Travel guides are actually like sand by the sea. New Zealand also has a wealth of literature in the form of travel guides in bookstores or on Amazon. Today I want the guide New Zealand live It is not my own and has been published by Bergwild-Verlag. I received a sample copy from the publisher to review it. It is a multimedia travel guide that breaks new ground.
Bergwild Verlag advertises a world first in the form of a comboBOOK on its website. This contains a hardcover edition with 430 pages, as you know it from other publishers. Coloured and with many photos you will find everything you need to know about New Zealand. The whole thing is divided into sections such as interesting facts and history, highlights, regions, etc. A separate section ‘So am ich’ makes suggestions for different types of travel (people who like it more exclusive or adventurers who are looking for action, travellers who are drawn to the water or who love loneliness, etc. find the relevant hints on travel tips in the guide).
New Zealand live It's all in one: Hardcover travel and hiking guide (432 pages, over 500 images), audiobook, e-book, app (Android & iOS), video reports and 87 GPS tracks. Already when scrolling through the bound edition, I noticed the above-mentioned outline, which suggests each travel type its favorites.
But I found it particularly exciting that the book comes with an 8 GB microSD card including SD and USB adapter. Suitable for all devices with MicroSD, SD or USB slot: Laptop, PC, smartphone, tablet, e-book reader, navigation device, MP3 player, car radio, TV and many more.
I looked at the memory card: The travel guide is available as an eBook (also in PDF format) for on the go. To get in the mood for the trip, you can listen to MP3 audio files on various destinations and routes or watch videos on specific topics, e.g. as MP4 videos. For hiking routes described in the guide, GPS tracks are included.
Travellers can prepare their trip perfectly with the ComboBOOK. On the other hand, she accompanies the package on site as a (GPS) tour guide, but the ‘classic’ guide in printed form can also be used to provide tailor-made tips for different types of travel (cultural people, adventurers, taste seekers, etc.). The book presents all regions of New Zealand individually and shows them on overview maps.
My conclusion: Overall, I think the concept of the multimedia travel guide was very successful and it was fun to browse the book and the multimedia editions. As an author who writes books himself and has already taken trips into the video area, I know how much effort such a project requires. Thumbs up for implementation. Or to put it another way: You spontaneously feel like packing your backpack and pulling it off.
In summary: In my opinion, the publisher has succeeded in combining the connection between conventional travel guides in printed form with the new possibilities of the multimedia age. With its content and technically creative all-rounder ComboBOOK, Bergwild Verlag has set new standards in the travel guide market. In this way, every reader can draw out the media content that suits him best. The travel guide was therefore awarded the Innovation Award of the ITB BuchAwards. New Zealand is likely to be very helpful for travel preparations live, as the possibilities go far beyond what can be found in a printed book.
On the content, so whether the travel descriptions are accurate, I can not say anything (I have never been to Hawaii, to say it with a popular hit). The reviews on Amazon, however, are positive by the bank. The book is, for example. at Amazon.de Available at a price of 34.95 euros.
It is nice that such information is now available to everyone, at an acceptable price. My tip, not only to NZ, with Google Street View to graze the most beautiful routes and places before the start of the trip, this saves time, fuel and power. When I was cycling there for 3 months 30 years ago, Swiss, German or Japanese people were asked about the highlights, which had come the farthest. When I “visit” the remote corners with Google today, it is only then that I realise what I have missed, a real shame. The same goes for Hawaii. I highly recommend both destinations. And don't forget: The Pacific is an endless water surface ………….;-)