It’s Funny Travel Books Time!
As you might have gathered, the Travel Tart blog is a fairly silly collection of travel snippets from around the globe. Funnily enough, my taste in Travel Literature leans towards the funny, offbeat and downright hilarious.
Hence, I’ve compiled a list of my all time favourite Funny Travel Books below. I found these Funny Travel Books to be great reads, and a great distraction from the everyday grind.
These novels and memoirs are listed below in no particular order.
Here we go.
1. No Shitting In The Toilet – Peter Moore.
The title is inspired from an actual sign – and I must admit, is an attention grabber. The book is a series of travel realities that are laugh-out-loud, but they are all so true. I can relate to all of these Funny Travel Tips Peter talks about.
Favourite bit: Accommodation – The Top 10 Shitholes.
2. The Wrong Way Home – Peter Moore.
This is my favourite journey piece from Peter. He needs to travel back home from London to Sydney. Instead of taking a plane, he decides to travel the entire distance overland and takes him about 8 months or so. Remember, that’s half way around the globe without taking a flight. I can relate to Peter choosing the Tight Arse option of transport all too well!
Favourite bit: Undertaking AK-47 gun lessons in Taliban Afghanistan.
3. Playing The Moldovans At Tennis – Tony Hawks.
This Funny Travel Book is a result of a drunken bet. Tony is watching England play Moldova in a soccer World Cup qualifier. He bets with his mate that he can beat the entire Moldovan Soccer Team at tennis. Tony then trys to track down the entire team in Moldova, and wherever else they live to play tennis. If he loses, he has to do a striptease at his local pub.
Favourite bit: His mate substituting one of the Moldovan soccer players with a crack tennis player to ensure Tony doesn’t win the bet.
4. Where’s Wallis? – Brian Thacker.
This Funny Travel Book is pretty much throwing a dart at a world map and travelling there without a guidebook. Brian attempts travelling in west Africa, Wallis and Futuna (some islands somewhere in the Pacific) and Kyrgyzstan without taking any guidebook whatsoever, making sure he’s totally unprepared.
Favourite bit: Meeting the old Frenchman ‘Blanc Blanc’ the sex tourist in Western Africa.
5. Molvania – A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry.
This is where Lonely Planet meets Monty Python. Basically, it’s a satirical guidebook about the fictional country of Molvania, which I think is located somewhere around the Eastern European region. The book is structured like a guide book, but the text is a complete piss take.
Favourite bit: The ‘How To Get There’ description. ‘Most people get to Molvania either by air and by accident.‘
Some of these authors also appeared in my 52 Offbeat Travel Tips!
Funny Travel Books – How About Yours?
Anyway, I highly recommend you reading these Funny Travel Books from some of my favourite Funny Travel Writers.
I guarantee that if you have a sense of humour, you will experience some good belly laughs.
So get out there and read some stuff on Funny Travel! If you’ve got an suggestions for other Funny Travel Books, fire away!
See more at Travel Books with a Laugh, Lonely Planet Guides and Best Travel Books.
27 Comments
WildJunket · at
Funky post, loved it! I’ll definitely check out ‘The Wrong Way Home’ – sounds like a good read!
Joe Cawley · at
May I be so bold as to recommend my own: More Ketchup than Salsa – Confessions of a Tenerife barman. It’s about swapping a career in fish entrails on a Lancashire market for a life as a British bar owner abroad.
I think it’s good. And so does my Mum.
Joe Cawley’s last blog post..Canary Islands under the sea
Jackie · at
Just finished your book, Joe. It was a real treat to read, and made me laugh out loud several times. Keep up the good work 🙂
Philly · at
you must add A.A. Gill’s hilarious (and at times incredibly moving) A.A. Gill Is Away to your list!
1002things · at
Thanks! I’ve been looking for some good summer reading and all of these look perfect.
1002things’s last blog post..A Minor Change in Plans
Tim Russell · at
"Frost on my Moustache" by Tim Moore. Probably the funniest book in any genre I’ve ever read.
