As paradoxical as it may sound, most people, after returning from a trip, need rest. It's ironic, isn't it? It is supposed that the trip should renew us, recuperate after hard months of work, energize us, but everything is exactly the opposite. The intense pace that we set ourselves in the hope of seeing everything is very tiring. Moreover, it leaves us depressed, sometimes even disappointed.
Imagine that instead of a group tour of tourist destinations and accommodation in chain hotels, you are relaxing in the wilderness of Provence or Tuscany. In the morning you get enough sleep and then walk to the nearest market to buy local products and have a cup of aromatic coffee in a colorful establishment. Every day you visit the surrounding area, walk not along the roads, but along the paths, communicate not with tourists, but with local residents. You don't want to visit all the attractions in the area - you slowly explore them at your own pace, for your pleasure. This is the magic of slow travel.
You will not believe how many interesting things you can learn without much fuss. Plus, it's an incredibly powerful way to truly experience the local culture and leave vivid memories in your mind. This is essentially the point of slow travel. This is not just a style of travel, it is a whole philosophy based on full immersion in the culture of an unfamiliar country. And just being relaxed isn't enough. Slow travel has its own principles.
Quality, not quantity
This is one of the most important principles of slow travel. In pursuit of visiting as many countries as possible, in fact we only get stamps in the passport, missing all the most interesting. By focusing on one country, you can get a feel for the local atmosphere, get to know the locals, and understand how different we are.
Minimum planning
Try to outline only contours and directions for your next trip. Find out the prices and rules for using public transport, as well as the location of the center. Do the rest as you go. Like an artist, apply basic strokes on a blank canvas, and paint the "picture" itself during the journey.
Local apartments instead of hotels
With the development of the AirBnb service, staying in a local apartment is now easier than ever. And instead of a standard hotel room, we get a colorful dwelling saturated with the atmosphere and culture of the city of interest to us. Long-term stays can often get a discount, and from an environmental point of view, this option is better! Moreover, it is not necessary to rent an entire apartment, you can limit yourself to a room in the house. If you find a good option, then there will be an opportunity to chat with the owners, try everyday familiar dishes and learn about what life is like from their point of view.
Time to "do nothing"
For some, doing nothing is manna from heaven, for others it is a real torture! If you are in the second category, we advise you to deliberately record the time for "nothing" in your travel calendar. Don't worry about getting bored. Doing nothing in a new place is the fastest route to adventure you'll ever find.
Learn new things
Slow travel provides an opportunity to enjoy the spiritual riches of the country, so don't be afraid to say yes to new experiences. Cooking classes in local cuisine, traditional crafts, opera, festivals - these are all opportunities to learn something new. By immersing yourself in the local flavor, you will make your trip truly unique and personal.
Chat with local
Contemplating the amazing architecture and surrounding beauty is an indispensable attribute of any trip. However, to get to know the true soul of the country, you should get to know the locals better. Ask for their recommendations. What will they do on the weekend? Where do they usually go for dinner? The advice of bloggers who have been in the city for several days will never compare to the experience of the people who have lived there.
Use "slow" transport
When arriving at a tourist destination, try to use buses or trams. This way you will learn a lot more and will not be distracted by the road. The ideal solution would be to rent a bike. Two-wheeled transport will allow you to perfectly explore both a small European city and a small island somewhere in Asia. If you need to often go out of town, you can rent a car, but let these trips be leisurely and with obligatory stops.
Travel in the off season
In the off-season, tourist cities feel completely different. If you wander around Piazza San Marco on a hot summer afternoon, it will be difficult to push your way through the crowd. It takes a lot of effort to dodge selfie sticks and obsessive sellers. But on a rainy November morning, the square will seem completely different, and you can enjoy the charm of the great city without unnecessary fuss. Doves flying overhead, spiers of buildings visible in the morning fog, a unique, slightly damp smell. They will leave indelible impressions and will forever be engraved in your memory as some of the most amazing moments.
Save
Usually slow travel means a longer vacation. This means that we subconsciously prepare to spend less. In comparison, a month of "slow" travel is about the same as a week-long tour of several cities in Europe. In a relaxed state, we are less prone to impulse buying and unnecessary spending. And expensive excursions and taxis are being replaced by luxurious walks and communication with people.
