Spontaneous Tourism: The Busy Person's Guide to Travel

By James C. Samans

Everyone talks about wanting to travel, but most people don't know how to start. They assume that travel takes a lot of time and money, wishing for a future when they can afford to see the world. This... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0979189705
• ISBN13: 9780979189708
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Crystalorb Llc
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

You'll be out of `why I can't go' excuses after reading this book!

Travel's newest guru splashes onto the scene with his first book, "Spontaneous Tourism: The Busy Person's Guide to Travel". James C. Samans releases a whopping 381-page guide jam-packed with utterly anything and everything you can think of when considering travel. Best of all, it is geared towards the overworked-and-underpaid, would-be tourist. "Spontaneous Tourism" is a fun, fresh read when considering the countless travel books on the market today. As overseas travel (and even domestic travel) is often daunting in and of itself for many, Samans breaks down each tiny step making the traveling dream a surprisingly easy reality. From the bigger issues such as passports and visas to the tiny and sometimes overlooked points like waterproof luggage or water quality, "Spontaneous Tourism" provides a discussion of every point - perfect for the novice traveler - and offers further website resources and even recaps each chapter upon conclusion for easy subject searching. Reading "Spontaneous Tourism" is like talking to a new friend - one with lots of travel information and advice who loves to share it with excitement and enthusiasm. Whether a student or retiree on a small, fixed budget or the professional with only short snippets of personal time, Samans ensures he accommodates a wide range of lifestyles and incomes. "Spontaneous Tourism" is the A to Z of easy traveling. Samans writes "Spontaneous Tourism" specifically with the American in mind. He acknowledges that although the world is full of travelers, he contours his advice and information to the American perspective. I absolutely love his sections in Chapter One on becoming open-minded, travel as self-improvement, language, and not becoming `the ugly American'. I can't tell you how many times during the course of traveling 45 countries that locals are astonished to learn that I'm American because I don't fit the stereotype. Samans discusses these important points about cultural superiority and expectations that many Americans unknowingly have that can prove to be a travel killjoy and sometimes even a negative public encounter. Best of all, Samans tackles each point with the most delicate and sensitive of tones. If you're not quite ready to go, "Spontaneous Tourism" will inspire you to take the plunge into domestic or overseas travel. First-time author James C. Samans proves that `vacations' don't have to last long, don't have to cost a fortune, and can be enjoyable again! You'll be out of `why I can't go' excuses after reading this book! --Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"

Super resource for new travelers

Americans today are busier and more prosperous than ever before. We say we want to travel but just never get around to it, don't find the money for it, or just don't know where to begin to plan a trip. James Samans, a seasoned traveler himself, aims to get Americans traveling, both domestically and abroad. He establishes why travel is vital for Americans. He takes the guesswork out of basic traveling questions, getting you from the start of planning a trip all the way to the return home. By examining each piece of traveling-packing, paperwork, getting there, lodging, sights to see, food, etc.-Samans helps Americans new to traveling feel comfortable and well prepared for their trip. Considerable time is spent discussing how to get to the destination: airplane, train, car, bus, cruise. By exploring many options, the reader feels freer to actually choose the best fit. This is also helpful for those who may be scared to fly. Who knew there were so many other viable options? Another extremely beneficial section describes many travel destinations, both domestic and foreign, which are suitable for a first-time traveler. Each destination is given a brief description with highlights of places to see and the general vibe of the area. While this is certainly not the only information one would need to plan a trip, it does provide an overview and open the possibilities of many destinations to the reader. Overall, Spontaneous Tourism is a great resource for Americans new to traveling to feel both excited and confident to travel the world! Armchair Interviews says: Start planning--and then take that trip of your dreams.

A thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of sound advice, practical tips, effective stratagems

James C. Samans is an experienced traveler who averages more than 200,000 miles a year going around the country and around the world by air, rail, road, and sea. In "Spontaneous Tourism: The Busy Person's Guide To Travel", Samans draws upon his impressive expertise and broad range of experiences to address such compelling issues as why travel matters, how it works, common obstacles encountered by travelers, and solutions to a diverse range and spectrum travel problems. From how to get the best deal on short notice, to selecting an airline, to going by car, boat or train, what to pack, how to schedule, figuring out what to do upon arrival, and so much more, "Spontaneous Tourism" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of sound advice, practical tips, effective stratagems that will ensure a successful trip be it across America or around the globe. If you like to bet the most out of your travel experience, whether its first class or on a budget, start by reading James Samans' "Spontaneous Tourism"!

Comprehensive travel guide for busy people

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (09/07) There are very few people nowadays who decide to use a ship as the means of transport for a transatlantic voyage, and even fewer people who have the time and money to explore any location in real depth. Most of us are overly busy and any travel explorations are very often just short side-trips when we are away on business or maybe simply extended weekend trips to some of the famous locations. Although travel has become much easier, simpler and in many ways less expensive than it has been in the past, many people still hesitate to go and see the world. The reasons for that can be manifold, but very often they simply lay in the fear of the unknown and the relative unfamiliarity with the process. For all of those overly-busy and reluctant travelers "Spontaneous Tourism" by James C. Samans should end all of the excuses and send them happily on many adventures in the future. Starting with a charming short story called "Travels with Harry," written by Larry Tritten, Mr. Samans clearly explains why we should travel. Then he proceeds with extremely detailed chapters on all aspects of travel, from how to get to a certain destination, including invaluable tips on how to choose the best mode of transportation for any given trip and any given type of a traveler, to how to get ready and organized, how to plan, where to stay, what to do and where to stay. I found those first ten chapters fantastically well-researched and enormously informative. The next two chapters deal with domestic and international travel destinations, each of them presented on two or three pages. I liked these two chapters considerably less, mostly because I found them very uninspiring. While I realize that it would be impossible to give a comprehensive overview of any city in such a limited space, I found all of the recommendations very run-of-the-mill variety. In some cases there were some quite amusing errors as well, such as the info about the ferry to the New Orleans Zoo (no ferry runs there, just a hideously overpriced tourist boat ride - yet there is a ferry to the fantastic section of Algiers, which was not mentioned by the author). Oh, and Jackson Square is not a site of a historic brewery - that was a little bit further down... The Square itself witnessed a long line of significant historical events, yet not one of them is mentioned. After those two slightly disappointing chapters the book becomes very interesting and useful again, with sections on Further Reading and References, Airlines, Hotels and Lodgings, Rental Car Companies, Major Currencies of the World and Packing List. Overall I found "Spontaneous Tourism" very interesting and truly useful for novice to intermediate travelers. Even the seasoned travelers should be able to find a lot of useful tidbits, new ideas and interesting approaches, so I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody who is interested in seeing the world.