How to Travel

by The School of Life, Alain de Botton (Series Editor)

A philosophical guide to the joys of travel and adventure.

In this compact collection of twenty essays, The School of Life applies their signature mix of philosophy, practicality, and wit to the act of travel. We pursue travel as a means to make ourselves happy-so why do we often find ourselves bored, anxious, or lonely when on a trip?

This is a guidebook not to geographical locations, but to the philosophy of travel itself. In a series of genial essays, it examines why we travel, how we choose where to go, what we can do when we get there, and how to make the most of our time away. This compact book is beautifully designed to take with us on our journeys. Ultimately, it reminds us to practice that most illusive and vital skill of how to relax.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Essays, Ebooks

132 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2018

About the author

The School of Life is a global organisation helping people lead more fulfilled lives.

We believe that the journey to finding fulfilment begins with self-knowledge. It is only when we have a sense of who we really are that we can make reliable decisions, particularly around love and work.

Sadly, tools and techniques for developing self-knowledge and finding fulfilment are hard to find – they’re not taught in schools, in universities, or in workplaces. Too many of us go through life without ever really understanding what’s going on in the recesses of our minds.

That’s why we created The School of Life; a resource for helping us understand ourselves, for improving our relationships, our careers and our social lives - as well as for helping us find calm and get more out of our leisure hours. We do this through films, workshops, books and gifts - as well as through a warm and supportive community.

Reviews

[Luke George · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally have a soft spot for all the "School of Life" books I read. While sometimes the philosophical thought experiments can come across as pretentious or overdone, I found there previous books on "Confidence" and "Self-Knowledge" quite insightful.

However, there was something about this book that felt a bit forced.

It could be because we are all familiar with the concept of travelling to 'find yourself'; we are constantly bombarded by travel agents, travel writers and Instagrammers championing the character building qualities of seeing the world or "getting out of your comfort zone", that a lot of the observations in this book appear a bit cliché.

There were some chapters that I liked (the ones on Staying at home, Holiday Romance, and The guide to Paris I particularly enjoyed) but overall it felt very self-centred;
There was a part in the book where it suggested that viewing awful poverty abroad is a good way to make you feel grateful for all you have at home, yet there was no mention in the book (that I recall) that discussed the wider negative impact a traveller may have on visiting these places abroad, such as the environmental predicament of travel (on climate changed for instance) or the legitimisation of an international regime that could be persecuting its people.

So overall, a very pretty and well presented book that can be read in an hour, just don't expect to learn anything in the latest School of Life entry.

[Oursilicious · Rating 2 out of 5]

The design of this little paperback book is genius, but its content cannot stand up to it.
Two or three of the short stories are worth reading, because they succeed to reach our inner mind and soul. However most of the stories unfortunately are artificial and pseudo-profound.
As this book does not at all focus on ethical, environmental or political impacts of traveling it suggests in average a self-centered perspective.

[Anya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected it to be.
It's more like random tiny essays and thoughts than deep questions about the future of travel, economic and ecological issues.
I'm usually a fan of the School of Life books and essays, but this was way too shallow a view about the complex topic of travelling.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small book opens your eyes to new ways of travel, not in terms of destinations, but on how you look, feel and interact with places.

One of the best ideas, in my opinion, is the importance of your mindset while travelling – if you take all your problems, stress and emotional baggage with you on your trips, it doesn’t matter if you are in paradise; you will feel the same as if you were at home!

[Tawfiq Hamid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice ruminations on travel and the philosophy of living a happier life.

A collection of 30 individual esssays on travel. These are mostly split into two types:

1. How to find the most peace and happiness out of travelling.
And
2. How to find, while at home, the peace we seek through travel.

Generally a nice read, easily digestible, very readable, a few interesting points of view nicely expounded upon, but nothing that struck me as greatly profound.

[Claudi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having first read this in 2019, I was struck by how much my marginalia have changed since the pandemic. As ever Alain de Botton (or his ghostwriter - who knows?) homogenises “us” into an affluent upper middle class western mass, able to travel far, with few economic, health, or time constraints. Our chief aim, as in the rest of his works, remains to surmount the impact of our childhood parental relationships, and “the abroad” becomes a useful heterotopia in which to accomplish this. A primary impediment to our contentment - the long hangover caused by “western” Romanticism - is thus subverted by being displaced from our normal conditions.