Added you to my blogroll btw.
Annabel Candy · at
The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost is quite funny once you get used to his style. Thanks! Got to check some of these out.
Lynne · at
Agreed, Troost’s books are a good time. Sex Lives, Getting Stoned with Savages and Lost on Planet China were both funny and painted vivid pictures.
Amy · at
I haven’t read any of the above but have read “Round Ireland with a Fridge” by Tony Hawks and “Rule number 5 No sex on the bus” by Brian Thacker and both had me in fits! Awesome travel writers!
England Travel Ideas · at
Sound like some good books, especially the first one. What has been your favorite vacation place yet?
-Jack
[email protected] and Breakfasts · at
What are you, on Peter Moore’s payroll? Nah, I’m joking – I love his books too. Though the Molvania guidebook is priceless. I keep my copy in the guest bathroom and I can’t tell the number of times people have come out holding the book and asking “Did you travel here?”
.-= [email protected] and Breakfasts´s last blog ..Panama Ecotourism and Culture =-.
Cape Town Accommodation · at
Tony hawks and Peter Moore are both great writers. Love their travel inspiration they bring out when your reading
Accommodation · at
Tony Hawks and Peter Moore are both great writers.
Johnny Vagabond · at
I would second the suggestion of “Round Ireland with a Fridge” — funny stuff. I’d also recommend Jeff Greenwald’s “Size of the World – One Around without Leaving the Ground” — a hilarious attempt to circumnavigate the globe without taking a flight.
.-= Johnny Vagabond´s last blog ..Vagabond Travel Tip #3 — Don’t Forget the Friendly Hat =-.
Packabook · at
Have you read ‘One Hit Wonderland’ by Tony Hawks, where he sets out to get a number one song in Albania? I have had it recommended to me as I have a bit of fascination with countries from that region…but haven’t tried it yet! Though if it is anything like his others, I am sure it’s very funny.
.-= Packabook´s last blog ..Readers Recommend – Books set in Italy, China and Japan =-.
smart traveller · at
Will definitely have to check out the Molvania book sounds like a great little comedy read. Anything pythonesque is always good for a laugh
Keep up the good work Tart 🙂
.-= smart traveller´s last blog ..Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort – Epcot – Part 4 =-.
Bohinj ECO Hotels · at
Peter Moor is definitely the one with talent for engaging writing. Probably this is the reason you picked few of his books. I like them to. Looking forward for extended book listings.
[email protected] in Thailand · at
I wouldn’t indulge in the AK47 adventure though. US homeland security will have you put on their blacklist, isolate you in Guantanamo, Washboard you until you confess things you’ve never even knew existed. So skip that one 🙂
Zonvakantie Tenerife · at
Thanks for the list, I’m almost on my way to the sun (going no vacation in Tenerife) and taking The Wrong Way Home by Peter Moore with me. The summary already made me giggle so it should be fun!
Simon Coleman · at
I have many favorite travel books, but the one and it is not a book as such, is Indi Travel. This blog is full of ideas, experiences and of course links to the best places and what to look out for in your travels.
Rachel · at
I keep my copy in the guest bathroom and I can’t tell the number of times people have come out holding the book. Though if it is anything like his others, I am sure it’s very funny.
Tim Russell · at
I don’t find Peter Moore even remotely amusing though his books are enjoyable in a lightweight sort of way. But funny? No.
For real travel belly laughs, check out Tim Moore (no relation) – in particular “Frost on my Moustache” and “French Revolutions”.
TripFiction · at
What a good list. A nice addition might be Road to Rouen by Ben Hatch which is the story of his trip with little ones around France.
Anthony The Travel Tart · at
Cool, thanks for the tip!
Amanda · at
Excellent! Adding them to the list. I’m always on the look out for funny travel books / anecdotes, there needs to be more in my opinion! 🙂
Anthony The Travel Tart · at
Thanks Amanda!
Patrick Kalani · at
Places in the Heat by Dennis Foster!