Lonely Planet BLUELIST: The Best in Travel 2008
Reviewed by Dorothy - 08/02/08
Lonely Planet's Bluelist of travel in 2008 includes recommendations for a number of New Zealand attractions so although reviews published in NZine are usually about New Zealand books, it can be reviewed in a magazine that "shows New Zealand to the world".
I began to read this book without great enthusiasm as my health places limits on my travel plans at present, but I soon found that this is not just a book for would-be travellers. It provides excellent reading for the armchair traveller as well. It is now on the coffee table for my visitors and at times they need to be reminded to join in the conversation! It is a book for reading at length or dipping into during a few relaxed moments.
Lonely Planet explains the term 'Bluelist'.
"Lonely Planet invented this new term in the travel vocabulary because there is no word to describe what we set out to do, which is to create an evolving selection of travel experiences and destinations selected by Lonely Planet staff, authors and travellers. To Bluelist something is the travel equivalent of 'you should see my guy, he's the best'. It's the act of recommending a travel experience."
The presentation of the material is first class. The clear images - large or small – are in impressive colour. The information is arranged so that it is easy to find and keeps the reader moving from one section to the next.
TRAVEL PLANNER 2008 sets out month by month five festivals or special events in different countries to help you plan a trip that includes any of your choice.
The GOLISTS feature countries of special interest to visitors. The index to this section is arranged alphabetically on a display page with a significant photo beside each country, region or city. A two page spread with important statistics included in the heading sets out for each chosen place attractions, and random information, defining moments, communication advice, or whatever might be significant for the visitor.
2008 TRAVEL ISLAM presents interesting information about history, culture, Islam's top sights, and practical dos and don'ts when travelling Islam.
BLUELIST MOMENTS are travellers' meaningful experiences captured on camera and described in an accompanying paragraph. The images and the descriptions are very vivid and suggest that they are the very best of a large selection submitted for inclusion in the book.
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE is featured in a series of recommendations of one place to visit in each month of the year with a statement and image of wildlife to be seen in each location.
BLUELISTS has an amazing variety of places listed under a wide variety of topics – Cities on the Rise, The Best of Cosmopolitan Africa, Metropolis Mania, Strange Museums, Great Film Festivals …
Of particular interest to New Zealanders or travellers to this country are the New Zealand attractions listed:
Best Brews, which nominates Mussel Inn, a micro-brewery near Nelson in the South Island
Explorers and their Journeys which lists Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound in the South Island as the place where Captain James Cook felt most at home
Volcanoes which recommends at the head of the list Whakaari (White Island) off the coast of the Bay of Plenty in the North Island
Sleep behind Bars which sends travellers to stay at the Napier Prison Backpackers on the east coast of the North Island
Great River Trips which includes Jetboating the Shotover River in Queenstown in the South Island
BIG! which features the huge representation of a kiwifruit in Te Puke where huge numbers of kiwifruit are grown
The arrangement of the material in this book is both innovative and challenging.
I recommend that whatever country you come from or wish to visit you read this book to inspire you to further your travel adventures and armchair explorations.
