EatPrayLove

Eat, Pray, Love Tourism Frenzy Begins

If you want to start a fight among people who love to travel, raise the subject of Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love. It was a bestseller, which means that many people really liked it, but the backlash against it has been pretty vociferous -- in summary: self-absorbed, navel-gazing, "me, me, I, I," not-really-travel-writing, crap.

A good even-handed exploration of the backlash is here. Personally, I thought the book was fine and believe that the strong negative reaction is actually against the concept of a woman who does not follow a cookie cutter path to being a happy wife and mother. Although I will concede that the movie's official URL - letyourselfgo.com is cringe worthy.

Anyway, in August, the book that people love to hate will be better known as a movie that they'll love to hate, starring Julia Roberts who many people love to hate, or hate to love. (To say nothing of eating and praying.)

Since there's an obvious travel tie-in, get ready for many EPL-themed travel packages. My colleague, Deb West, wrote about an early adopter this past January, and now there's news that guidebook publisher Lonely Planet is a promotional partner of the film. There's even a special page to help you plan your own Eat, Pray, Love journey.

Here's hoping no one hates you for it.

Tags: EatPrayLove, feminism, julia roberts, movies

Eat, Pray, Love Tour in Bali

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a memoir in 2006 titled Eat, Pray Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia which became a national bestseller. The book takes the reader along the author's personal quest for equilibrium after a messy divorce and other life snafus. Really it focuses on one woman's question "What am I doing with my life?" Her journey's final stop is in Bali where she starts to find her center and balance. Her search is partially about finding love with an appropriate man but really more significantly learning how to know, love and appreciate herself.

Soon to be a major motion picture staring Julia Roberts the story so captivated readers that it was one of only two books to be on the New York Times Paperback Bestseller list every week of 2008. For those of you who made New Year's resolutions to really examine their life Spirit Quest Tours has organized an amazing spiritual journey to Bali based on the book. The trip will take place in May 2010 and can accommodate thirty-five travelers departing from either New York or Los Angeles. It is a good compromise for those who are not writers and can't leave their desk jobs for a year to travel the world and find themselves.

While the tour has been inspired by the book there are some key differences. First, the tour organizers don't guarantee that you will find love on the vacation and they do not make you stay in little cottages. They do promise that all participants will be pleased to stay in four star accommodations, eco-friendly and with spas, rather than the little cottages enjoyed by the author. The tour does include a visit with Ketut Liyer, an authentic Balinese shaman, who advised Elizabeth Gilbert during her four month stay in Bali. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit local temples, time for yoga and meditation, shopping for items made by local artisans and traditional Balinese dance ceremonies including the Kecak dance. To view the exact itinerary click here.

Will the trip change your life? Who knows, but it does sound like a nice vacation and that seems to be something that is on the top of many to do lists!

Tags: bali, balinese, Eat Pray Love, EatPrayLove, Elizaeth Gilbert, ElizaethGilbert, julia roberts, JuliaRoberts, Love, vacation