Blork just reminded me of an incredibly important issue I have yet to resolve, and I ask you for suggestions: What should I read on the trip?

Much like the tapes you listen to, the books you read on the road can significantly influence the mood and enjoyment of a trip, be it by making 7-hour train trips fly by or providing an alternate perspective from which to experience the journey.

When I’m travelling, I constantly hear my inner voice trying to put the various experiences into words, trying to intellectualize it all, to make it fit into my world view, to extract easily-formulated lessons. Reading, by providing another voice, helps me to quiet down the inner logorrhea and let go. For that reason, on the road I try to read books that take me out of my own world.

Java was a particularly good book trip for me, as I took in Dune (an excellent example of an “other world” book), Sense and Sensibility and The World According to Garp. I was lucky for those were the books I was able to acquire through trading with other backpackers.

I’ve been meaning to read The Art of Travel, but I think doing so on the road might lead to “meta-travelling”, self-analysis instead of living in the moment. Another one on my book pile is Life of Pi, which seems like a good choice.

Any wonderful ideas?