Monday, May 21, 2018

Why I Never Bring New Books on Vacation


For many people, vacations are the perfect time to break out a new book and read by the pool/on the beach/on a plane.  I think I'm a little bit of an aberration, because no matter how much I might want to, reading always seems to end up being a low priority for me when I'm on vacation, and over the years I've made the decision to only bring rereads when we're on a trip. 

Depending on the length of the trip, I typically bring anywhere from two to four books with me.  I'm always worried I'll run out of stuff to read, but honestly, 99% of the time, it's too ambitious!  Like, when we went to Watkins Glen for a long weekend and I brought Gone With the Wind?  Yeah, I think I read two chapters!

It usually comes down to the fact that I don't end up with a lot of reading time when we're on vacation.  Some of our trips recently have involved our niece and nephews.  I love spending time with them, but apparently tiny children never stop moving (except when they're napping).  And if they're not sitting still, you're not sitting still - so I seem to spend more time blowing bubbles and coloring than reading!

Even when it's just Tom and I, we spend a lot of time exploring.  Our trips aren't typically very long, so we try to cram a lot of sightseeing in, in just a couple days.  And Tom isn't really one for sitting around - when I told him I wanted to spend a day on the beach during our Hawaiian honeymoon, I think we lasted an hour before he got restless!  I do tend to read a lot on planes, so that's one time I can get some uninterrupted reading in.

So, since my reading time is often limited or prone to disruptions on vacations, I'd rather be rereading a favorite book than trying to absorb something new.  I don't have to worry about stopping in the middle of a chapter or forgetting what I've just read!


Do you typically read a lot when you're on vacation?  What kinds of books do you like to bring on trips?
 


45 comments:

  1. I do read a lot when I'm on vacation! I usually pack my Kindle full of books and I take 2 or 3 physical books with me if I go flying.

    When we take the car, I can have a whole bag of books in the trunk! I agree on being to ambitious, I never ran out of books before, I take way too many!

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    1. I don't have a Kindle, so I always have to take physical books, which can sometimes limit how many I can take!

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  2. I'm like that too. I used to take books on vacay but lately I haven't been, since I rarely seem to get to them much? We go-go a lot. And if the area has a bookstore or used bookshop I'll just go there and get something lol!

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    1. Yeah, that's what I figure, too, I can always buy something!

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  3. Depends on the vacation. Disney I don't get much reading done - something sunny by a pool I get more done. I tend to bring my kindle but usually pick a light book that I don't have to think hard about.

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    1. Yes, I try not to bring anything to "heavy" - fun, light books are often the way to go!

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  4. I always bring books on vacation, but I usually don’t get much reading done. I’m really happy that I had a book when I went to Death Valley for a research trip. A dust storm trapped us inside and knocked out the TV and internet. I got a lot of reading done on that trip.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Oh yes, definitely the weather can have a big impact on how much I read!

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  5. As the mother of one of the aforementioned children, I can attest to the fact that they are hindrances to reading. I do love now that I have the Kindle, so I can bring different options, but not have to lug actual books. You know, for the five minutes a day on vacation that I get to read.

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    1. Haha, yes! Yeah, the Kindle is good for when you don't know what you'll be in the mood for!

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  6. On my 3 week vacation last year I managed to read 10 books I think and I usually only bring my Kindle so I can get through some books on there. I have so many unread. It's just too bad I can't read books on the car or bus because of car sickness.

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    1. Wow, that's a lot of books! Yes, I get carsick, too, at least I can read on planes!

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  7. My reading on vacations is pretty much like my reading otherwise. One thing is that our vacations often include golf for my husband. He's an avid golfer. I'm an avid reader. Both are rather solitary. I don't play golf and so I never have to feel like I'm excluding him by reading and visa versa. Then after his golf game, we sightsee or shop or whatever. It works for us very, very well. I do like reread books and can totally understand your impulse to choose those books for vacations. :-)

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    1. That does sound like it works out well! Absolutely, if he's golfing, you probably have a good chunk of free time - I'd spend it reading, too! And then you explore together - sounds wonderful!

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  8. For me, it usually depends on what kind of vacation I'm going on. If I'm going to a big city where I'm always on the go and exploring, aside from something to read on the train or plane, I don't usually bring much in the way of books. I used to bring more, thinking I'd read in bed before falling asleep but once I realized I was always too tired by the time I got back to my hotel room, I really cut back on bringing books. If it's a beach trip where I know I'll be lounging on a beach, then yes, I'll definitely bring at least one book with me.

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    1. Yes, I agree, it depends on the kind of vacation. When we were in Chicago, I got a lot of reading done on our flights, but not so much when we were in the city. Our days were packed, and we were exhausted at the end of the day.

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  9. I think it's completely normal, I don't read much on vacation either... When I go to a place where I've never been before it's only natural I'd like to discover it rather than bury myself in a book. Sometimes you just gotta see the world as it really is and put the book away for a few hours... :P

    Ronnie @ Paradise Found

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    1. Exactly! It can be hard, but yeah, gotta put the book down sometimes!

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  10. I don’t tend to bring one the new books i have when we go somewhere, especially review books. I spend more time not reading or rushing through it. I normally try and read one from my list of older books I have. :)

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    1. Yes, I agree, I would probably never bring a book I had to review. I wouldn't feel like I was paying enough attention to it.

