Travel can return you to a kind of childhood (online book club remix)
Jul 11, 2023
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Join the podcast host and guests as they discuss the joy of exploring new places, the challenges of culture shock, and travel's ability to bring out a sense of childlike wonder. They also talk about the importance of keeping a travel journal, the frustrations of familiar chains abroad, and the value of wandering off the tourist track.
Traveling can bring out our inner child and attract interest and sympathy from the locals.
Keeping a travel journal is a personal choice and serves as memory triggers, organizing thoughts, and providing valuable insights.
Embracing stillness is important in long-term travel to prevent burnout and have a more meaningful journey.
Deep dives
The Importance of Embracing New Environments
When we travel, we have the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zones and experience life in a childlike, open-minded way. Despite our travel experience, the excitement of visiting a new place never truly fades. Cultural shock is a real anxiety that we must overcome to fully enjoy cross-cultural travel. Traveling can bring out our inner child and attract interest and sympathy from the locals. While venturing off the beaten path is encouraged, there is also value in exploring the well-known tourist attractions. It is important to find a balance and give ourselves permission to enjoy all aspects of a destination.
Keeping a Travel Journal
Keeping a travel journal is a personal choice, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Some prefer physical journals, while others use digital methods like phone notes or computer files. Journals are a great way to document your experiences and keep a conversation with yourself. They serve as memory triggers and help in organizing your thoughts and learnings from the trip. It is recommended to review and consolidate your journal entries throughout your journey, as they can provide valuable insights and perspectives.
Creating Meaningful Interactions
Engaging with locals and stepping off the tourist trail can lead to meaningful and surprising experiences. Walking until your day becomes interesting allows you to discover the local color of a neighborhood and connect with people in a more authentic way. Safety is always a priority, but trusting your instincts and using common sense can guide you in exploring a place beyond the typical tourist attractions. By being open and curious, you may find yourself invited to local events, sharing meals with strangers, and creating memories that go beyond the surface level.
Balancing Familiarity and New Experiences
While venturing off the beaten path is often encouraged, there is value in visiting well-known attractions. These popular sites are popular for a reason and provide valuable insight into a destination's culture and history. It is essential not to be snobbish about visiting common tourist spots and appreciate them for what they offer. Additionally, embracing the present moment and appreciating the current time allows you to fully enjoy the travel experience. Avoid idealizing past eras or places and embrace the joy of today, realizing that someday people may look back and consider this time as the good old days.
The Need for Stillness in Travel
The desire for stillness and a break from constant newness is natural in long-term travel. Just like with any other aspect of life, burnout can occur. It is important to listen to your instincts and give yourself permission to slow down, stay in one place for a while, or even take a break from travel. Stillness is not quitting, but rather an opportunity to deepen your travel experiences. Embracing the need for stillness allows you to have a more meaningful and sustainable travel journey.
“In alien parts, we speak more simply, unencumbered by the histories that we carry around at home, and look more excitedly, with eyes of wonder.” —Pico Iyer
In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and The Vagabond’s Way book club participants discuss how he prepares for the book-club sessions (1:30); how the first days of one’s journeys have an optimistic energy and excitement, and how “culture shock” is a real thing (4:00); how travel can put us into a childlike mental state, and how travel expectations can lead to unfair disappointments (13:00); how food, even anomalous food, tells specific stories about places, and Rolf’s strategy for keeping a travel journal (21:30); how the “beaten path” is beaten for good reasons, but straying from it yields serendipitous rewards (31:00); and simple strategies for staying safe and dealing with burnout on the road (42:00).
Discussion moderator Luke Richardson is a traveler, author, and DJ based in England.
