Which Book to take to Australia with me?

[Niamh]

Okay so i'm in a book Dilemma. I'm off to Australia on the 10th of September for three weeks and am trying to sort out what books to bring with me. So far i'm definitely bringing the following;
Persuasion By Jane Austen
Yes Man by Danny Wallace
Wide Sargasso Sea By Jean Rhys
The History of Killeen Castle By Mary Rose Carty
and whatever book wins the september read. (go We!)
The problem is, i want to bring one more book, but i'm not sure which one to bring!!! So i've attached a poll with the ten books i've narrowed down to, so if you guys dont mind helping me out by voting which book i should bring, the the book with the most votes is the book i take down under! you csn vote for more thsn one book!

Neverwhere (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwhere_(novel))
The Princess Bride (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride)
The Crystal Cave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Cave)
Snow White Turtle Dove
North and South (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_and_South_(1855_novel))
The Magicians Guild (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magicians_Guild)
Annan Waters (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/kate-thompson/annan-water.htm)
like a flowing river (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_the_Flowing_River)
Sabriel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabriel)
A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_nice_cup_of_tea_and_a_sit_down)

[Dark Muse]

I had to go with Crystal Cave, becasue I loved Mary Stewart's Arthur books. And it is the only book upon that list which I have read.

[Niamh]

the Merlin Trilogy is probably the books that i have read the most. i love that series!! Genius!

[applepie]

Had to go with The Princess Bride. I love that story:) I hope you will have a good trip. ~Meg~

[Niamh]

thanks Meg!

[barbara0207]

I voted for North and South because if you like Austen I'm sure you'll like Gaskell, too. :)

[papayahed]

I'll pick Neverwhere just because I was looking at it in the bookstore yesterday.

[Niamh]

most of those books i've read before. And I do like Gaskell Barbara! I only read North and South a few months ago, but i just love the story!

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes, North and South.

Have a good trip.

[papayahed]

Hey, wouldn't an ereader come in handy.

[Niamh]

probably but i like the idea of holding an actual book.

[Virgil]

Of those books the only one I've heard of is North and South and I've never read it. So I can't help you. But take something fun. You're on vacation. :)

[Niamh]

well there are links there to all the books bar one (as its not officially out yet!) so you could read the synopsis and then vote on the one you think sounds the best? :D

[Joreads]

Wow we look forward to seeing you here

[kasie]

I've given this answer to about-to-be travellers before, Niamh, but I'll ask again: why are you even considering taking so many books???? You have to carry them! Those airport corridors are long. Your case will get heavier and heavier (even if you don't succumb to buying little goodies while you are away) and books will take up quite a bit of your precious weight allowance.

What are you planning to do while you are in Australia? Aren't you going to see the sights? Surely you are not going to sit and read all day? Just the change in routine, let alone the stimulation of all the new sights and new people you'll meet will be more than enough mental stimulation. Are you working, by any chance? If so, just the change in routine will be tiring, let alone Jet Lag.

Travelling is tiring - even that daunting 24 hr flight will tire you and you'll sleep for part of it. You will, believe me, I did it last year. (You may feel like nothing on earth when you wake up but you will sleep. :yawnb:) You will have been travelling for much of the day, getting to the airport, hanging around at the airport, so you will be tired before you even start the flight.

And - though it may seem like a Bus Man's Holiday to you (:D) there are actually bookshops in Australia - and they have (some) different titles to the ones here! I had a great time in one in Melbourne, could have spent a fortune on Aussie titles - and the people behind the counter were great: they agreed to let me be locked in the shop overnight - as long as I brought the gin! (They reckoned they partied every night when the store was closed - but they looked too tanned for that so I don't know that I believed them!)

I took three books with me, very light, undemanding things, bought more on the way (I was there for a month), donated all of them to my cousins in Perth, bought more for the China trip, swopped with people in the party and as a result read books I wouldn't have looked at before, and came home with - nothing! Had to pop into the Smiths on Reading station before catching the train on the last lap home - and the autumn titles had come out while I was away so I was spoiled for choice. So - whatever you take, don't take anything precious that you may want to re-read - you may not come home with it!

Have a great trip - whereabouts in Australia are you going? Oh, and btw - don't lose your make-up: I lost my favourite lipstick en route, tried to replace it only to discover they have a different range of colours there, suitable for the sunbronzed look, nothing for pale English (Welsh) roses - I don't take a tan - so had to go without for the rest of the trip!

[Niamh]

Tree of the books i am bringing are very small and would more than likely be read on plane journey there!
Also i'm on a budget, so its cheaper for me to bring books with me. (i will go into shops of course and it will be very difficult for me to say no!!!)
I'm doing some internal flights plus a ten hour train journey from Cairns to the whitsundays, so need to read to pass time!!
They will go into my small back pack that i'm bringing as hand lugague. the only other stuff in there will be refreashing wipes, deoderant and clean top and underwear. :)

[kasie]

OK - I'll let you get away with that list then! But seriously, think twice about the weight. Not only is it a long way dragging a case through the airport, the heat hits you when you step off the plane, especially in Queensland.

Last year Qantas would allow only one piece of hand luggage - but the lady on the desk at Heathrow let me stuff my handbag into my handluggage to pass as 'one bag', though I think regulations may have been slackened a bit this year. How long are you in Cairns? I enjoyed the train journey up to Karunda and the cable car ride down and the day out to the Great Barrier Reef of course, but I didn't much enjoy the trip out to the crocodile farm though the river part was interesting, mangrove swamps and wild crocs.