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  11. I do the bulk of my reading while everyone else is asleep, so I still get a bunch of reading done. However, I seldom go on vacations that are the sit and relax kind. I like to get out and see things, which means there is typically no reading during the day. I think the only day reading I did was when I went on cruises, which are very relaxing vacations.

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    1. Yeah, sometimes I read if my husband goes to bed before me, but we are usually pretty busy during the day and tend to go to bed kind of early. A cruise would be the type of vacation where I would read a lot, I think, too.

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  12. That totally makes sense! I don't really take new books with me on vacation either as it's hard for me to start something new when I'm in the middle of something exciting like traveling! Also I'm worried something might happen to my books :P

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    1. True, it can be hard to concentrate! I'm always afraid to put my books in my checked bag just in case something happens to it!

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  13. Interesting! I think it totally makes sense to bring a re-read if you don't think you'll have enough time to fully delve into a new book. A year or so ago I went on a cruise with my family and before we left we all went to the library bookshop and loaded up on books because we knew we would have plenty of time to do nothing but lounge about and read. :)

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    1. A cruise would probably be the one type of vacation where I would read a lot - definitely on the "sea days"!

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  14. Haha! I have three kids (toddler and young twins), so I am constantly moving! I'm LUCKY if they all nap at the same time, but it rarely happens. When it does I don't know what to do with myself. It's why I stay up late after getting all the housework done, because it's the only reading/quiet I get. Even then it's likely to get interrupted, lol.

    I don't take books on vacation, because of the kiddos. Also, I enjoy spending the time with my husband if they're asleep. We can usually read together at home in companionable silence, but it feels different when you're away. It's a chance to reconnect and do things you wouldn't normally do/have time for.

    L @ Do You Dog-ear?

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    1. BEFORE kids... I would take books on long flights because watching movies would make me sick. However, I cannot read in the car for the same reason.

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    2. Yeah, I can't read in the car, but can usually read on planes. I totally understand not having the time because of young children, and I can totally relate to wanting to use the time to reconnect. Sometimes I feel a bit weird reading on vacation, like, shouldn't I be doing something else? I can read all I want at home.

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  15. I usually only read on beach vacations. During those I like to sit and spend a large chunk of the day in the sand with a book. But I never read as much as I think I will. Last year I was at the beach for 7 days and I only finished 2 1/2 books.

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    1. That's still a lot of books for 7 days! But yeah, I always overpack when it comes to books!

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  16. Great post! I love to read a lot on vacation, but my husband doesn't like to sit around and preferes more active vacations, so I've learned to read less lately. Before I could read 4 books during one holiday, but during our latest vacations I hardly finished one. But it's okay, it means more time to enjoy the sight-seeing and all that :)

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    1. Sounds like our husbands are very similar! I figure, if I'm taking the time to travel somewhere, especially somewhere new, I want to see and do as much as I can!

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  17. I'm the same way! I'll bring one or two books, but I very rarely have the time to actually read while on vacation. They happen SO rarely, that we usually pack them with activities!

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  18. I can completely relate! I'm always worried about running out of books to read (which honestly is just an everyday worry for me lol). When I went to Florida in March I brought 4 paperbacks and my iPad, and I ended up only reading half of one book...so I'm right there with you with being overambitious. But it doesn't bother too much. I'd rather be exploring or relaxing on vacation. And like you said, family can keep you distracted. Great post, Angela!

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    1. Thanks, Lauren! Haha, I totally relate, I always overpack when it comes to books. But if I didn't have time to read, that probably means I was having too much fun doing other things!

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  19. Angela! Hope that you are well! I'm busy trying to catch up - AGAIN! It's my eternal blogging struggle it seems.

    I agree - reading isn't a huge priority for me while I'm away on holiday but I will read when I can. I normally just take my Kindle with me and then I might buy a physical book or two if I see something that I'd like at a bookstore.

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    1. Hey, Di! I am doing great and hope you are, too! Glad to see you around!

      Sometimes I will buy books on vacation, related to the place we are visiting, and of course, there's always the airport bookstores if I really need something!

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  20. I do tend to read a fair bit on holiday, but that’s because we usually go caravanning or camping, so there’s usually time in the evening to sit out and read. I tend to take books I’ve never read before, but nothing too heavy, as that doesn’t feel like a holiday read to me! I want light and fun! :)
    It sounds like you have very action packed trips though, so it’s understandable that you can’t fit in much reading time whilst you’re away :)

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    1. Exactly, I don't bring anything heavy, either. Something a little more light-hearted is best for me, too!

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  21. I haven't been on vacay in a while, but I think I always managed to get plenty of reading in. My parents would drag me to boring places, I'd end up sitting around while they did stuff, etc., so that was reading time. If I was going somewhere where I'd be lying by a pool or something, I'd read there. Something like a cruise though? No, I was always busy on cruises lol. But I never had different reads for vacay, just w/e I was into at the time!

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    1. When I was a kid, I don't think I read AS MUCH as I do now, I remember taking magazines on vacation though.

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  22. This is such an interesting post! I never manage to read much reading done while I'm on holidays - I tend to take that time away from reading actually, to enjoy my surroundings and explore new places. I always have a book with me, I have to, couldn't do without it haha, but... I don't necessarily want to read a lot during that time :)

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    1. Exactly! I always take them along just in case, but I know I won't usually get a lot of time to read.

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I'm so glad you stopped by, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always greatly appreciated!