Why Travelers Should Spend Time Instead Of Money

Dane, I identified so much what you wrote. Some of my longer journeys are totally unplanned – a one-way ticket and a vague idea about ‘traveling up Africa’ or ‘across Asia’ or something equally precise.

On those trips, I stayed in a place as long as I felt the need to. When the urge to move on appeared, I’d go to the nearest bus station, pick the road-worthiest bus heading my way and off I’d go. I tried not to plan, and to let travel take me places rather than the other way around.

Two weeks in South Africa turned into two months, and two months in Bangkok turned into two years… none of it planned. Time was indeed a luxury, and like most luxuries, are to be savoured.

DANE!! You are a writer here too! excellent!

Terrific article, really eloquent. Dane, I fly into Phnom Penh in a month and will be in your neck of the woods through January – let’s make a point to meet up.

-Tim

This well crafted article should serve as a reminder to all travelers to slow down and take the time to smell the coffee. All to often we focus on checking the boxes – been there, seen that – and forget to really take in the true “soul” of our destination.

Slow travel is key for me these days now that I have as much time as I need. I hate that feeling of breezing through places and having the time to spend exploring without being rushed is great. I prefer to spend months in a place I like given the chance and think renting a room in an apartment with locals, WWOOFing on a farm or working in a local hostel are great ways to feel more involved in a community.

[...] for Matador Trips. Dane, another Bangkok based writer, recently wrote a great article about the luxury of time for Brave New [...]

totally agree… sometimes I feel a bit sad when leaving a country because i’ve only done so little, but I can’t stay any longer because of work. This article made me think of the length of my vacations. good work

Really excellent article, Dane. It so happens that your article coincided with the publication of our ezine, Home Swappers, in which Dana, our feature article author (a travel guide writer and home exchanger), also put the case very eloquently for taking the time to see the quirky but memorable things that you would miss if on a whirlwind tour. A quote:

“These days whenever we do a home exchange (so far we’ve done lovely swaps with Edinburgh, Lucca and Amsterdam) Michael and I still like the feeling of play acting the ‘local’ even if it’s only for a couple of weeks- walking around the neighbourhoods, the markets, shops, and restaurants, and of course seeing the sights. Especially the minor ones, the second raters, the third division homespun attractions- a museum of socks or tin whistles, a quirky Romanesque portal, the birthplace of an obscure composer- the obscure stuff most people tend to skip when they stay in hotels where time is money and there’s always that itchy feeling, that compulsion to move on to the next town to see the next World Heritage Site. Yet we tend to remember the quirky things most fondly- they have an intimacy and character and speak to the heart, and often tell you more about a country or city than most five star attractions and their dutiful crowds paying homage.”

Read the rest of Dana’s article, No Place Like ‘Home’.

Cheers
Lois

Great article Dane! I aggree completly that taking the time to relax and enjoy the location your in without specific direction is really what a “visit” is. Even if you are on a two week whirlwind tour however, and you only have two days here or two days there… one can still go at it unplanned. Why not go to Rome or Paris with no specific sites on a must see list? Wander the streets, sit along the river, people watch…it saves money and stress.

This article resonated with me. Right now I would love to grab my backpack and travel. But, I rescued a kitten and that’s another story.

Last year, I wish I could have stayed longer in Scotland. I really thought about staying “across the pond” and venturing off to Europe or even catching a flight to Australia. It’s refreshing not to have a “set” travel schedule. The unknown is far more exciting!

[...] [...]

Great food for thought. My own personal travel style has evolved since I started traveling in ’82. My first stop was Calcutta, of what was to be almost a year on the road – six months in Asia, six in Europe. I had five+ months to travel in India, to “see it all” but learned within five days the folly – for me – of that thinking – a two week general transportation strike put an end to that – but still, when the strike was over, I tried. I was so sensually-stuffed at the end of those five months, I had a hard time processing where I’d been.
In both ’99 and 2006 I returned to India (my fourth and fifth trips to India) and what I did on both trips was fly into Delhi, train to Varanasi, unpack, get a room, buy a carpet and a desk and stay, for six months. In each of those six month trips I drafted two books, shot film for a movie and studied bansuri (Indian bamboo flute); all things I’d always wanted to do, but never gave myself time for. During both of those stays I also met others, like me, who chose to “sit” for a while; several of those relationships remain to this day. Immersion travel works for me.

Encouraging words. The only part that I disagree with (in the most optimistic way) is that long-term travel “may only be feasible at certain times in our lives.” I hope not!

Favorite line: “we owe it to ourselves … to be altered by a destination.” Beautiful. I would only add that we owe it to the destination too.

Great article. It makes me nostalgic for the times before kids. With kids (6 and 3), I can’t see wandering around like this as feasible. If anyone has any tips, I’d love to hear them.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I’m going on my 4th year in Asia and it’s been amazing. I’m glad to hear that so many others continue to have incredible journeys. Cynthia, like you said, I hope long-term travel is always feasible, but Eli brings up a good point about having kids. However, I’ve been impressed to see people with their children (not 6 and 3 necessarily) on slowboats on the Mekong, diving in Sumatra and doing homestays in Peru. So I’m sure it carries unique challenges, but some people do manage.

Again, thank you everyone for your insights and stories.

Wow Dane, I read the article then noticed that you had written it more than two years ago. At that time I was about half-way through my year-long ‘careerbreak’. I thought that a year was such a long time, I’d be able to go everywhere. But what happened was that if I found myself in a place that I loved I’d stay there longer and get to know it better. And so I didn’t see as much as I thought I would, but I had some very rich experiences and made some great friends.

Dane,
I completely relate to your philosophy of quality over quantity. Taking an educational tour of London a couple of years ago left me longing for more than time allowed sitting on the tour bus with the gifted tour guide pointing out all the attractions. We had no time to actually stop and see these wonderful sights, unless you count 10 minutes in St. Paul’s Cathedral as quality time. I had to choose between going to the restroom or running across the street to see the architectural wonder. I held my bladder and went to the cathedral. I am so glad I did; otherwise, my experience would have been hovering over a toilet in one of London’s tile walled bathrooms with a leg cramp. Choices must be made in travel and in planning travel.

I much prefer my sauntering trips to New York City each year where there is no rush or need to see anything I do not want to. Watching the different people, the different cultures, the different sections, and playing it by ear each day is the essence of assimilating. Why be there if you can’t enjoy the change from your way of life?

Your article encompasses what I would love to do all the time: travel at leisure and journal all my experiences and observations.