This is an interesting travelogue with the first part dedicated to general thoughts on geotravel. Unfortunately, the author doesn't actually define geotravel nor distinguish which of the travels described in the "stories" section of the book actually count as geotravel. I found it a little difficult to distinguish what makes "geotravel" particular when compared to tourism in general. My understanding of geotravel is that it focuses on the landscape, on the experience of travelling through different places and what the geography means for places and stories. That is not at all what this book is about.
It is a whimsical exploration of the author's experiences travelling in different places. As a travelogue, it is a pretty good book and relatively enjoyable, but for me it was a bit of a disappointment as there is very little focus on the landscapes and geography of the places mentioned. I also found there is very little in the way of "off the beaten track". For example, in the section on Bavaria and travelling the Alps in that region, the author dedicated a chapter to Neuschwanstein castle, but nothing to the much more impressive historical building and museum that is Hohen Schwangau, which was the actual family summer seat in that region. Neuschwanstein was never even lived in, while the other castle right next door is the true gem. Considering the author mentioned in the beginning of the book that geotravel is less about going to major tourist sites and more about finding the hidden gems off the beaten track, that seemed a little contradictory for me.
Nevertheless, the places described and adventures shared are fun and mostly interesting. Some of the anecdotes were funny and others were intriguing. The travelogue section of the book is interspersed with photos that are grouped by section before the relevant stories are presented, so it did feel a little disjointed getting to see places before having them described in the book.
On the whole, I think this could be a fun read for people looking to visit the places the author mentions as there are some relevant tips on how to get the right kind of information about focusing on the experience rather than a massive itinerary one wants to force through. And it's a nice relaxed read.
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