If you’re looking for inspiration for your next adventure overseas, a good place to start is the current 12 best selling travel books according to Amazon…

If you want to recommend a book not on this list, mention it in the comments at the end of this post.

1. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

An older and wiser Paul Theroux retraces his 1975 train trip from London to Tokyo and back.

2. The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2009 by Bob Sehlinger

Created by a team of unbiased inspectors and customer reviews, find out the real facts about Disney World before you spend your hard earned money.

3. A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz

Discover the real truth about the discovery and history of America…

4. SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea by John Lofty Wiseman

A 26-year veteran of the British Secret Air Service (SAS) shows you how he taught his troops to survive.

5. 1,000 Places To See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List by Patricia Schultz

Incredible inspiration for your future travels.

6. Rick Steves’ Italy 2008 by Rick Steves

Europe travel expert Rick Steves inspires lifelong devotion from his fans, thanks to his tell it how it is style.

7. Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guide Book by Andrew Doughty

Discover everything you need to know about a visit to Maui, written by an enthusiastic resident.

8. Rick Steves’ Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary by Rick Steves

If you’re going to get his guide book (number 6), then you’d better get his accompanying phrase book too.

9. 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

If Patricia Shultz’s global list seems too much like hard work (number 5), then start off your travels a little closer to home.

10. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert

Discover one woman’s escape from the threat of husbands, babies and real life.

11. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed by Andrew Doughty

Discover everything you need to know about a visit to Kauai, written by an enthusiastic resident.

12. Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips by National Geographic

Nobody knows the world like National Geographic, and here’s their top 500 picks of the world’s greatest trips.

Have you got a great travel book recommendation?

Share it with the Mobal Members’ Community using the comments box below…

1. When You Shouldn’t Use Ziploc Bags For Medication

I always enjoy reading the Mobal newsletter and have incorporated many useful suggestions into my travel. However, as I read this poster’s advice on using Ziploc bags to carry prescription meds, I had to respond.

Every travel/airline website I have ever read states clearly that prescriptions should travel “in their original containers.” I do have some meds that the pharmacist always puts in larger than needed containers, but I figure the small amount of room they take up would be far less of a pain that to answer detailed questions about individual pills, some of which I know I would be unable to answer.

When I travel by car and no inspection of luggage is expected, then of course, I combine meds into small bags for convenience, but not so much to save space.

Just my thoughts on this.

I enjoy having the Mobal telephone for our trips outside the US. This year – Italy!

Paige Deal

2. How To Keep Smaller Items Of Clothing From Creasing In Your Luggage

I enjoy wearing scarves, but don’t like to see them get creased. I’ve discovered that if you save the cardboard tube from a used-up roll of paper towels or wrapping paper, you can use it to roll up your scarf and pack it along the side of a suitcase. (You can cut the tube down to size if necessary.) Once you’ve rolled the scarf around the tube, you can add a bit of protection by then rolling it in the kind of thin paper that comes with new clothing. This was really helpful on a recent trip. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.

Betty Sheldon
Glenview, IL

3. Why You Should Never Need To Over pack

Hi Michael,
I’ve worked in Denmark, the Caribbean, and many ports on the East Coast. I’ve had a lot of packing experience for trips ranging from one week to three months. One thing that plagued me the first few times was over-packing. Remember, when going to Europe or the UK, they have everything we have, and it is so much easier to buy at the local “Wal-Mart” than pack everything you think you will need. Buy things like “T” shirts and shampoo, and it’s fun too!

Paul Wolters, Fredericksburg, Texas

4. How To Use Your Trip To Refresh Your Wardrobe

Pack your travel bag with old socks, underwear, etc. clothing that I wear on the airplane will be discarded 100% when I arrive at my hotel. Winter coat and sweaters for northern countries are also discarded prior to arriving for a visit south. Yes, the socks & Underwear with 50% to 70% of the other items picked, never make it home. However, the space is taken up with new purchases for gifts and personal items from wonderful venders and shops found during my visit.

When I return home I find new slacks, shirts, socks & underwear. Life is great.

John, Sun City Center, FL

5. Use Your Mobal World Phone As A Temporary Torch

I used my Mobal World Phone in London as a flashlight to find the keyhole to the front door of our house we rented. So then promptly used it to find the keys buried in my purse!

Renee Gauthier

OK, it’s time to daydream a little.

Let’s say you have no responsibilities and you have a whole year free to go live anywhere in the world you wanted…

…Where would you pick and why?

Enter your replies in the comments box below…

1. Pictures of Beautiful Beaches

Now we’re heading into Autumn, I thought you might like reminding what a beautiful beach looks like…

…next summer suddenly seems a long way away.

Check out the pictures of beautiful beaches here >>

2. 5 Insanely Small Inhabited Islands

Apparently “no man is an island”, but if you owned one of these you might proove the exception to the rule…

Check out the 5 Insanely Small Inhabited Islands here >>

3. 10 Interestingly Abandoned Places

If you’re looking for a cheap holiday, why not buy the flights but then stay for free in one of these abandoned places. What they lack in comfort they certainly make up for in… well, weirdness I suppose.

And if Scooby Doo is to be believed, you might find the odd fake ghost wandering around…

Check out the 10 interesting abandoned places here >>

4. Packing List Generator

Take all the effort out of thinking what to pack, and let your computer do it for you. Just enter all the details of your next trip and get a list of what you need to take.

Check out the packing list generator here >>