Around the World in 80 Dates - Softcover

This may well be some of the best airplane reading ever. Part travel guide, part relationship primer, Around the World in 80 Dates mixes wry dating realities with preposterously romantic settings and a slightly more than backpacker budget. Author Jennifer Cox--an experienced travel journalist--gets friends around the world to act as matchmaker for an 80-date spree, and the result is, not surprisingly, highly entertaining.

As with dates everywhere, there are good (hot Swedish guy with a floating sauna), bad (hungover kid fresh from a Metallica concert), hysterically embarrassing (a shared pedicure turning into a poorly translated wart removal ordeal) and amazing (Mr. Soul Mate, Date No. 55). Almost every man goes out of his way to create sort of an ideal date--mostly involving Champagne and boats--and Cox's smirky humor and sincere desire to meet the man of her dreams combine for a sweetly honest--and honestly sweet--exploration of romance.

The romance kicks into high gear with No. 55, which happens over several days at Burning Man. She instantly feels he's "the One," but troops through toward the finish line, even daring to include No. 55 on a later date with No. 63. They sneak time together on a few continents, and it's with him that the serious romance happens (and their first date had nothing to do with either Champagne or boats). A life lesson or two are uncovered amidst the jet lag, and Cox hands those out with hard-earned wisdom that many women will recognize from their own lives. As for whether Mr. Soul Mate really turns out to be "the One," just think of it as a good mystery and don't peek--sometimes the journey is half the fun. --Jill Lightner

Tips and Tricks from Jennifer Cox

"Traveling solo gives you a sense of achievement." ~Jennifer Cox

Traveling Happy
"Traveling solo is brilliant," says Jennifer Cox, a seasoned travel writer and head of PR for Lonely Planet before she set out on her extraordinary journey to find Mr. Right--a quest she recounts in the delightfully witty and insightful Around the World in 80 Dates.

If the idea of traveling companion-free has been tempting you for a while, but apprehension of the unknown, or even the fear of looking like a "loser," has been holding you back, Ms. Cox has some advice that should help get you on your way, safe, happy, and confident.

"Trust your instincts." ~Jennifer Cox

Finding the One
"Take a look in the mirror. Like what you see? Good, then you’re in the right mood for dating." Finding your soul mate takes more than sheer luck or extravagant settings. It's about being in the right state of mind, suggests Jennifer Cox, who, after hitting four continents in six months in search of Mr. Right, came back with a thing or two, or ten, to share with men and women who are looking for that special someone.

From defining your "dating motto" to avoiding "date fatigue," find out how to keep your spirits high even after a date brought you low, and, most important, remember that "the One" is out there. "Don't give up. And don't settle for less than Mr. [or Mrs.] Right."

LIFE ETC...

I’m not a scientist, I’m a travel journalist. And maybe that’s why I decided to test my theory about love and work by dating 80 men, on four continents over six months.

To put it simply, my theory was that we Brits - with the longest working hours in Europe and the highest number of stress-related diseases to prove it – are too busy working to fall in love. I was so sick of surviving on relationship patches, which like nicotine patches staved off the desire without satisfying the need. I wanted the real thing – a glorious relationship with Mr. Right - and decided the only way I would find him was by going on a global search.

Before you write me off as an attention seeker with some contrived Sex and the Suitcase scenario, let me assure you I genuinely wanted to fall in love. And if going to such lengths sounds desperate or undignified, in all seriousness, don’t you think it’s about time we had the same ambition for our love life that we do for our job, gym and social life?

So I quit my job and invited my friends who all worked in the travel industry to become Date Wranglers in order to find me suitable dates by circulating my Soul Mate Job Description around their international networks.

After a few weeks, I had a tentative itinerary that started in the Netherlands, headed up through Scandinavia, down through Mediterranean Europe, onto the States, then Indo China and Australasia. So I set off in search of my Soul Mate and learned a lot about dating along the way.

--Jennifer Cox