Do not hurry
It is impossible to see everything in one trip, even not all locals can boast of this. So relax and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the thought that you don't need to run anywhere, that you are in the right place at the right time. After all, this is your holiday. Your escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the opportunity to experience something new.
Photo: @amberlyvalentine, audreyrivet.squarespace.com
Tired and sleepy, but checked in everywhere. Like!
Scrolling through my friend's feed, I notice that most of my friends travel more often, but shorter and richer. The pace of life is accelerating, and the list of desires is more and more at odds with the possibilities ... Coming to Paris, an ordinary traveler tries to see all the museums, stand in line at the Eiffel Tower, and in the evening hardly crawl to Montmartre ... And all this is due to the fact that we have forgotten how to travel slowly, the list of items to visit is too large in relation to a unit of time.
I realized a long time ago that you shouldn't try to grasp the immensity if there is not much time (and there is never much of it!). You need to learn to catch moments, remember them, feel. You should not chase a huge list of places, you should just visit only a few points and return to this place again. For example, in the same Paris, I will remember for the rest of my life a bottle of brut for two with a friend at the Eiffel Tower and spending the night without a roof over my head due to the fact that we did not have time in the storage room for things (because of this very bottle of brut) ... I've been to the Eiffel Tower twice or three times already, and I've been to Paris many times since then.
Seize the moments.
Do it without haste, without being distracted by logistics and travel nuances.
TRAVEL SLOW.
Well, you know how much I love Bavaria, I come back there again and again for many years in a row. Today I want to tell you how I went before Christmas and plunged into a real fairy tale ...
At Munich airport I rented a wonderful BMW X1 from Sixt... After all, only a car gives freedom and saves time, how many times I have already, but I will not tire of repeating over and over again ... Even in such an ideal, in terms of transport infrastructure, country like Germany, you can not be distracted by transport if you take a car. And if you are with your family, then any doubts disappear by themselves.
If you analyze, then more than half of my car rental episodes over the past 6-7 years are Sixt... In Europe, Israel, USA. Many rightly note that Sixt - it is expensive. More often Sixt really not the cheapest option, but this is a guarantee of no headaches at all stages from booking to car delivery. And even in case of technical problems, everything will go almost unnoticed for the client. Checked on myself - Sixt in Bavaria replaced the car within a few hours during the trip, by the way, also in Bavaria. Check it out if you missed -.
But I digress, this year I made friends with Sixt and now I will talk more often about how to rent a car, especially if this is your first experience. It would seem that in the age of the Internet, what might be easier than booking something online, but in practice it turns out that many find it difficult to perform even a simple action related to finances and a credit card on the Internet.
If you are a beginner ...
Make a call to the company's call center. Chat in Russian with the operator, ask about the nuances, book a car by phone.
- Is it unclear something on the site? Call the call center, the operator will help you make a reservation on the site, answer questions, and suggest something useful.
If you're a pro ...
Call the operator, comparing prices in different places, it is quite possible that such an unusual booking channel will turn out to be the most profitable in the end. Without prices, dates and specifics, the cost of a car rental is one of the most volatile values \u200b\u200bdepending on the booking channel, time of year and specific dates.
All my reports about Car Rental are collected by tag.
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Slow down. This is a message that we have heard a lot lately. Breathe in. Relax.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the recent resurgence of luxury trains. Now the flood of new, redesigned and classic trains is returning to a day when rail travel was graceful. These are the carriages where people will smarten up for dinner, where attentive waiters serve a five-course meal on bone china and fresh linens await you.
1 Belmond-Andean Express
South America's first luxury sleeper train, the new Belmond Andean Explorer, follows one of the highest rail lines in the world. The one- and two-day trip covers the Peruvian Altiplano, Lake Titicaca and the Sumbai caves with links to Cusco and Arequipa. The 24 carriages are roomy and stylish, with hand-woven fabrics and soft tones of alpaca wool.
