Want to know what Slow Travel really means? Well, here’s what I think it means, in a neat 10 points. If you agree, or disagree, please do leave a comment below, and let’s work it out together.
1. Engage with the local culture when you visit a place, rather than searching for the nearest familiar restaurant chain / chocolate bar / TV station. Take part in festivals, chat to street vendors, spend a Sunday as a local family would.
2. Try new regional cuisines instead of packing a separate suitcase with Weetabix and emergency Mars bars.
3. At least have a go at speaking the language. And yes, that means you Brits abroad, too.
4. Give yourself proper time away. Weekend breaks aren’t a terrible idea, and hey we all take them, but they’re taxing on your carbon footprint and they don’t leave you much time to truly experience a new place.
5. On that point, Slow Travel means adventuring a little outside of the usual tourist jaunts. Go that extra click online to find local forums with recommendations.
6. If there’s a workable alternative to plane travel, take it. My favourite ever journey was by train and boat from London to Lake Garda, Italy. I travelled through the mountains, by the sea, stopped at wonderful cities, and saw so much more of Europe than I ever could from above the clouds. I’ve travelled to Tuscany and the South of France on sleeper trains too – it was so romantic even in bunks!
7. Support local trade. It might be tempting to pop into that New York branch of Topshop, Burberry in Tokyo or the Apple store in Berlin, but it’s not nearly as satisfying as knowing your holiday spends are directly helping small local businesses to compete with the global brands. The world is full of talented craftspeople too, so why miss out?
8. Be respectful. Enjoy yourself, sure, but don’t be lary. Don’t take things from beaches, and that includes shells, pay heed to the rules of the countryside, don’t speed through French villages; it’s all the stuff they taught you in Scouts, and it actually matters.
9. Think about travelling out of season. It helps local businesses if trade doesn’t die completely outside of the school holidays. It also means smaller crowds, smaller queues, more chance to do what you really want to.
10. Don’t forget to rest and rejuvenate. It’s too easy to get caught in a trap of being on the go every single day, but it’s vital to give your mind, body and spirit some downtime too. The last thing you want to feel is that you need a holiday to get over the holiday.
What do you think Slow Travel is? Have I missed anything? Please leave a comment below.
Image: Laforet ‘Chindon’ music band – Harajuku, Tokyo, by Stefan