So why three stars? Despite my obvious disdain for this homogenising impulse in his work, de Botton occasionally displays interesting insights; the sections on airports as liminal spaces, the prompts for readers to think about their own futures at sites of memory creation, the call to view ugly and overlooked architecture, the clearly personal anecdotes about discrepancies between the desire to “connect” with “local” culture, whilst avoiding any locals, all stand out as showing an awareness of what travel might mean more generally. Alas these moments are few and far between. Thus I propose a renaming of this book to the hopefully more accurate following title:

“(some notes on) How to Travel (, as applicable to the Dalston yummy mummy planning her Eat, Pray, Love Italy moment whilst drinking a matcha latte and still wearing Adidas superstars in the year of our lord 2025)”

[Mahnoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish this had been more fleshed out on the subject of travel & self discovery – the book is more so a series of brief vignettes on a spectrum of travel-adjacent experiences, with some “essays” a lot better than others (as it goes). #1 How to Choose a Destination and #22 Holiday Fling were my favourites.

“The destination we find ourselves drawn to reflects an underlying sense of what is currently missing or under-supported in our lives.
We are seeking, through our travels, not just to see new places, but also to become fuller, more complete beings. The destination promises to correct imbalances in our psyches, for we are all inevitably a little lacking or excessive in one area or another. The place we go to should, ideally, help to teach us certain lessons that we know we need to hear. Our destinations are a guide to, and a goad for, who we are trying to become.
To make a wise choice about where to travel, therefore, we should look first not so much at the outer world but at the inner one.”

[Tuncay Özdemir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoş bir kitapçık olmuş. “Bir geziyi filozofik manada en doyurucu hale nasıl getirebiliriz” etrafında 30 kısa başlıktan oluşuyor. Bizim geziler biraz “şurası kaldı, burayı da görelim” tadında olduğu için kitapta yer alan “yapılanın farkına varma” ve içselleştirmeye yönelik önerileri dikkate alacağım. Bir de tabii gidilen yerde yaşayanlarla turistler arasındaki aşılmazlığa yönelik yazılanlara çok katılıyorum. Turistik geziler daha çok müze, tarihi eserler, kafeler, restoranlar etrafında dönüyor. Ancak orda gerçekten yaşayan insanlarla etkileşim çok az. Belki ilerde otel rezerve eder gibi lokal insan rezerv edip birlikte gezip hayata birlikte karışacağız gittiğimiz yerlerde.

[Meg Northrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been struggling with what it means to travel and how much I should be traveling ever since I moved abroad. This definitely provides some comfort and food for thought in that vein, so it was exactly what I was looking for. Great little book of essays with pretty pictures.

[Jarne Schruers · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to enjoy and appreciate the little things while traveling.
A great book and an easy read. Perfect to bring on a journey.

I read the whole book with the voice of Alain the Botton in my head, my own personal narrator.

[Mind the Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ett utmärkt tillskott till en problematisk genre. Böcker om böcker, resenärer om resor, varför är det så svårt att skildra!?

[Yongxing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elysian Coffee in Vancouver: thanks for carrying this book for this wanderer.

[Pema Menice]

I read it on an airplane okay leave me alone

[mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first 1/3 was very interesting and raised up quite a few important questions/reflections for me.
but the rest was more towards ok.
I think the author oversimplified many issues

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing read. While the subject of this book is perfect to go fully in-depth, it stays on a very superficial level. The read felt artificial, self-centered and maybe even obnoxious. A real missed opportunity for such in interesting book concept.

[Brittany Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful little book that I picked up at a bookshop in Oia

[Sue Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of thought provoking short essays with note pages for jotting down things like 'useful foreign phrases' or to 'give drawing a go'.

The book is very well presented with interesting quotes, images and photographs on different coloured pages on quality paper. It therefore has a nice feel and is really easy to read, no complex theories here. However, each piece on different aspects of travel is written well and makes you think which has real value.

I particularly liked 'Small Pleasures' on the appreciation of the minor, ordinary things you come across on your travels; 'Travel as a Cure for Shyness' on freeing yourself from inhibitions; 'The Pleasures of Nature' on how nature calms us because none of our troubles, disappointments or hopes has any relevance to it; and 'Cherishing Memories' on learning to regularly travel around our minds to reflect on trips we once took.