2 Shiki Shima luxury train, Japan
One-, two- and three-day trips on this new ultra-luxury train take guests into the beauty of an oriental Japanese countryside. The carriages are all suitable apartments, equipped with modern Japanese furniture and materials. The restaurant has a white tablecloth and serves gourmet regional cuisine, the lounge and viewing machines have wide windows, and the crew serves as butler and concierge.
3 presidential train, Portugal
Built in 1890 as the Royal Train for the King of House Louis I, this train took on this incarnation two years ago, after a theater producer invested € 1 million in a two-year restoration. Now this is his love letter to Portugal. Portuguese food and wine are especially important on Douro Valley full-day trips. A different Michelin chef prepares every weekend, with one long stop at the winery.
4 Maharajas Express, India
The most famous of the luxury trains in India, the Maharajas Express takes 88 guests at a time on a four or eight night odyssey through the most fascinating places, Jaipur, Varanasi and Goa among them (and of course the Taj Mahal), the carriages are of classic Indian design and the two restaurants with a dining room, bar and lounge are amazing. But there are many reasons for disembarking: the train makes stops for elephant matches and evening Aarti rituals at the Ganges bathing ghats.
5.Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Europe
The historical name Orient-Express is largely synonymous with ultralight trains. While not the same train, the Belmond luxury coaches that run from London to Paris, Venice and Istanbul will be updated in March. A grand suite with private bathrooms and showers and 1920s Art Deco interiors that reflect the spirit of these cities. Think embroidered leather for Istanbul, chic furnishings for Paris, and handcrafted Venetian glass.
6 the blue train, South Africa
An icon of South Africa, the Blue Train has been welcoming guests from Pretoria to Cape Town for 70 years. The nearly 1,000-mile ride is 31 hours of pleasure, with spacious carriages, five-star service and award-winning wine list cuisine and 24-hour butler service. This is an environment where people still wear a tie. And although champagne and caviar are not included in the menu, they are available. The Blue Train also makes a one-way 19-hour "rail safari" as part of a package that combines the train with one of the safari lodges in the Greater Kruger and Sabi Sands areas.
7 Gan, Australia
Since 1929, Gan has been considered one of the largest travel destinations in the world. Within four days, he travels from Darwin through the red center of the hinterland to Adelaide. There are many stops along the way to explore the Northern Territory, such as canyon treks and camel rides. Back aboard, there are expertly prepared dishes from local specialties such as barramundi and kangaroo, craft beers and some of Australia's finest wines. Platinum guests are offered three five course meals a day.
8.Canadian, VIA Rail, Canada
For three days, the Canadian Express makes its way through the magnificent mountains, prairie and lake country between Vancouver and Toronto. Throughout the day, guests dine and relax in panoramic cars with clear ceilings, and the best thing about them is the stunning views.
9.El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo, Spain
Another example of time travel during the golden age of 1920s railways, social carriages and cabins on El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo complement an authentic five-star hotel on rails with 21st century essentials (such as bathrooms). The eight-day journey from Santiago de Compostela to San Sebastian is a celebration of the Spanish landscape, gastronomy, culture, glamor, fun and relaxation.
10 the golden eagle, Russia and Mongolia
The Trans-Siberian Railway has long appealed to the aspirations of Pavel Therous and recruiting tourists, but the typical approach to horseback riding is hardly a luxury. This is why the classic Trans-Siberian route from the Golden Eagle is so attractive. The two-week journey takes over 6,800 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok, circling along the shores of Lake Baikal to Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Luxury sights include a private Kremlin tour, a glass of champagne with one leg in Europe and another in Asia in Yekaterinburg, and a traditional Russian cooking class in Irkutsk, the Paris of Siberia. The new BAM Explorer in 2018 takes guests even further to the underdeveloped parts of Siberia.
Upon returning from vacation, many are haunted by the feeling of an unfulfilled program: in a couple of weeks there was not enough time to visit, experience, photograph everything they wanted. Such regrets are unknown to Clive and Jane Green, who traveled to. On their yacht, the couple sailed 51 thousand nautical miles and visited 56 countries. Thanks to the reports in the media, millions of people around the world learned about them. But before you sigh about the impossibility of such a long rest, you should delve into the essence of an amazing hike. From the Greens' unusual experience, you can still glean some ideas for their modest two-week vacation.
