Travel Better.
Forge, don’t follow.
Go farther.
The places that are harder to get to are always the most memorable and the ones that make an impression on you. Wander where others don’t and won’t. This could mean wandering a few streets back from the main tourist high streets. This could mean hopping on to two more domestic flights. This could mean cancelling plans and going with the flow of the new people you have met along the way.
Go slow.
Blitzing through a country and ticking off all the must-sees and must-dos will never be as rewarding as travelling to a place so slow you have a local cafe whose staff knows your order or you discover something that you have not read about on the internet. Have you ever asked yourself why people go everywhere that everyone else has been to? Have you ever asked yourself why you want to go there too?
Choose local.
Locals always know best. Always choose to travel with a local, always listen to what they have to say, and always eat where they like to eat. In the age of blogs and peer-review websites, it is easy to go #1 but #1 does not necessarily mean best. Nowadays, #1 just means most frequented by foreigners. If you are travelling to a foreign country, do you want to listen to the advice of a foreigner or a local?
“Let’s wander where the wifi is weak.”
- unknown
Tweak #1: Rewild yourself
When you travel, go hug a tree but if you aren’t weird enough just walking amongst the trees will do. There is this thing called the “three-day effect” which basically says that spending as little as three days in nature can start to “fix” first world problems like stress and brain fog and insomnia. This Nature Fix is also known to improve creativity and productivity. Do yourself a favour, just once a month, escape into the wild and let nature work her magic. Subtly drop hints to your boss by gifting them the book. Help yourself first, to help the company. It’s win-win.
Tweak #2: Avoid people
When people ask me where the best place to go is, it is generally anywhere you would find fewer people. Sometimes it’s a matter of when to travel. But most of the time it is a decision to go where there isn’t a trending hashtag for the destination or an anonymous online review by some internet troll. Ask yourself this: do you want to do what everyone else likes or do you want to do what you like? If you don’t know what you like, well that is another problem in itself.
Chickenfeet Travels.
A positive impact travel company focused on experiences and offbeat adventures in Southeast Asia. We connect you with local guides who are proud and passionate about their home and their jobs, plan everything so you do not miss anything worthwhile, and ensure that the money you spend stays within the community as much as possible.