Armchair Tourism

My sister wants me to renew my passport.

Consider this my confession that my passport is expired. I’ll tell you something even worse: my passport isn’t even in my married name, it’s that far expired. And before you start judging, let me just remind you: five kids. Five. Kids. It changes more than you’d think.

But once upon a time (in a galaxy far, far away), I used to really enjoy traveling. Now I get all the excitement I want as soon as my kids have rolled out of bed—but that’s another story. This story is about how (with my expired passport) I currently engage in what I like to call Armchair Tourism.

Let me explain. Armchair Tourism is my way of visiting other places by disappearing into the pages of a book. I’m not talking about travel books (though I have definitely read my share of those too) or cartography or geography books (and I’ve also read those), but good old run of the mill novels.

For example, the aforementioned sister is going to Antarctica to celebrate her birthday with the penguins this year—because she is a cool dude, let’s be honest. But Antarctica? Well, Madeleine L’Engle already took me there. Jennifer Longo too. And also I may have read a book or two about Shackleton and The Endurance. So basically, Antarctica? I’ve totally been there already—without even needing my passport!

And here’s the amazing thing: you too, with little to no effort, can be an Armchair Tourist.

Sometimes you want to experience life in Hungary. Kate Seredy can take you there. Or on Prince Edward Island. L. M. Montgomery always has your back. Or in Japan. Haruki Murakami might be your cup of tea. Maybe you’d rather go to Scotland with Alexander McCall Smith or Chile with Isabel Allende or France with Peter Mayle or…but the options are endless.

With a cup of tea curled in my fingers and just a few spare minutes, I can be anywhere in the world. And yet still be at home to answer the sixth grader when he asks me if orangutans are vicious (even if the first time I heard him, I thought he was asking if orangutans were fishes, which caused me concern regarding the level of education I’ve been providing).

It is said that travel widens perspective and helps build increased empathy. Interestingly enough, reading can produce similar results. (And for a fraction of the price—though that doesn’t mean traveling is a waste of time if you can read.) But for now, in this season, it’s really getting the job done for me.

And on the days when Armchair Tourism just doesn’t cut it, I enlist my kitchen skills (or my ability to order take out) for Travel by Tastebud. This week’s banh mi sandwiches were not too shabby, if I do say so myself. And would’ve paired nicely with Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out and Back Again, now that I’m thinking about it…

>> Have you engaged in Armchair Tourism recently? If so, what books took you traveling around the world from the comfort of your own home? <<