 2. Interesting to see how he tries to make it sound less worse than it actually is. (And it gives me another reason to avoid American.)
Indeed, that was an interesting read. Just a heads up that because that particular post was not written by me, this is not yet an eligible entry in keeping with entry requirement (either a post I’ve written and/OR a book recommendation). Please update/append to make it eligible. Thanks for reading and good luck!
I loved the post where you describe how you jumped back 3 feet from where you were standing when you saw a spider! That was so funny! 🙂 Congrats on your blog!
anything by jack kerouac. ~any~thing. he may be a jack. but he’s definitely the king.
“thinking, fast and slow,” by daniel kahneman is an interesting look into how we think and draw conclusions
What Happens to Miles and Points When You Die was my favorite because I ‘ve aways wondered about that. The twist you put on the article was that you should spend your points with your loved ones. What a wonderful answer.
Any book by Agatha Chrisite is a great read while traveling.
I enjoy non-fiction works, especially in investments and psychology. It’s also great to load audiobooks as well as hard copies. One recent recommendation–Flash Boys by Michael Lewis.
Hotel review intercontinental fuzhou
united stuff….. i also take magazines on trips and recycle but found that u must keep out of carryone till thru TSA as they cannot see thru the dense mags!!! ordinary grace is a good read!!!!
I enjoyed your series on travel tours. Most travel blogs showcase folks traveling on their own so this series was very informative on a different way of traveling (and which some of us still undertake).
Any Lonely Planet book on a tablet. Why? It’s more discrete to read this on a device than carrying a thick book that screams “I’m a tourist”. Besides you often need only a few sections and not the entire book and an e-reader’s search feature beat analog any day.
Love the blog about a scorpion landing on your head. You cannot pass that one without reading it. Give you the shivers. Love the book wild. Great takeaways from that book.
I enjoy fiction over non-fiction on trips, as it is more entertaining for me. The last novel I read was China Dolls by Lisa See. It may be more geared towards women readers, however, the historical setting is interesting for anyone. That is a good book for a long bus ride. For mystery lovers, I recommend Ian Rankin’s books. Rather Be the Devil was published in the US in 2017 and transported me to Scotland, a place I have not yet visited.
Hi Sara J – you are selected as the winner in this giveaway. Would you post your email so I can contact you directly, or contact me at travelgadgetreviews [AT] gmail.com. Thanks and congratulations!
Thank you. I just sent my information to you at travelgadgetreviews@gmail.com
“War & Peace” will keep you busy for MANY flights, and you can get good translations as ebooks for free!
I recommend the Elon Musk biography by Ashlee Vance – fascinating!
I liked the article on points after you die. Makes me wonder if you cam leave your ebooks to someone and how would it transfer over? If I was to travel I will bring my kindle voyage or nook Glowlight Plus. I am currently reading “IT” by Stephen King
My favorite book by far within the last year was “ready player one”. It kept me interested all the way to the end 🙂
Can’t pass up the opportunity to plug one of my favorite recent reads, Alain De Botton’s “The Art of Travel”. It’s an easy read and a little gem; not so much travel essays as musings on travel and the philosophy behind it.
I think the go-to is “Hard Landing”; if you want to know why the airline industry is what it is, read the book. It’s the most comprehensive history of the industry around.
I liked “How I was wrong about Hawaii” – I grew up in Hawaii and I can actually understand both the before and after parts of that post.
I liked “HOW I ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED A WAY TO CASH OUT A STORE GIFT CARD” because I never even knew you could use gift cards at self-checkouts. I have a large stack of gift cards with odd leftover balances in my purse and never know how to use them up. I am going to start trying to use them up at self-checkouts now that I know they may be accepted.
I read the “SMART HOME: AMCREST 1080P WI-FI INDOOR CAMERA (REVIEW)” article not so long ago. I thought the article was interesting, but it differed from my own personal experience using the Amcrest Wi-fi cameras (we loved it so much, we bought three more!). But it’s always good to get different perspectives.
If you’re still looking, the Arlo cameras are pretty good also. You can get rechargeable batteries for them, and come with 7-day cloud storage.
I am still looking for an alternative …and also read good things about the Arlo cameras. I’ll look into it as an option. Thanks for the tip!
I honestly like this post because I can personally relate to it! My husband and I travel with books (two each sometimes) and with a carry-on, it can get annoying trying to lug them from place to place. Like you, I just pack magazines now and recycle after. My hubby on the other hand, still packs books 😉
Oh, and act that we pick up books (Don’t get me started)
A kindle will be great for him, maybe I can finally convert him to the dark side of e-reading.
[…] Do you pack a book when you fly? (And enter for a chance to win a Kindle E-Reader!) – I always pack something to read… newspapers, magazines, books. This really helps on the return because I have more room in my bag after I’ve recycled the papers and magazines or gifted the book. If you don’t win, use our referral link to buy one for yourself. […]