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Community
We’ve found that focusing on a particular community or region makes for a richer, more rewarding travel experience. It’s a wonderful way to create a symbiotic relationship with that community that pays dividends for all. Here are a few guidelines we try to keep in mind as we travel. We think they can open the door to richer, more memorable experiences.
Guidelines
Stay a While.
Whether you’re visiting a big city or an area of impressive natural beauty, try to stay a minimum of at least five days. You’ll find that you soak up so much more of the true character of that locale when you’re not rushing to see the top five or ten sights in 48 or 72 hours. Relax, settle in, and savor the people, the feeling, the tastes, the smells and the sounds that become the indelible memories that you’ll bring home with you. And, less traveling from place to place makes for being a more environmentally friendly guest!
Walk Whenever
You Can.
Getting out and seeing an area on foot is the best way to experience it. It’s the only way to be part of the scene rather than just an observer. Whether it’s a small walking tour or venturing out on your own without a particular destination, you’ll learn a ton about how people live and work there, both today and yesterday.
Support The Local Economy.
Where’s the best food? Local, family owned restaurants. The best beverages from that area? That cool bar just down the street or down the beach. The best shopping? That little street of shops in the neighborhood next door, where you can find things that don’t exist on the internet. The best tour guides? Of course, the local folks who know that community best, some of whom have family histories that date back centuries. Along the way, you’ll be meeting the real people of that place, and helping them earn a livelihood. You might even find a lifelong friend.
Don’t Overbook Yourself.
I used to book multiple tours each day, from early morning to evening. Like an eight to five job. . .isn’t that what we’re getting away from? Give yourself a break and limit your structured tours to one a day, morning or afternoon. Or just decide to spend a day in this neighborhood or on that hiking trail, and experience whatever comes your way. You’ll go home with great memories, like getting lost walking around Venice and finding that little shop that embroidered your grandchild’s name on a pillowcase, just for them. And you won’t be exhausted from the trip!
Stay in Touch.
If you really fall in love with a particular place (and we all do, sometimes multiple places), find a way to maintain that connection after you return home. Keep buying from that little shop you liked so much. Or follow and interact with those places you visited on Facebook or Instagram and start a dialogue with them. There are thousands of ways to stay in touch; pick one that works for you. Our friend Aruba Curt Robinson became involved in Aruba’s homeless animal shelter (they have tons of strays on the island) and adopted a couple of kitties that he brought back home to the States. Now he and Maggie have a constant reminder of their connection to Aruba.
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