So enjoyable, and a perfect gift for someone preparing to travel.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous travel companion. Having not stepped on a plane for almost twenty-four months, I felt compelled to read something about travel, hoping to spark some inspiration, so I decided on this one (thanks to NetGalley and School of Life for the copy).

How to Travel opens on an essay titled 'How to Choose a Destination.' This essay resonated with me a lot actually, because it led me to question why I, and others, make decisions about where to spend vacations. Depending on who you are, your idea of a vacation might be two weeks at a five star resort with access to an all-inclusive bar and a private beach. Or, perhaps you'd rather check into an old cottage in the Lake District and spend the week exploring craft stores, attending gin tastings, and eating at little restaurants. The School of Life states in the book, "the destination we find ourselves drawn to reflects an underlying sense of what is currently missing or under-supported in our lives."

It made a lot of sense to me.

This little book clocks in at only 132 pages, but those pages are filled with so much knowledge. I only covered a few of the essays in my review, but there's 30 in total, with room for notes and observations. Others include The Little Restaurant, Drawing Rather than Taking Photographs, and The Advantages of Staying at Home, to name a few.

I absolutely adored this little one, and it fired up the travel bug in me even more. I also found it deeply thought-provoking and I was relaying much of what I read to my partner Charlie as we starting to talk about our next trip together. We chatted mostly about our newfound appreciations of our home city and the advantages of staying home since COVID-19 hit, but we also talked in depth about choosing a destination, and many of the other things that came up for me in this book.

How to Travel is the perfect size to slip into your backpack for your next trip. It'll look lovely next to your passport, and boarding pass. This book is also an awesome gift for those in your life, whether they travel or not, since there's a lot of information about what staying at home can look like, and how that in itself is a form of travel.

Absolutely loved this and definitely recommend!

Avocado Diaries

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: https://www.ManofLaBook.com

How to Travel by The School of Life consists of short essays about traveling. The School of Life is an organization which is devoted to show people how to lead a more fulfilling life.

This is the first “School of Life” book I have read, I figured I’d get some insights since I really enjoy traveling, as oppose to just “going places”. The difference, for me, is that traveling involves meeting people, experiencing food, and different culture. Going places is basically checking off places from a list.

How to Travel by The School of Life is sometimes interesting, somewhat enlightening but mostly pretentious. It is not the travelogue we think of when we see the “Travel” tag. There were several essays I enjoyed “What is Exotic”, “Small Pleasures”, and “Water Towers”, to name a few.

Other essays however seem to be written as an intellectual exercise, with a self-centered perspective. There are thousands of resources from many “experts” about the joys and benefits of traveling. This book is more concerned with interaction with where you go, as oppose to simply going places.
Which, as I mentioned, is traveling.

I disagree with several of the suggestions in the book, but that’s objective. For example, I don’t think it’s necessary to travel to poor and disadvantaged countries to realize how lucky you are. Just by being able to afford to travel, or someone else to cook for you (“going out”) you’re better off than the majority of the people in the world.

This book does, however, opens one’s eyes to what traveling is all about. Not just a destination, but the way one interacts with places and people they encounter.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of thought-provoking essays on the art of travel conducive to self-reflection. Some points were particularly interesting:

- The importance of feeling like a fool to become a more confident and less self-conscious person – it is not the avoidance of confusing situations that makes you confident.
- The beauty of an airport as a place where plans and dreams become real.
- Environment and architecture as factors that affect our character; therefore, changing the scene is beneficial.
- All physical things are perceived through emotional lenses.
- Money is not the most important factor – rather, it's the little pleasures, not expensive ones, that make travel enjoyable.
- People and real life are more interesting than any monuments and museums.
- In some sense, factory tours can be even more exciting than guided tours.
- During a trip to Paris, one might realise they don’t need Paris at all.
- An interesting idea about taking family holidays – as a way for children to learn how to be more like adults and to see that parents might not know everything.
- Crowds can be perceived positively as an experience of dignified shared devotion.
- Nature is great for disconnection given it doesn’t share our emotions and is always a source of stability and calmness.
- A slow and thoughtful trip is even more rewarding – to develop a deeper understanding of beauty, one can make a drawing instead of taking a phone picture.
- However, it is important to appreciate home and regard it with the same appreciation as foreign places, and sometimes even a short walk at home can be insightful.

In conclusion, I think travel lists are very telling about a person and can shed light on their deeper desires and needs.

