Maps and legends

Do you daydream of winning the lottery and embarking on an endless roadtrip? Have you ever subscribed to two or more travel-oriented publications at the same time? Do you know who Samantha Brown is and have you at any time wished simply to be her lackey? And finally, have you ever been more distracted by the "Wild On" locations than the copious amounts of flesh on parade?

If you've answered "yes" to - oh, what the hell -- three or more of these questions, consider yourself a travel addict. Here's the good news: There is no cure. So, why not embrace your addiction by picking up some maps, guidebooks and travel ephemera from these quirky local shops? The hard stuff - airline tickets, rental cars, camels on the Gobi Desert - comes later.

Metsker Maps of Seattle

For starters, point your Birkenstocks toward Metsker Maps. Located in the Sanitary Market Building at Pike Place Market, Metsker is Seattle's own temple to commercial cartography. If it can be mapped in the heavens or on the planet Earth, they've probably got it in three sizes and in laminate.

The selection is overwhelming: old maps, new maps, nautical charts, astronomical charts, current maps of the world, maps of the old world, maps of the old New World, maps for kids, maps for teens, maps for geographically-challenged morons (me), rare maps, common maps, maps of the ocean floor, maps of the lunar surface, maps for map collectors, maps to hang on a wall, maps to frame, easy-fold maps, massive maps, pocket maps and digital maps for your PC, PDA or GPS. They've even got map lights. Essentially, they've got maps pretty well covered.

And globes. Like the maps, you're basically limited in selection only by your imagination or budget: Would you like a stand-alone work of art priced equivalent to a pre-owned Miata, or an inflatable topographical beach ball for just $7.95?

Metsker also stocks an extensive collection of travel books and guides, but as the name implies, maps make the Metsker experience.

Wide World Books and Maps

Conversely, books come first at Wallingford's Wide World Books and Maps, and for good reason: Wide World celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as the first book store in the nation devoted entirely to the subject of travel.

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Geoff Carter/NWsource

The front table of Wide World groups travel-savvy fiction with nonfiction, to inspire dream vacations or vacations in your dreams.

This is a dream factory for the wanderlust-afflicted. Here among the usual and not-so-usual travel guides, you'll also find current and classic works of fiction, memoirs and journals grouped together by destination. The famous Front Table is a constantly shifting collection of the latest titles available in hard or soft cover. Culture, history, religion, humor, food, drink, art, politics, war - somehow, the subject matter boils down to the very essence of travel: discovery.

Planning an extended trip abroad? You're going to need a few essentials like electrical aids, packing accessories and the like. Real travelers write, and this shop has a proper selection of tools for the job including Moleskin journals in a variety of sizes and formats and pens and pads that won't bleed or turn to mush in a tropical monsoon. Wide World also carries travel guru Rick Steves' line of gear along with a broad selection of light luggage, packs and duffels.

Like Metsker, Wide World sells all sorts of maps and globes, but the shop is also a meeting place for the travel-minded offering a monthly assortment of in-store presentations, seminars... even language lessons.

The old proverb goes "each journey begins with a single step." Even if you're not going anywhere, these two shops are great places to begin.