LEVEL 2, RIGHT
EAST WING
Stack of six Lonely Planet guide books
Lonely Planet Publications: Central America on a Shoestring (8th edition, 2010); Mexico (12th edition, 2010); Hawaii (11th edition, 2013); New York City (5th edition, 2006); Scandinavia & Baltic Europe (4th edition, 1999); Germany (1st edition, 1998)
On loan from the personal collection of Bryce Connor (b. 1984)
In the years before we met each other, Bryce and I had both travelled a lot independently and had also both lived overseas for several years, so travel and exploration has been a huge part of our lives. By the time we got together in mid-2019, COVID-19 was just around the corner, which would end all non-essential international travel. As a result, the furthest Bryce and I have travelled together so far is up to Brisbane for a long weekend.
By the second year of COVID-19, I began noticing these Lonely Planet guide books appearing in our bookcase. Whenever Bryce would find one left at the community bookshelf on Hastings Parade, he’d bring it home with him. Having something exciting to look forward to, such as a big trip somewhere, is a huge motivator for Bryce. Even though we weren’t able to travel anywhere together at that moment, these books have provided the potential for future travel and adventures that we’d one day be able to experience together.
Of the books he’s collected so far, four of them appear very well-worn. Some of the books have sticky tabs added, or folded corners marking specific pages. Others have handwritten margin notes and ideas scribbled between paragraphs, detailing itineraries and potential accommodations. The Central America book features a map marked in green highlighter that indicates the route taken by some mystery traveller. In the Mexico book, we found a small card that someone had slotted between pages 182-183. The text is handwritten in silver pen on black paper, with gold foil stars on the reverse side.
It reads:
“You put up walls and paint them all a shade of grey and I stood there loving you and wished them all away
And you come away with a great little story of a mess, of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you”
It’s unique personalisations such as these that make second-hand books so special - even more so with travel books. Their pages are meant to be scribbled over with notes, reminders, recommendations, or even poetry detailing a lived experience. They are meant to be dog-eared and thrown into backpacks to tumble around during a big hike. They’re made to be damaged by the spray of a nearby waterfall; by the shot of tequila you don’t remember spilling; by the cliff jump you hadn’t planned to take. And when you’re done, they’re meant to be passed on to someone else, or left on your local community bookshelf, so the lessons learned, and even loves lost, can be shared with a new generation of world travellers.
In my view, a second-hand Lonely Planet guide without at least some damage or personal markings inside is a reminder of a dream never realised and an adventure never had.
I love how Bryce collects these books left behind by others, and how some day we too will be able to add our own notes and leave them behind for someone else to enjoy.