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On the go with books in tow

Written by Kirsten on June 17th, 2009

In 16 hours, I’ll be boarding a direct flight to Manchester, NH, for a long weekend with family and friends. On the agenda: Lots and lots of big gay fun during Portland, Maine’s Pride events, noodle kugel and coffee, white wine and olives, vodka and red bull, corsets and Fluevogs, games at my Mamau’s house and movies in my jammies. All in all, it’s certain to be a whirlwind of a trip, and all of five days’ reading will be condensed into the flights to and from.

Unlike so many people, I have the hardest time really getting into a book on planes. I think the biggest issue is that I have to read, or listen to music, or both, unless I sleep, which I also can’t usually do for any length of time in the air. So, I bring a huge selection of wildly different books, hoping that something will at least hold my attention enough to keep me from acting on my impulse somewhere around the three-and-a-half hour mark to start pounding on a window and begging to be let out.

Do reading and traveling go together like peanut butter and jelly for you, or more like oil and water? What sorts of books do you bring for long journeys?

 

4 Comments so far ↓

  1. I actually have the same strategy as you. I can’t sleep on planes at all, so I bring chick lit, fantasy, mystery, non-fiction and a “classic”. Like you, I always hope that something will hold my attention. My last trip I did great for the first 3 legs, but fell apart during my final leg. Good luck to you!

  2. foggidawn says:

    I enjoy flying, but I do try to bring a good selection of books. My main “fear” with any sort of traveling is that I will run out of reading material before the trip is over, so I always seem to over-pack books. For example, if I am just going on an overnight, I will probably bring at least two, even if I don’t expect to have any time to read. I will really struggle with this for my overseas flight in August, I expect, since my luggage will already be ridiculously full.
    I do sometimes have trouble getting in to a book on a plane — I remember fighting with a Henry James novel for half of a flight before giving up on it (I have a hard time getting into Henry James at the best of times, and apparently plane trips are not the best of times). So, I usually take light, fun reads when traveling . . . but still some variety: light, fun reads might include chick lit, a YA fantasy novel, a cozy mystery, a juvi chapter book. . . .

  3. Nicole says:

    Travel and books for me are definitely a peanut butter and jelly thing. I get so much reading done on vacation. I always bring More nooks that I can comfortably carry and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Perversely, I will usually buy another book at the airport.

  4. Nymeth says:

    Peanut butter and jelly here too! I have trouble sleeping on planes, but fortunately not reading. Usually what I do is take something that I’ve been eager to read, something I think will suck me in. And more than one book, in case one of them turns out to be a dud.

    Have a great trip!

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