Around the World in 80 Trains

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

#wondrouswednesday

Thanks for the tag, @Eggs

"On hearing the legend that whoever folded a thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish, Sadako had passed her time in hospital folding as many cranes as she could before she eventually died at the age of twelve, having made more than 1,600." p. 85

A bit sad, but it was the first sentence I saw.

Eggs Awwww 1y

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julesG

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

My #TitlesAndTunes pick for August's #TheWorldIsMyOyster

I had a total block finding a song until my daughter was standing next to me when I took the picture of the book. She read the title in the beat of the song and there it was. Honestly, I adore Daft Punk (a #GuiltyPleasure?), should have thought of it at once.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1pKYYY0dkg23sQQXi0Q5zN?si=8gPRlwmzS2mWL73s73hrtQ

@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

Cinfhen When in doubt,ask your kids! They are a wealth of knowledge 😉 Fun choices 🥳 1y

BarbaraBB I have this book stacked already. Love traveling by train! And that song is 🔥 I love Daft Punk too! (edited) 1y

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VRM1975

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

2 likes

Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

so-so

This was largely enjoyable but for a few issues.
1. She's kind of condescending to people and cultures of most of the places she's chosen to visit.
2. The "world" trip doesn't visit Africa, Central or South America, or Australia at all.
3. Not. One. Single. Map. In a travel book. ?

That said, the book was an easy, mostly enjoyable read with high points being the Japan, North Korea, and Tibet bits. I've heard her "Around India..." was better.

BiblioLitten I have heard the same things about this book in other places too and I wouldn‘t want to read it even though the title sounds so good. I mean only if someone wrote a better, kinder, more open-minded version of this, with loads of maps. 3y

TiredLibrarian @BiblioLitten Agree. It seems like there's a whole subgenre of snarky travel writing, & I'd rather read a book by someone open to the experience. And yes, maps! Often I wind up looking up places in Google Maps, which works, but takes me out of the book. 🌍🌎🌏 3y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

🐁🐁🐁😳

I'm not extraordinarily picky, but I'm gonna draw the line at food that's talking to me (or to anyone else).

BarbaraJean Gaaaaaaah. I didn't know there was a need for such a line. I'd have been perfectly happy not knowing this was a line that had to be drawn. 😖 3y

Traci1 @BarbaraJean now all I can think of is that scene in Emperor's New Groove where Kronk is talking to the squirrel. "Squeak. Squeak Squeaky squeakers." Maybe that was squirrel for "don't eat me." ? 3y

Susanita Just no. 😱 3y

BarbaraJean @Traci1 Aaaaaugh! 😬😂 3y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

If you have to choose one to share the room, I'm assuming you'd prefer the sociopaths, though, amiright? 🙄

Bette 😂 3y

megnews A little disappointing because I want to read this as it sounds interesting. 3y

Traci1 @megnews yeah, I've enjoyed this mostly. Her chapter in Japan was particularly good. But then she gets to the U.S., and her disdain for the country (which I can understand) and ALL of the people (which I don't) isn't subtle. This particular chapter has her visiting North Korea, and she's pretty insulting across the board. I'm not a flag waving "my country is superior!" sort of person, but it's hard not to take some of her comments personal. 3y

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Traci1 @megnews to be fair, I don't think she MEANS to come off so judgmental, but... The depictions of just the journey, though, are neat. And it's only been a few instances of her opinions I've felt sort of icky about. 3y

megnews I plan to still read it. I agree with your comments on the US but why visit if you don‘t like it or aren‘t open to the experience? 3y

Traci1 @megnews the trip itself is fascinating. I'm just not sure she appreciates the privilege she has in being able to do something like this. And wanting to go to these places and then poking fun at the people who live there (she said something about meals being an "homage to type 2 diabetes) just doesn't seem ok. It's not like that for the most part, but it's still there. Maybe she's trying to be funny? 3y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

🚂 Gezellig. What a lovely little word. ❤

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emmaturi

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

Since travelling is still mostly a no go, I chose this nonfiction read. It was very enjoyable, I liked hearing about all the people Monisha met. There is some background information too about where they went. All in all a good read. #nonfiction

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

Thought today was a good day for my D.C. mug. It's gonna be a great day! 😁

Chrissyreadit 🙌😍🎉🥳👏❤️🤍💙 4y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

"No one ever told the men not to grope, not to stare, not to touch, not to follow women, and not to rape."

?

