Paper book versus e-book – which one is the better travel-buddy?

A brief history
The history of books started around 6000 years ago when the Egyptians delivered written messages using papyrus rolls. Some time later, the Greeks came up with the idea of writing on parchment. People wrote on wood panels and wax tablets but every piece of written communication was a unique copy, written by hand. It was laborious and tedious. Until one Johan zu Gutenberg revolutionized the book market by inventing moveable type in Europe in 1450, making books less expensive and more available.

People started reading, the number of illiterates decreased and soon entertaining reads were in high demand as well.

The first e-book was the US Declaration of Independence in 1971. Soon after, handbooks and manuals were given out on CDs. When e-Ink appeared on the screen in 2007, the e-book started its triumphant progress.

The mobile book
Deciding between a paper and an e-book is a personal preference. Studies have shown, that the e-books practicability increased the average daily reading time from 35 minutes to 45 minutes, whereas most people prefer to read e-books in bed and paper books on the sofa or in the bathroom. Unsurprisingly, reading is most holidaymakers favourite activity. However, they still are very fond of paper books, especially when it comes to travel guides.

Pros paper book
Fans of paper books will always mention the irresistible feeling of opening a book, smelling the paper and feeling the pages slide through their fingers, heralding the adventure to come. The same goes for entering a bookshop, filled with unimaginable knowledge and millions of lives. Some books have artfully designed covers and pages which only work on paper. You can also add your personal touch to a paper book and fill it with your own memories by using a postcard as a bookmark, for example. Reading a paper book simply satisfies the need for experiencing something beautiful with all your senses. It draws your attention away from a screen for a change and makes you focus on one single thing. When it comes to travelling, most hostels and hotels offer books for a book swap which makes for social interaction and adds a certain cozy feel to a temporary home. And on the practical side, paper books don´t need electricity!

Pros e-book
An e-book on the other hand is light and small, you can carry it in almost any bag, which is obviously a massive advantage when on the road. It makes no sound and brings its own light, priceless features when sleeping in a dorm! You can fit hundreds and hundreds of books into a single e-reader and most of them will be significantly cheaper than the paper version. If you can´t find the right book for your mood you can choose any story from a whole world of books right where you are, that is, if your e-reader is connected to the internet. E-readers usually come with dictionaries and search tools and you can select the font size for additional convenience. They will set a bookmark for you so you don´t have to go through the pages trying to find the right chapter again. And if you feel sneaky, it is a lot easier to hide your current read from your surroundings, at least in theory.

If you still feel undecided, there is nothing to be worried about! The great new is, most books are still available as paper and electronic version.

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5 Great Things to Do in Iceland

Iceland is not only the land of midnight sun, but also a place for geysers, fjords, Icelandic horses, snow and many more. They inculcate Icelandic flavors in every adventure they offer to their tourists, and the locals are one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet in your life. Visiting Iceland should be on top of your bucket list and make sure to visit the country once in your lifetime. Friends of mine who own an Edmonton Roofing company have made Iceland one of their go to vacation destinations. To give you more reasons to love Iceland here are 5 great things to do when you’re in Iceland.

Horseback Riding
The most notable animal in the whole country would be the Icelandic horses. These horses have short legs but don’t be deceived because these short-legged creature is highly dependable, muscular and long-lived. People treat them with utmost importance to preserve the unique characteristics and avoid diseases, that’s why once one of these horses are transported out of Iceland, they make sure it will not return anymore. If you want to experience riding these fascinating creatures, try booking one of their horse riding tours.

Geyser
There are many geysers in Iceland, and one of the famous activities tourists do is see these impressive water eruptions directly from a hole in the surface of the Earth. Geysers are not a common site to every country so make sure you visit one of these, the most famous and the mother of all geysers is the Great Geysir. Unfortunately, it had stopped erupting water after an earthquake in 2000, instead, you may visit Strokkur, a fast-becoming tourist attraction in Iceland because of its non-stop eruption. You will have the pleasure of seeing it every 5 to 10 minutes, however, extra caution should be observed since the water from the geyser is boiling hot.

Whale Watching
Over the years, Iceland has become the whale watching capital of Europe. There are twenty three species of whale that are seen in the waters of Iceland, and the most common of these are the Minke whales that are seen all year round. If you’re rather lucky, you may see the bigger cetaceans like, Sperm whales, Humpback whales, or the rare, Blue Whale. Aside from whales, you are also in for a treat because dolphins are also spotted during whale watching tours.

Blue Lagoon

One of the must-do things when you visit Iceland is to experience their traditional geothermal spa in the popular Blue Lagoon. It is such a treat for tourists since it is just located near the airport so if you’re flight gets cancelled or delayed, grab a ride to this spa and relieve the stress by dipping in their warm waters. This mineral-rich waters are said to help those who are suffering from psoriasis and other skin diseases. The warm waters are renewed every two days and is supplied by the nearby geothermal power plant.

Aurora Borealis
One of the most beautiful cosmic wonder that will astonish anyone regardless of your age and belief is the Aurora Borealis, or most commonly known as the Northern Lights. Countries high above the northern hemisphere are blessed to see this dancing lights, and majority of the tourists that visit Iceland are Northern Light seekers. It’s not every night though that you can get to see it, so you have to be patient and bring in your lucky charm so that you’ll get to be fortunate enough to see it. Between the months of September and April are the best months, and the night has to be clear from obscuring clouds and the solar activity must be high for you to witness this phenomenon firsthand. By its sheer magnificence, one can be left breathless in awe.

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