Have you ever felt unsatisfied even after going on a dream trip that you wished for your entire life? This is a common phenomenon that happens when you visit a destination without putting enough thought into it and planning the trip properly.
We are all guilty of trying to fit in 150 different activities in a span of 3-4 days just because you want to visit everything interesting in the place that you are visiting and it’s reasonable that you don’t want to miss out on any fun. But ironically, in this constant fear of missing out we actually miss out on important things like peace and relaxation. Always remember that quality is more important than quantity.
In this productivity-driven world, we are living in, people are always looking for “more”. We are always trying to fit in more temples, more restaurants, more beaches, and more treks into a 3-4 day itinerary, leaving no time to enjoy.
Travelling is about leisure and restoration, you shouldn’t feel more exhausted than when you started
travelling. If you are feeling exhausted at the end of each of your trips then you need to rethink the way
you look at traveling.
Gone are the days when we’ll get on a tour bus and go from destination to destination with no time to
take the beauty of the location in, but merely traveling for the sake of traveling.
This is where the term “Slow travel” comes into the picture. Slow travel is an approach to travel that
emphasizes connection to local people, cultures, food, and music. Yes, visiting exotic places and clicking
pretty pictures does sound fun but traveling goes beyond that! Traveling is food for the soul, for many
people and they achieve this by conscious traveling.
Each place in the world has some of the other historical and cultural importance and when you visit
the place it’s not only respectful to learn about their culture but it’s also fun and informative to travel in
that way. A few of the important factors of traveling include learning more about the world, meeting
new people, getting a new perspective and all of this is achieved by slow traveling.
So you might be wondering by now, how can one travel slowly? Don’t worry, we got you covered!
Here are a few ways in which you can start traveling slow:
Road and train trips:
Usually, in the desire to experience more we often miss out on the actual fun of traveling that is moving
between the locations, so the next time you’re traveling skip that airplane seat and hope on the car (or
a train.)
Local people:
Don’t be afraid to make new friends, meet new people and talk to random strangers, you might learn
things that no textbook can teach you and if you manage to make a friend they may even guide your
around the place.
Cycling tours:
It’s always a great idea to travel from one location to another on foot but if the locations are far apart
then another exciting alternative can be cycling tours.
Local foods:
Getting adapted to new food and culture can be difficult for a lot of people but never miss out on a chance
on trying out new cuisines if you can. You’ll be surprised by how versatile your taste buds can be if
given a chance.
Another great way to start traveling slowly would be to visit places that are not mainstream because it’s difficult to travel slowly when you are always stuck in long lines and traffic-ridden roads. And it is way more exciting to take the roads less traveled, literally and metaphorically!
Traveling slowly is also very helpful for the local businesses and environment, traveling slowly involves a lot of eating local food, shopping locally and also making connections with the people there, in this way you don’t appropriate their culture instead start learning about it respectfully. If rightly did slow traveling can also be very pocket-friendly.
Contrary to popular belief slow traveling is not to be taken literally and has very little to do with the actual physical speed but it is more about being mindful about the place you are in and being more open to the experiences and opportunities that might come your way during this traveling period.
I have heard anecdotes from my friends who have missed out on sunset just to reach their next planned location on time. Now this is the time to sit and reflect, is it really a vacation if you don’t have the time to lie around, chill and have a breather? Travelling can be one of the most rewarding experiences of one’s life but when you travel in a rushed manner, then you end up being left feeling more empty and exhausted than when you left.
So, the next time you pack your bags remember to travel slowly and mindfully so that you can come back energetic, relaxed with a mind full of wonderful memories.