Vansa Yes. I can fully confirm this is true. I used to go for a run to a seafront promenade 15 minutes from my house, but the catcalls and following during my walk there got so frightening that I had to abandon that in a few months and stick to working out indoors! 4y

Traci1 @Vansa the first time I was groped by a stranger, I was 15. I'd like to think that as an adult, I'd be better equipped to stand up for myself and fight back. But I honestly don't know how I'd react in the moment. What's sad to me is that most women have that "first time i was groped by a stranger" moment. 4y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

My Sunday morning plans. ☕ 📖 🚂

bnp Traci, this sounds quite interesting & entertaining. Look forward to your comments. 4y

Traci1 @bnp I am fascinated by train travel. I've only ever been on the sorts of trains that are for city transport (or that go round amusement parks 😁), so I'm hoping to live vicariously through this one. 4y

charl08 I read her book about Indian trains - intrigued to hear more about this one. 4y

Traci1 @charl08 I've got that one on my wishlist. 4y

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Traci1

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

I'm going for two #bookspin boards in January. The final five spots for each board will be for impulse reads. I'm hoping to get some (all 🤞) of these bumped off my tbr list.

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Ambitious, I like it!! Good luck!!! 4y

Ladygodiva7 What does the S stand for? Scribed? Scrolled? Sorted? 4y

Traci1 @Ladygodiva7 Scribd. I have to leave myself a reminder of where the books are, or I'll never be able to find them. 😄 A is audible, L is library (usually libby) and K is on my kindle. 4y

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erzascarletbookgasm

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

#3books that I have gifted to Litsy friends not long ago.

#thativegiftedtoothers

OriginalCyn620, Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Cathythoughts Yes ! You sure did , I‘m looking forward to buddy reading Drive Your Plow , with @JennyM later in October ❤️✨ such lovely bookish connections we have 4y

JennyM @Cathythoughts I‘m really looking forward to reading it with you 😘 4y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🎁📚🎁 4y

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚🎁 4y

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TheEllieMo

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

#3Books #ThatMadeMeWantToTravel
The tagged book speaks for itself. Pine made me want to go to the Scottish Highlands, and BlackWater Lilies made me want to go to Giverny.

@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚👍🏻 4y

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janeycanuck

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

If you can‘t travel the world due to a pandemic, the next best thing is to read about someone else‘s travels around the world before said pandemic. This was a delightful trek through Europe, Asia & North America by train - it made me even more desperate to take the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver.

(Pic is from 2015 when we hiked the last leg of the Inca Trail - this is the train that took us to our starting point)

Book 7 for #15books15weeks.

TheHeartlandBookFairy

TheHeartlandBookFairy This book sounds really good ☺️ 4y

janeycanuck @TheHeartlandBookFairy it was! And quite fascinating - she went into Tibet and North Korea!! The author narrates the audio, too, and she‘s very good. 4y

TheHeartlandBookFairy @janeycanuck 😁 4y

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Smarkies

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

Read this for #booked2020 for #armchairtravel.
Between a so-so and a pick.
I thought this book was going to be mainly about the countries that the author went to.... But it concentrated mainly on the train journeys between and in those countries. As that is the main viewpoint of the book it glosses over the actual sights of the countries she visited but highlights the oddities of train travel as well as the fellow travelers she encounters. 👇

Smarkies
She captured my part of the world quite realistically and therefore I took what she said about the rest of the world at face value 😂😂. Written with general light heartedness and wit. However, it must have been quite a journey - what with being constantly on the go. Not my idea of time off. No wonder she was grouchy at parts of the book... @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft 4y

Cinfhen Awesome review!!!! I read this too and was a little disappointed, in that the writer spent more time complaining than actually enjoying this unique opportunity/ experience. I just didn‘t take to her and that put me off from enjoying the book. 4y

Smarkies @Cinfhen I think at some points she was just too tired to enjoy it. I think the premise of the book burdened her a little. Can you imagine being on the go for possibly 6-7 months - living out of backpacks? 😂😂 4y

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Cinfhen No!!!! That does sound physically & mentally exhausting 😰 4y

8little_paws Oh this book sounds right up my alley, i love travel memoirs 4y

BarbaraTheBibliophage I used to commute on Amtrak and I loved the train. Sometimes it was a huge hassle, though. This is a LOT more than that ... 📚♥️👊🏻 4y

Smarkies @BarbaraTheBibliophage the author does mention her trip on the amtrak. It was one of the trips she did highlight - including the hassles that her fellow passengers faced. :) 4y

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Cinfhen

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

so-so

Monisha Rajesh & her fiancé spent 7 months traveling the “world” by train chronicling her encounters along the way. Sadly, I have a few quibbles:
1. Not a single map to trace where she journeyed.
2. She glosses over entire countries, provinces and states in a single sentence.
3. Often her comments felt more like judgments than insights
4. I didn‘t really get a sense for most of the places she visited
5. She didn‘t seem happy/excited ??