Not downshifters or record holders
The Greens did not seek to set a record and did not plan to escape from their native Wales in search of a better life, they are not contenders for a line in the Guinness Book of Records and are not downshifters in the classical sense of the word. The idea of \u200b\u200ba British cruise was based on the concept of slow travel (slow travel - slow travel).
Take your time and see everything
The concept of slow travel is not new. She received a second wind in the hectic XXI century, but was very popular in the XIX century. The French travel poet Théophile Gaultier (1811-1872), for example, was a good two centuries ahead of modern slow-tourism advocates, arguing that the world needed to "slow down." The same opinion was shared by the Swiss researcher and writer Isabelle Eberhard (1877-1904), who also insisted that the most important thing in a trip is to get to know the life of the people living in the country.
Slow travel is a fashion trend that is gaining popularity all over the world. Its main idea is not only to reject standard tours, but also from hasty tourism, which most modern people in general have chosen for themselves. Slow travel fans believe that it is better not to see the famous landmark, but to get many small and unique experiences that allow you to really get to know a new place and relax your soul.
To do this, it is recommended that you literally join the life of the locals, neglect the hotel in favor of a rented apartment and not try to see too much in a short period of time. Excursions and sightseeing are not prohibited, but the stake is still placed on non-standard experiences and the rejection of guidebooks.
In July 1998, Clive and Jane Greene embarked on a cruise on their 35-foot yacht from Abergavenny, Wales. They traveled for 16 years, 1 month and two days, although at first they were only going to spend a week in Spain. Tourists were in no hurry and made long stops along the route: they lived with tribes in the Asia-Pacific region, swam with seals, helped save the shellfish harvest, and got scared of the pirates of the eastern shores of Africa.
The road is already a rest
Some slo-tourism aficionados believe that airplanes deprive the traveler of one of their main pleasures - the anticipation of arriving at their destination. In just a few hours, the A to B movement is coming to an end. This, in the opinion of many "slow travelers", is fundamentally wrong. Among the adherents of slow travel, however, there are those who believe that it is a sin not to use the benefits of technological progress.
Nevertheless, opponents of airplanes and their opponents recognize the beauty of long journeys by car or train, if they fit into the time allotted for the trip. For example, travel on transcontinental routes such as Route 66 and Lincoln Highway in the United States is considered cult for supporters of the idea of \u200b\u200bslow travel.
Eco, it's not that
Some of the ideas of slow travel have something in common with ecotourism (for example, complete or partial abandonment of air travel). However, the motives of the adherents of these trends are slightly different: ecotourists are concerned about environmental problems, and "slow travelers" are not satisfied with modern methods of movement in space, mostly from a philosophical point of view.
The Slow Tourist Manifesto
Despite the fact that vacation guides are scornful for slow travel fans, even they have a set of rules. They are curiously described by the Manifesto for Slow Travel. This article was published by Hidden Europe and is considered a good read if you want to try slow tourism.
10 rules for the slow tourist
Slow tourism fans believe that you don't have to quit your job to take a slow trip. With a standard vacation of 7-14 days, slow travel rules can also be applied successfully.
It is better to stay in one place and study it well than to see many cities in fits and starts. For example, you can get to know Italy better by renting a house in the countryside, rather than driving around the country trying to see Rome, Florence and Venice in one week.
Try couch surfing, or an exchange vacation.
Visiting local markets is very exciting. And for those looking to cook their own meals in rented apartments, the enticing rows of local specialties are a godsend.
Even those who contemptuously turn away from shawarma and fried donuts in their homeland should try the local street food.
Have a picnic in the park like a real city dweller.
You can sign up for local courses in painting, diving, salsa, whichever you find interesting.
You should definitely attend a concert of a popular local pop or rock band. Visit a purely local festival that no one has ever heard of. Experience a local sports championship that won't be featured on the TV news.
Everything in the world can be done slowly
Slow tourism is only a small part of the global movement to slow down the pace of modern life, the Slow Movement. To learn more about this lifestyle, it is best to read the book In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore, published in 2004. At one time, The Financial Times compared the significance of this work for the adherents of the slow movement to Karl Marx's Capital for the supporters of communism.