[Selver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read, doesn’t have so much depth but gave a couple of small thoughts about the art of traveling. Especially the part “How to spend a few days in Paris” gave me a different perspective: ‘Perhaps the ideal outcome of two days in Paris is the realisation that we may not need to visit Paris at all.’

•The place we go to should help to teach us certain lessons that we know we need to hear.
•Finding places occupies no space in any brochure
•A pleasure may look very minor - eating a fig, saying a word in a new language, browsing in a spice shop
•We need to suspect that the current list of what is worth seeing is radically incomplete
•This can become an invitation to explore alternative ways of living and thinking. There may be many more routes to being happy than the ones we've explored to date. Perhaps we can make the changes that had felt so impossible before.
•In the travel industry of the future, we'll regard booking a local friend as no different from booking a hotel room or a flight: just another essential, normal part of organising a successful trip.
•Family trips erase the normal hierarchy between generations. A child gets to see their parents in unfamiliar - and often usefully less than impressive - situations. A child has a chance to be a parental equal or superior.
•The rejection of the parents, which seems so harsh right now, is what will allow children, in turn, to have a family of their own one day - and eventually to end up doing all the things they currently most disdain.
•'Boring home' is always someone else's deeply exciting 'abroad'.
•We ruin our trips through the fateful habit of taking ourselves along on them.

[Thetillybird · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is really pretty. I think that might have been the main pull of it for me. I got it in a boutique shop right before I was to do two months backpacking in Europe and thought it might have some insight. Unfortunately it was basically a donzen or so padded out essays surmounting to 'travel gives you perspective' which is generally an opinion people are happy to give me for free.

Despite my negative review their were some essays that were interesting one on the exotic and another on vulnrability were relatable. The best essay in the whole book was likely the one on drawing and how photography takes you out of a moment and should perhaps be leaned on less by the keen traveler.

The book itself was very pretty and well made and for that reason I was tentative to give it away to a fellow traveler but in the end the dozen or so pictures and Kline Blue cover weren't tempting enought to lug around.

This book might be better for a more naieve and less well traveled audience. Like younger teens or older folks who have only ever gone on packaged holidays to beaches. Any other reader would easily recognise it as the author faigning depth while delivering idioms in a nicely made package.

Two stars because I liked three of the essays and good design is worth recognizing. Definately borrow this form the library or a friend and save the cover price to put towards a trip.

[Maui Rochell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A walk is already a journey."

Here's to my 3rd The School of Life book and I am so pleased to be seeing a topic about How to Travel which I read while I'm in Baguio! How cool is that, right!

It was during a time when I was casually sitting and waiting inside a restaurant for an hour before I take my order because I was so busy reading this book which I finished in one seating. Eating is life but reading is lifer. 😂

I actually have a fascination in travel books and I have few paperbacks about traveling specifically a book of etiquette guide to Japan because it's my dream country and I know I'll read that once I can really go to Japan for real. For now, it's just there, waiting to be opened.

And this book was so helpful to me because even in my one and a half day solo trip, I was able to enjoy it and savor all the mundane moments such as walking the busy streets of Session Road, following Google maps, asking the locals for direction, riding the jeepney and my most favorite, gazing at the beauty of nature. 🍃

I think it's also the beauty of traveling slow and not having to rush to get to the next destination, you really get to appreciate what's in front of you. And when they say travel is one way of healing, it is true. There really is something about exploring a different place that sends calm and relief to your soul.

[Wouter · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main take-aways:

The destination we find ourselves drawn to reflects an underlying sense of what is currently missing or under-supported in our lives. To make a wise choice, we should look at our inner world.

We should gently laugh at the challenges of relaxation. There’s no need to be anxious that we’re anxious. The mood is no sign that our lives have gone wrong; merely that we are alive.

Ideal goals of travel: wisdom and balance.

In the best cities, the streets whisper of hope, dignity, community and friendship. They invite us to become the noblest versions of ourselves.

Perfection is vulnerable to emotional troubles, no matter how much money you spend.

Big truth about travel: we’re not very good at understanding what really makes us content.

Part of why we feel the need for so many new experiences may simply be that we are so bad at absorbing the ones we’ve had. We can remain in touch with so much of what made them pleasurable simply through the art of evocation.

Our minds have a habit of getting exhausted and sterile. It is scared as well. While we walk, the mind is no longer on guard. We’re not meant to be thinking and so - at last - we can think freely and courageously.