Librarybelle, BarbaraBB

Cinfhen As a travelogue this fell short for me. It was only ok 😢
I did love this quote which she attributes to Charles Shultz, the creator of The Peanuts; “ In life, it‘s Not Where You Go - it‘s Who You Travel With.”
#TRUTH 🙌🏻
#ReadingEurope2020 #Kazakhstan 5y

erzascarletbookgasm Aww, what a pity. It sounds promising and fun. It‘s almost sacrilegious not to have a map in a travelogue! 5y

erzascarletbookgasm I love the Charles Shultz‘s quote 👍 5y

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Cinfhen I seem to be in the minority @erzascarletbookgasm so maybe I‘m the one being “judgey” / maybe because I recently read another travelogue that I LOVED SO MUCH

Open Mic Night in Moscow: And Other Stories from My Search for Black Markets, Soviet Architecture, and Emotionally Unavailable Russian Men

BarbaraBB Too bad. It does sound good indeed but I loved Open Mic Night too. 5y

Librarybelle Too bad! At least you could check off another country from the map! 5y

rockpools Hmm. Your complaints are all things that are likely to irk me 😬 - I‘ll library wishlist it for a quick look, and stack Open Mic Night instead... 5y

Susanita No map?!? 5y

Cinfhen No!!!!! That‘s pretty disappointing, right @Susanita I mean it‘s a travelogue @RachelO @Librarybelle some visual point of reference would be helpful 5y

Cinfhen I know @BarbaraBB also Audrey was SO likeable 5y

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Cinfhen

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

I picked this up on #Scribd the other day in hopes of using it for #ReadingEurope2020 #Kazakhstan
Having recently read and LOVED Audrey Murray‘s travelogue I‘m finding this one a bit disappointing.
Monisha Rajesh lacks the warmth, humor & charm of Audrey...this book is more whiney and judgmental 🙄
I will admit, there are some funny moments

Librarybelle, BarbaraBB

Librarybelle I have this one because I liked the cover! 5y

BarbaraBB That is too bad, the title is very appealing! 5y

Cinfhen I‘m sticking with it but it‘s not gonna be my favorite read @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB 5y

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rockpools Oh no! I had high hopes for this one - but I‘m not a fan of whine... 5y

Cinfhen I seem to be the #unpopularopinion @RachelO / maybe I‘m the one being whiney 🤪 5y

rockpools @Cinfhen Doubt it! I do need a #whineorwine book though, so maybe I‘ll try it anyway. 5y

Cinfhen Good idea!!!! ✨💡💡💡✨ 5y

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Smarkies

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

This landed so unexpectedly on my doorstep during lunchtime. Thank you @erzascarletbookgasm ! It definitely cheered up my Monday blues!

Cinfhen This book sounds really fun 🚂 5y

Smarkies @Cinfhen It does! And I think it fits one of the #booked2020 prompts. 🥳🥳 5y

Cinfhen Would probably be PERFECT for #ArmChairTravel 😜👍🏻🌎 5y

erzascarletbookgasm You‘re welcome. The book sounds good, I have it in my wish list too. It‘s meant to help scratch that travel itch! Enjoy your armchair travel! 💕 5y

Smarkies @erzascarletbookgasm ya.... My friends and I have definitely been talking about the travel itch 😅😅😂😂 5y

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squirrelbrain

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

Book #100 of 2020...

Having previously travelled round India in 80 trains, Monisha decides to go ‘round the world‘, along with her fiancé. She visits the US and Canada, as well as less-travelled regions such as Tibet, North Korea and Kazakhstan.

