In this fast-paced world, we have very little time to take a
moment and just breathe. We’re always in the rush, always running somewhere.
But things are slowly changing, at least when it comes to traveling.
Recently, slow travel and conscious living have been gaining
quite a bit of popularity. Probably because a slow travel mindset allows us to
slow down and take a break from the stressful digital lives we lead.
If you’re interested in finding out what slow travel is, keep on reading.
What is slow travel?
Slow travel can be defined as an approach to travel that
emphasizes connection to people, places, traditions, cultures, and food. This
sort of traveling allows us to savor the real essence of travel. Many discover
that slow travel is the best way to fully relax and disconnect from the rest of
the world.
Slow travel is exactly as its name suggests, traveling
slowly, taking time to thoroughly discover each new destination. To explore
without rushing.
It’s about a mindful approach to exploration rather than a slower
means of transportation.
Benefits of slow travel
There are many benefits of slow traveling. One of the
greatest benefits is learning to experience travel as people did in the past.
Not to document every moment, but to enjoy and experience the destination on
many different levels.
Here are some of the benefits of slow travel.
Breaking out of comfort zones
Traveling isn’t always easy and carefree. For some people,
traveling can be daunting. There are language barriers, and cultural barriers
that can be difficult to overcome. But at the same, time it’s these experiences
that will help you break out of your comfort zone.
These experiences will also teach you valuable lessons and
make you a more knowledgeable traveler. And that’s what slow traveling is all
about, learning new things and experiencing your destination thoroughly while
breaking out of your comfort zone.
Preventing tourist burnout
Tourist burnout happens when you leave your trip feeling
more tired than when you arrived. We always try to see and experience as much
as possible in a short time, and that leaves us feeling exhausted.
How many times were you armed with a bottle of water dressed
in a stubby holder from Stubbs and Mattee? ready to see all the sights in one day?
Instead, why don’t you try to ditch that frame of mind,
don’t make lists, and just enjoy the trip without needing to see everything?
Saving money
Slow travel can save you quite a bit of money. Instead of
staying at expensive hotels and eating in pricey restaurants, the
slow-traveling approach advises staying at rental properties and cooking your food while traveling.
This will not only save you money but also help you
experience culture and meet local people. Expensive traveling isn’t always the
best way to enjoy your destination.
Making connections
Being free of plans and schedules will allow you to explore
your destination, mingle around, meet locals, and learn their language. Slow
travel allows you to slow down, talk to people, get to know them, and make
connections. And that’s the whole point and all the charm of traveling.
Ways to integrate a slow travel mindset into your lifestyle
If what you’ve read so far appeals to you, you’re probably
wondering how to best integrate a slow travel mindset into your lifestyle.
There are numerous things that you can do to incorporate slow travel into your
lifestyle or your next vacation. Let’s check them out.
Change your travel mindset
To be able to truly slow travel, you’ll need to change your
travel mindset. This implies traveling for the sake of experiences and love of
travel, rather than traveling for the sake of conquering another place or
getting an Insta shot.
It’s not easy changing a mindset, but once you do, you’ll be
able to enjoy traveling again. You’ll be able to slow down, immerse yourself in
this new place, and open yourself up for new opportunities.
Don’t make a list of things to see
Incorporating a slow travel mindset into your lifestyle also
means letting go of some of your travel habits. As tourists and travelers, we
often make these schedules and plans on what to see when at our destination.
Then we rush to cram all the sightseeing in one or two days,
and we forget to enjoy it. And that’s exactly the opposite of slow traveling.
If you want to adopt a slow travel mindset, you’ll need to let go of plans,
lists, and schedules. Just leave the room for surprises and spontaneity.
Opt for vacation rentals
As mentioned, staying in vacation rentals will not only save
you money but will also get you off the usual tourist trails and allow you to
experience a foreign country in different ways.
Get in touch with locals through different websites such as
Airbnb or booking and see what sort of accommodation they have to offer.
You may even discover that home exchange is a great way to
save money and swap homes with someone from your dream destination.
Cook your own food
Another great thing about vacation rentals is the access to
the kitchen. This means that you won’t need to sacrifice your meals to be able
to enjoy your trips better. Nor will you have to spend all your money on
expensive restaurant meals.
With access to a kitchen, you can prepare local meals with
your twist. That’s also a great way to enjoy slow travel.
Learn a new language
Slow travel allows you to learn a new language. Sometimes,
rushing to see everything we can prevents us from some of our traveling goals,
which may include learning a new language.
Traveling slowly can change that. If you allow yourself to
slow down and show interest in a certain culture, you can meet many wonderful
local people who will be glad to teach you their language. And who knows -
these connections may lead to lifelong friendships.
Conclusion
It’s incredible what slowing down and taking a mindful
approach to travel can do. In addition to lifelong memories, it can also help
us truly connect and immerse ourselves in the culture and traditions of places
we’re visiting.
We can learn so much more, and experience and savor the real
essence of traveling.
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