The Excursionist

Author/Guide: J D Sumner

Why a Booktrail?

2000s: Why do we travel?

ISBN: B06XHPL62D
Genre: Humour, Travelogue

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What you need to know before your trail

Jack Kavanagh is nearly a hundred. He longs to visit one hundred countries and the join the Travellers’ Century Club before his landmark birthday. There is just one problem: he’s not what you would call a keen traveller and although he has been to 97 countries in the past with others, this is the first time he will be travelling alone since his partner Kay died.

However, he sets off and heads to the Coronation Islands. All he has to do is tick off his last three countries. He soon discovers that the more of the world he sees, the less he understands.

The Excursionist is about the entire travel experience and why we do it.

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Travel Guide

The Travellers Century Club

The TCC was in in inaugurated in 1954 and is limited to travellers who have visited one hundred or more countries. The benefits are ‘more self-satisfying than anything tangible’. The website offers camaraderie and friendship among the members as well as networking opportunities’, worldwide recognitions of ‘bragging rights’ as well as ‘member-only pins which are updated with a member reaches higher levels of country visitations’

This is a real thing! look – travelerscenturyclub.org

The first place he heads to is Placentia in the fictional Coronation islands – its civil war lasted 8 months and is known for rhubarb apparently. There is a little bit of rhubarb inspired information here – the leaves cackle at night apparently which sounds a bit creepy. There have even been Rhubarb Riots on this island! Maybe a bit too much information but the backstory is different!

Jack does take travel guides and novels on his journey and this will really speak to fellow booktrailers! How about a three hour canoe ride? With people you’ve only just met? Ah the joys of solo travel. There are laws of travel too according to Jack such as the ratio between the number of hotel rooms and the people in them – the fewer the rooms, the more likely you are to talk to someone and the more likely the fact that they will be interesting”

There is one pearl of wisdom in particular however – “If you travel, all you are aware of is the countries you haven’t visited and the places you haven’t seen”

Booktrailer Review

Susan: @thebooktrailer

As anyone reading this blog will know, I love, live and breathe travel and books which take you to places. So when Jack Kavanagh came into my life, I hoped I would go on an amazing journey with a fellow lover of travel. It’s just that Jack doesn’t like travel. He just wants to tick countries off a list like apples or supermarket butter. If he gets to 100 countries, he can brag about being in the travellers club.

As I read however, my understanding of this travel tome changed and I started to understand it more – Jack meets people we all do – the cranky hotel staff, the noisy couple on the next table, the annoying children and no matter who you are and where you go, there are some things which never change.

There were times when the grumpiness got to me – a man writing about travel should really live and breathe it – but it is written tongue in cheek and from a writer who loves travelling in real life. It made me think of the instagram way of travelling now – people who go to a place just to take that shot to get likes or to say they’ve been and who might never see the place for real, unless it’s through the camera lens. Never really getting the point of travel or allowing a place to get under your skin. It’s very satirical and tongue in cheek. Just as well these islands featured are fictional as you’d never want to go there for real!

It’s a unique travelogue that’s for sure. Makes you think about why you travel and the real beauty behind it though!