It‘s the kind of travelogue I love - no great dramas, just the little day to day happenings, and a lot about the people they meet along the way and what the trains are actually like to travel on.

squirrelbrain @BarbaraTheBibliophage - I‘m using this for POC Author for #mandmchallenge2020 (Book 12/16) 5y

Cinfhen Wohoo 🥳 100 🙌🏻❣️🎉 5y

BarbaraTheBibliophage Oh fun! ♥️📚👊🏻 5y

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janeycanuck

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

Despite still not being finished with my #14books14weeks stack from last year (1 still to go!), I‘m diving into my fav summer book challenge, #15books15weeks. I‘m doing all non-fiction this time. Only 14 books are pictured - the 15th is the tagged book, I have it preordered on Audible so it‘s not in my library yet.

TheHeartlandBookFairy

Prairiegirl_reading Animal vegetable miracle is a great book! Interesting stack! 5y

MsMelissa Good luck! 5y

TheHeartlandBookFairy Awe, your favorite summer challenge? You're so sweet! So glad you're joining us again and that you enjoy the challenge, love your stack and that it contains all nonfiction! About 25% of mine is nonfiction, I thought about going all none but in the end I have to clear the other books too lol Thanks for being here and, keep us posted on your progress 😁 5y

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Amandajoy Is that a book dedicated to butter? 5y

janeycanuck @Amandajoy yes, yes it is. The first 2/3 is history, the last 1/3 is recipes 🥰 5y

janeycanuck @Book_Fiend_Melissa Thanks! 5y

janeycanuck @Prairiegirl_reading I‘m looking forward to it. I‘ve had it for years on audio so keep forgetting about it! 5y

janeycanuck @TheHeartlandBookFairy Absolutely is! I was hoping you‘d run it again this year ☺️ 5y

Amandajoy That‘s awesome! I‘ll be interested to see your review on it. I‘m also loving the other food books I see! (edited) 5y

TheHeartlandBookFairy @janeycanuck ☺️🇺🇸📖👍 5y

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Oryx

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

As no-one can go on holiday this year, just read this book instead. You'll feel like you've had a magnificent adventure (without actually having to use a train bathroom - bonus).
The author travels by train through Russia, China, Japan, Vietnam, North Korea, Tibet, Canada, USA and more. One of the best travel books I've read recently. Pictured here with everybody's favourite train 🚂

Severnmeadows I love the train! 😊 5y

Cinfhen Great photo and lovely review!! I‘m intrigued #stacked 5y

TrishB Stacked too 👍🏻 5y

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rockpools If you and @Lizpixie keep this up, I‘ll have no choice but to start lego shopping... 5y

Oryx @RachelO do it... It's very therapeutic 😉 5y

julesG @RachelO I've had my fingers in the kids' boxes this week. It is therapeutic. 5y

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Oryx

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

Wowee it's nice weather in the UK today. I decided to log off work a bit early today to enjoy it. Spot my partner in crime.

mrsmarch Partner in crime invisible. Cannot see. No doge here. 🌳🐶🌳 5y

TrishB Keeping it cool 🐶 5y

squirrelbrain I got the train book out of the library just before it closed. Haven‘t got round to reading it yet - are you enjoying it so far? Looks a lovely reading spot! 5y

Oryx @squirrelbrain It's excellent - I'm really enjoying it - one of the best travel books I've read in a while 5y

squirrelbrain Oh I‘m glad! I read the previous one (Around India) and really enjoyed it - I shall have to read this one soon, before the library reopens and demands all its books back! 5y

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Oryx

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

I had a bit of an online spree on Waterstones 😬

But so beautiful, how could I resist? Two were signed copies too, which I'm a sucker for.

Bookwormjillk It happens 🤷‍♀️ Enjoy your new books. 5y

TrishB Just has to be done occasionally! 5y

Caroline2 Oh good stack! 😉 5y

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Caroline2 How are you getting on with Gilead?? 🤔 5y

Oryx @Caroline2 About a third of the way through. Liking it so far. How about you? 5y

Caroline2 Hmm, it‘s ok! I like the writing, it‘s sometimes really poignant but I‘m feeling restless. I think I‘m in the wrong mood for a meandering, philosophical book right now!! 😆 5y

Oryx @Caroline2 I know what you mean, I've struggled with my reading the last couple of months - can't do anything too slow or serious. So I've bailed a lot! I'm doing a bit better on this one. 5y

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Bojo2006

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure | Monisha Rajesh

pick

What a fun book! This non-fiction book describes the author‘s seven month trip around the world via a series of trains. She describes her observations of the cultures she visits and her adventures along the way. The majority of the book covers her time in Asia but she also went through Europe, Canada and the US. Great choice for anyone interested in travel, trains and/or international cultures.

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