While many of our typical July travel plans have been put on hold for 2020, – whether it was a trip to the Mediterranean, a long drive across the European countryside, or skiing on New Zealand’s picturesque mountains – there are still plenty of ways to escape at-home. Getting lost in a gripping and awe-inspiring book, among them.
Now you can escape to your favourite holiday destinations and not feel like you’re missing out on that overseas adventure. Below, we’ve rounded up just some of the best audiobooks to listen to in an attempt to fill the travel-sized void many might be feeling.
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If your would-be holiday included Spanish tapas, Parisian culture, and Santorini sunsets, here are a few listens to get you closer to that European summer.
Almost French, by Sarah Turnbull, narrated by Caroline Lee
After backpacking her way around Europe, journalist Sarah Turnbull was ready to embark on one last adventure before heading home to Sydney. A chance meeting with a charming Frenchman in Bucharest changes her travel plans forever. Combine a very French Frenchman together with a strong-willed Aussie girl and the result is some spectacular – and often hilarious – cultural clashes.
The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, narrated by Sean Runnette
The Pilgrimage serves as part adventure story, part guide to self-discovery as Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho makes his way across northern Spain. The compelling tale delivers the perfect combination of enchantment and insight.
If your dream destination included skiing, hiking and Queenstown spas we recommend these winter warmers.
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, narrated by Laurel Lefkow
Wild is an unforgettable journey of self-discovery written by international best-selling author Cheryl Strayed. “I think the book that had the biggest impact on my life was Wild by Cheryl Strayed,” actress Reese Witherspoon once told Harper’s Bazaar. “It’s the first book that I optioned to turn into a movie that I was producing and starring in. I was really nervous and I asked Cheryl if it would be okay to option her book, but I didn’t really have a track record as a producer, but she took that leap of faith with me and I’ll be forever grateful.”
Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie, multi-cast narration
An all-time classic, Murder on the Orient Express is Agatha Christie’s award-winning murder mystery. The audible dramatisation follows the train as it’s stopped dead in its tracks at midnight, where its stranded passengers soon become suspects as the race to uncover the murderer begins before he or she strikes again.
If your perfect escape included a one-way ticket, backpacking, yoga, and hostel living, give these nomad-like reads a go.
Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, narrated by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eat, Pray, Love is a journey around the world, a quest for spiritual enlightenment, and a story for anyone who has battled with divorce, depression, and heartbreak.
The Beach, by Alex Garland, narrated by Alfie Allen
The Beach is a 1996 novel by English author Alex Garland. Set in Thailand, it details the story of a young backpacker’s search for a legendary, idyllic, and isolated beach untouched by tourism, and his time there in its small, international community of backpackers.
If you’re feeling inspired by Australia’s own expansive landscape, escape into these homegrown tales.
Taboo, by Kim Scott, narrated by Kim Scott
Taboo takes place in the present day, in the rural southwest of Western Australia, and tells the story of a group of Noongar people who revisit, for the first time in many decades, a taboo place: the site of a massacre that followed the assassination, by these Noongar’s descendants, of a white man who had stolen a black woman. What follows is a mysterious and idealistic story about a young woman cast into a drama that has been playing for over 200 years.
Too Much Lip, by arrated by Tamala Shelton
Wisecracking Kerry Salter has spent a lifetime avoiding two things – her hometown and prison. But now her Pop is dying, and she’s an inch away from the lockup, so she heads south on a stolen bike. Kerry plans to spend 24 hours, tops, over the border, but quickly discovers that Bundjalung country has a funny way of grabbing on to people.