[Niamh]

the good thing is that when i get off the plane, my sister will be there to meet me so she can take a bag. Also i can leave some of my stuff with her when i'm off to Cairns nad the Whitsundays. Only going to be in Cairns for three days. Doing a tour of Dantree, Cape Tribulation and Port Douglas while there! Then taking the Train to Proserpine to stay on Airlie Beach for two nights before going back to Sydney. cant wait!:D
I've had to do the "stuff handbag into hand luggage" thing in Bristol Airport. Wasnt allowed to go through security unless i did. almost burst my bag!
The weight of the books i wont mind. I'm generally use to carrying about three books around.

[WICKES]

What about D H Lawrence's novel set in Australia?

[bouquin]

How about stories that are set in Australia? The works of Tim Winton, for instance.

[Niamh]

well two of the authors on that list are Australian; Trudi Canavan and Garth Nix.
Besides this list was narrowed down from a few hundred books! A cant start considering other books at this stage. :( I spent hours going over my books as it is!

[DeadAsDreams]

Neverwhere is a great read.

[lyni]

yes I have to agree with Kasie. aren't you coming here to see some of our sites? you can't sit and read all day and night.
but - if I had to choose from your list Niamh I would go for the two Australian authors (yes I am biased) The Magicians Trilogy - I have read it and enjoyed it.
also Sabriel and the other three books of that series, they were good too.

enjoy you trip over here. we are just coming into spring and the weather is improving.

[Niamh]

*sighs*
I'm not going to be sitting around readingbooks all day. these are just for my journeys to, from and within Australia. :) I swore i mentioned this twice already, but nevermind!
Yes Lyni!!!:D those two series' are great!:D read them about twice :D. Whats even better is Cecila Dart Thorntons Bitterbynde Saga. (i think she is anther Aussie???)

[Niamh]

Only a few more days to vote people!!! :D

[Scheherazade]

I am afraid I have not read even single one of these books :-/

And have heard of only few.

I think it is time I changed my "geek" avatar!

[Niamh]

I am afraid I have not read even single one of these books :-/

And have heard of only few.

I think it is time I changed my "geek" avatar!

But you could check out some of the links, and vote for hte one that you think is the most interesting?:D

[manolia]

Come on Niamh..skip the poll and take neverwhere with you :D

[Niamh]

hehehe! am tempted! :p
But if i was really going to do that, it would probably be the crystal cave!!!! :D

[DapperDrake]

If you're taking The Idiot with you I'd of thought that would be more than enough. ok perhaps plus one or two other small books.

[sprinks]

:banana: Yay! :D Although, one of these days you have to come down to where I am in WA :D. I'm going over east soon though, for an educational trip :D. I had to vote for Sabriel because #1 yes I too am biased, had to vote for an Aussie; and #2 because my dad made me get that series and I still haven't read it. I should soon.... Perhaps when I go over east!! :p

It's interesting to see so many Aussies pop up in this thread :lol:

[Niamh]

:banana: Yay! :D Although, one of these days you have to come down to where I am in WA :D. I'm going over east soon though, for an educational trip :D. I had to vote for Sabriel because #1 yes I too am biased, had to vote for an Aussie; and #2 because my dad made me get that series and I still haven't read it. I should soon.... Perhaps when I go over east!! :p

It's interesting to see so many Aussies pop up in this thread :lol:

You havent read it??!!!!!! :eek: Sprinks its really good! I like Lirael best out of the series. :nod: and yes you should read them when you go east!!!
I'd also recommend the The Black Magicians trilogy by Trudi Canavan and definitely The Bitterbynde Saga by Cecila Dart Thornton.
I'm regreating not heading over a week earlier (but i could get that time off) because i would deffo have taken a trip over west, to Perth, because my favourite Medium David Wells is on tour!!!

I think you are the second Aussie to appear!

[Niamh]

coupel of days left to help me choose everyone! :D

[Statistic]

Eh, all of those books sound extra boring. I'd take the biggest one and use it for a pillow.

[Niamh]

A lot of those books are actually really really good. The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart is great. I'm assuming you havent read them. :)

[kasie]

Niamh, if I don't get the chance before Wednesday - Bon Voyage to you and whichever book accompanies you. Have a wonderful trip and please tell us about it when you return. I will probably have left for South Africa when you get back but will catch up with your travels when I return in early November, I hope.

[Niamh]

Dont worry! the Photos taken by you thread will be filled with pics! :D safe journey to SA Kasie!

[Niamh]

few more hours.....

[Niamh]

North and south it is then! just put it in my bag.

[sprinks]

You havent read it??!!!!!! :eek: Sprinks its really good! I like Lirael best out of the series. :nod: and yes you should read them when you go east!!!
I'd also recommend the The Black Magicians trilogy by Trudi Canavan and definitely The Bitterbynde Saga by Cecila Dart Thornton.
I'm regreating not heading over a week earlier (but i could get that time off) because i would deffo have taken a trip over west, to Perth, because my favourite Medium David Wells is on tour!!!

I think you are the second Aussie to appear!

huh. It seemed like a lot more. Maybe it was just all the mentions of Australia :lol:.

I'll be sure to read it soon :D. It'll be my books for reading on the bus :D. As well as for the plane ride in about 4 weeks :D. And I'll check out those other ones :)

[Christophe]

Sorry I missed out on giving some advice here. If you get a chance, pick up True History of the Kelly Gang. It's probably the greatest Australian novel ever. Might help explain Australian people a little too.