“THE traveller doesn’t know where he’s going; the tourist doesn’t know where he’s been,”– Paul Theroux
As a travel writer, the road is my office. Each day is distinctly different from the next, with unpredictability being the common thread that weaves my days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years… I meet people of all stripes, from all over the world, each chasing their very own travel dream.
One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is how to jump off the tourist treadmill in order to delve beyond a destination’s ‘façade’. While there is no definitive answer, there certainly is a variety of ways in which a traveller can better connect with the pulse of a place and its people.
1 Find your inner gypsy: To tune into a country’s rhythm, it’s advisable to spend more time in fewer places. Frantic ‘tick-list’ travelling (robotically whizzing from one tourist attraction to the next) is one of the best ways to asphyxiate adventure and bypass deeper connections to a destination. By devoting time to being a dedicated gypsy, you’ll be giving yourself one of the greatest travel treasures possible – unshackled time to simply wander. Take a leaf from JRR Tolkien, who astutely declared: “Not all those who wander are lost.”
2 Dare to wander: Fortune favours the brave. By resisting the urge to set your itinerary in stone, you’re less likely to shut the door on the priceless travel experiences garnered via serendipity. Sure, you should devise a basic travel framework – especially for the first few days, when you’ll be whipped out of your comfort zone – but allow space for flexibility so that you’re able to take advantage of fortuitous detours that may present themselves along the way.
3 Stay somewhere social: A good way to meet (and live like) a local is to opt for socially congenial accommodation such as home-stays, B&Bs, or other options conducive to interaction. You may also like to consider becoming a ‘couch-surfer’– a relatively recent (non-profit) concept, which connects travellers with locals (couchsurfing.org).
4 Become a groupie: A terrific way of enhancing your ability to tap into the pulse of a destination is by participating in activities/ events – whether it’s joining a jogging group, reading club, language course or whatever else takes your fancy – which give you the opportunity to rub shoulders with locals and like-minded travellers alike (tourist offices, guidebooks and local residents will help point you in the right direction vis-à-vis activities/ courses on offer).
5 Lend a hand: Another excellent way of riding a destination’s pulse – not to mention giving something back to the community – is to sign up as a volunteer. This not only hooks you up with locals,it also means you’re more likely to really get under the skin of issues – from current news affairs to the latest entertainmenthot spots – that matter to them. Keep in mind that quite a few charities prefer advance volunteer applications and some may require a minimum time commitment – for comprehensive, country-specific information, consult the relevant Lonely Planet guidebook.
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