National Geographic’s ‘Ultimate Journeys for Two’ Dares Couples to Dream Big and Embrace Adventure [REVIEW]

Indulgent spa days. Languid afternoons whiled away on sunny beaches and nights wrapped in high thread count sheets. Fine wine and epic meals served at Michelin star restaurants. While those things might be what some honeymooners dream of doing together as they enter the wonderful world of marriage, you won’t find those things described in Mike and Anne Howard’s Ultimate Journeys for Two. Rather, they invite you to venture off the beaten path and blaze new trails as you discover one another and the world around you.

Before I get into the book itself, it helps to know a bit about the authors. They never set out to become the world’s longest honeymooners. They were simply a young couple who wanted to use their youthful vitality to tackle their wish list of places they would like to see together. So they scrimped and saved and planned to spend a year abroad before getting back to life as most of us know it. The thing is, the travel bug bit them hard and they didn’t want to stop experiencing all the amazing things the world has to offer. So they started HoneyTrek, a travel blog chronicling their escapades abroad and encouraging other travelers to begin taking a few more detours as they ventured out into the world.

The book is divided up into eleven chapters based on the experiences the reader most likes to have, whether they love the mountains, floating down rivers, exploring islands, taking safaris, or are fascinated by history and architecture. Other chapters take you to the high seas, trekking over deserts and dunes, bundling up for the icy snow-capped tundra, looking for wildlife in the rain forest, taking road trips, or discovering ethereal supernatural phenomenon.

The best part about this book, and what separates it from other travel guides I’ve read is that it doesn’t direct readers to the same places every other book does. This volume really does encourage you to leave gaps in your schedule so that you can learn the rhythm of a locale and roll with it, so that you experience a place the way the natives do and thus build richer, more organic memories along the way.

I have to say that my absolute favorite section of this book though is the one called Travel Smart. Here, the authors not only discuss dream itineraries and when is the best time to visit each part of the world, but they get into the nitty gritty regarding how to financially plan your trip, the best way to book travel, how and what to pack, and they explain the different kinds of lodging you might encounter. They even teach us that it is possible to barter lodging or work your way around the globe, and trade dinner reservations at restaurants for a dinner party or maybe even share a meal with locals to get the full flavor of a particular vicinity. Personally, I had never even heard of many of these options, so they are all rather intriguing, and I can’t way to try some of them in the future!

Ultimate Journeys for Two is written in a vibrant, engaging manner that will really ignite your wanderlust and make you want to hit the road once again. It makes what may have seemed previously impossible now seem within reach, and you’ll love all the stories they tell along the way. If you’re looking to plan your life after COVID, read this book now so you can start making your own dreams of travel come true too.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mike and Anne Howard left for their honeymoon in January 2012 and have been exploring the globe ever since on what has become the World’s Longest Honeymoon.

Using Anne’s background as a national magazine editor and Mike’s as a digital marketing executive and photographer, they created HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey across 50+ countries and share tips with fellow couples looking to make their own travel dreams a reality.

Having reviewed over 150 luxury hotels and excursions across all seven continents, they know the five-star side of travel, but also know how to get to the heart of local culture.

The Howards’ remarkable journey has been acclaimed by Condé Nast Traveler, Los Angeles Times, Brides, CBS, and Microsoft, where the Howards starred in their global TV commercial. Their travel advice has been the subject of feature articles in U.S. News and World Report, Martha Stewart Weddings, Washington Post, and Lonely Planet.

Firm believers that love and travel make the world a better place, they continue to spread this message and their know-how as Smithsonian speakers and National Geographic authors.

For more information, visit Mike and Anne on their Website, like them on Facebook, subscribe to them on YouTube, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

ULTIMATE JOURNEYS FOR TWO: EXTRAORDINARY DESTINATIONS ON EVERY CONTINENT
By Mike and Anne Howard
272 pp. National Geographic. $26.99

Purchase Ultimate Journeys for Two direct from Jathan & Heather Books or from one of these fine online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Half Price Books, Hudson Booksellers, IndieBound, Powell’s, Target, or Walmart.

Ultimate Journeys for Two is brought to you in association with TLC Book Tours.