Rebecca Mei DookWhen it comes to vacation time, do you try to fit in as many top sights as possible or do you prefer to watch the world go by with a cup of coffee in hand?
What does it really mean to travel fast or slow?
Some people consider spending a week in one city to be slow travel. Others would say a trip can only be considered slow if you’re in one place for at least a month at a time, or even longer. As you can see, fast or slow travel is relative depending on who you talk to.
Whichever you prefer, here are some of the advantages of each travel style to consider for your next trip!
Why travel Fast?
To see more places
The main advantage of travelling fast is of course that you’ll be able to see lots of different sights! You might not be able to spend as much time experiencing each locale but you can still get a feel of the place, learn a little bit about it and tick it off your bucket list! Travelling fast gives you a taste of the highlights and can keep your trip fun and exciting.
To use your time more efficiently
When you travel fast you need to think about how you will use your time wisely. After all, our holiday time is usually very limited! If you only have three weeks in a year to go on a good long vacation you might as well make the most of it! Planning your trip with an itinerary will help you fit in all the different sights you want to prioritise or the activities you don’t want to miss.
To move on to better places quickly
If you book a room that looks dreamy online but turns out to be more like Halloween Horror Nights, fear not! You’re a fast traveller, so you’ll only be there for a while before moving on. This goes for cities as well. If you prefer one city to another, you can quickly move on and maybe plan to come back again to your favourite location.
Why travel Slow?
Spend less time on transport
As a fast traveller, you might schedule many different locations into a few days. But don’t forget that transport between places often takes up a lot of time! Riding in coaches, cars, trains and planes will take up more of your holiday than you might like. When you slow travel, you can replace the time you would have spent on transport and use it to explore the location you’re at instead.
Save more money
If you travel slow, you will most likely get more for your money. Hotels usually reward you for staying longer, transport costs will be reduced and paying for anything outside of the tourist areas or off the beaten track is usually cheaper.
Time to indulge
When you travel slow, you have more time to indulge in the moment. You can chill out at breakfast, spend time meeting new people and learn more about the place you are visiting. Travelling slow means you’ll have the chance to experience the city beyond the tourist sights. Knowing that you have that much more extra time means you can stress less and fully savour the moment!
Managing fast or slow travel…
Compromise with your travel buddies
People have different paces of travel and your friends might have a different travel style to you. What is exhilarating for some might be exhausting for others. Keep in mind you are not travelling solo! At the same time, it’s okay to split up for various activities, you shouldn’t be pressured to do everything together all the time.
Research your routes
Whether you’re travelling fast or slow, spending some time to research your routes is a good idea. You’ll find better deals and you won’t have to spend too much time planning transport when you’re already on the road.
Travel light
Travelling light lets you move around much more comfortably and quickly. If you’re a fast traveller, it’s essential. No one wants to be lugging heavy baggage along every time they move to the next place. If you’re a slow traveller you can usually find what you need wherever you are. Plus, you’ll be buying local.
Vary sights and experiences
Varying your sights and experiences is great for both the fast traveller and the slow traveller. Mix city areas with natural sights, different types of food, outdoor and indoor activities. This prevents the dreaded burn-out that some fast travellers have experienced and also helps slow travellers keep it interesting.
Just enjoy
It doesn’t matter how you choose to travel, there is no right way! As long as you are considerate of your travel mates, it’s really your choice whether to travel fast or slow. Throughout my travels, I have experienced the good and the bad of travelling both fast and slow. I hope these ideas will help you on your next exciting adventure!
