Ultimate Journeys For Two by Mike & Ann Howard

Ultimate Journeys For Two by Mike & Ann Howard

Published by National Geographic ISBN 9781426218392

Paperback, $26.99, 270 pages

If you know a couple who love to travel to exciting places and do extraordinary things, the new National Geographic book, Ultimate Journeys for Two is a perfect gift. Mike and Ann Howard, along with other travel-adventurous couples, take us along as they travel the world. 

The book is divided into chapters like Mountains, Lakes, Rivers & Falls, On Safari, and seven others. Each location has two pages devoted to it, with tips on the best time of year to visit, places to stay (both inexpensive and luxurious), ideas for romantic rendevous, and "honeytek tips". There are gorgeous photos and ideas for Couples Adventures for each location.

Besides Mike and Ann, who have traveled the world and share their ventures on their blog, HoneyTrek- The World's Longest Honeymoon, other couples share some of their favorite trips and advice. (Most of them also have blogs too.) The advice they share is interesting, and many have recurring items: dividing up responsibilities, communicating clearly, and taking time away for each other came up frequently. When traveling for long periods of time with just one other person, it's important to do that.

Many of them were able to travel by housesitting, an idea I found intriguing. There are communities out there where people look for housesitters, and doing this enables people to see other parts of the world inexpensively.

The couples also enjoyed getting to know people from other parts of the world. Mike and Ann love sports, so they would try to get involved in a volleyball game they ran across. Instead of using public transportation, they would catch a ride with a local who would often show them more interesting sights and invite to dine with the local's family.

I loved learning fun facts from their travels:

• You can cruise the canals in the Mekong Delta in your own floating hotel with a captain, chef, maid, barman and bikes and a rowboat for excursions
• Giant tortoises in the Galápagos nap for 16 hours a day
• The mating rituals of ostriches (the males dance for females' attention)
• There is a resort in Vietnam that is known as "Little Moscow" because Russians can visit visa-free via cheap flights
• You can enjoy a spa session in a rain forest waterfall in Daintree, Australia

If you're not ready to travel just yet, you can still enjoy reading all about the beautiful, exotic places across this planet. And if you are planning on trying out for Jeopardy!, this book is an excellent resource for all the geography questions.  The Howards and company take us to places I have never heard of, and what a journey it is.

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Mike and Ann Howard's tour.