[Gabrielle R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

School of Life has brought together 30 essays on travel in a book. Neither a practical guide nor a collection of specific suggestions, the compilation rather offers very short random philosophical reflections. The texts are short and well written and the pages also contain beautiful photographs.

Warning: nothing new here. Most readers—beginners or travel experts—will have already thought of those ideas. This book won’t teach you how to be a more conscious traveler, only that you need to be one. It’s a tool to launch a deeper reflection.

My favorite essay from the book? One that recalls the importance of those moments of the trip when you don't understand anything at all: « Through travel, you’re freeing yourself from your inhibitions. You’re growing up—and into yourself. Our journeys can teach us a vital skill: that of not minding so much if we occasionally look a fool. They may be the best conduits for developing into the more confident, less self-conscious people we crave to be. »

[Neha D'souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have often caught myself in a daydream - sipping a cooler under a cloudless azure blue sky. The hum of crashing waves and shrill calls of passing seagulls are the only sounds I hear until I am jarred awake by the familiar but haunting ‘ting ting da da ting ting’ of a teams call.

How to travel by the The School of Life is a poignant reminder of why we dream of travelling. And why we travel. It urges us to upturn the normal hierarchies of pleasure and unearth new delights. How to travel is a gentle reminder that we are still collectively at the dawn of knowing how to make ourselves properly happy. It is not a criticism on luxury but an analysis of its limitation. How to travel is a guide that goes beyond ‘How to chose a destination’. And starts instead with ‘why we are drawn to a particular destination over another.’

From the importance of the sun to family holidays, How to Travel implores it’s readers to enjoy the pre-travel planning, to learn to marvel at the small pleasures that travel brings and to immerse in the cultures of the travel destination.

[Eri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó este libro, es cortito pero conciso. Los capítulos son cortos pero van directamente al punto, no se andan con vueltas y son fáciles de leer. Alain de Botton se expresa de forma maravillosa y al que es fanático de The School of Life no le será difícil imaginar su voz que acompaña casa párrafo.

Hace unos años descubrí el placer de viajar sola pero en cada viaje sentía una sensación tremenda de egoísmo e insatisfacción que no comprendía, por suerte, cada sección de este libro me ayudó a entender un poquito más la razón de esos sentimientos. Además me ayudó a apreciar más los pequeños placeres de viajar, su importancia para ganar confianza y entre otras cosas, la ventaja de quedarse en casa y rememorar viajes pasados.

Lo recomiendo a todos los viajeros ávidos en busca de su siguiente destino!

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don’t know how to describe “How to Travel” by The School of Life. It’s not really a how-to guide, it’s not about specific destinations, it doesn’t give much in terms of tips or specific suggestions.

So what is it? A collection of very short philosophical musings. It doesn’t tell you how to be a more mindful traveler, only that one should be a more mindful traveler. Money doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness. Getting to know the locals is good. Remembering moments is a good idea. Don’t be so tied to taking pictures. Basically, a collection of random philosophical-ish thoughts, that leave your mind as soon as you turn the page. A nice way to pass some time, but nothing too deep.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from The School of Life via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Dillon Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars but not because it is incredibly well written and I couldn’t put it down but because it makes you question things, you’ve never questioned before. I’m sure there’s others in this genre, but it’s not something I come across.

It unpicks at the threads that hold up our lives and challenges you in a way that is desperately needed.

It is an ode to the small things, the things that float you by, that a camera can’t capture. A sense, a feeling, a longing.

I kept a list of the small things that flooded my mind back, I’d like to share them:

Small Supermarket in Dubrovnik
Laping waves on fisherman’s island stresa
Trying to find a shortcut from the mall in Pompeii with George and glyn
Dinner al fresco Athens, under vines and leaves
Supermarket in stresa, looking for Lindt
Sunset over Athens on Lycian hill

All tiny moments, but lasting imprints.

[Kieran · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

There are sections that make me think and reflect. For example, I love the idea of focusing on the present rather than the historical. Don’t see Van Gogh’s Starry Night, but instead get lost in wonder looking at the stars. Don’t visit the cafe where Hemingway used to write, but find your own cafe close to where you live and sink into the atmosphere there.

However, most of it is pretty breezy, staying on the surface without providing depth. Pretty self-centred in its examination of travel too. I continue to find these School of Life books to be pleasant, but empty.