PKP: Traveling in a Different Way

I really love to travel and explore new places. The more difficult the journey is, the more satisfying it is to finally reach the destination. It is only by seeing for ourselves what the "outside" world looks like that we gain a wider understanding of the "why"s and "how"s in our own lives.

In this post I will state my views on each of the items written by Paulo regarding his experiences in traveling.

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By Paulo Coelho

When I was very young I discovered that, for me, a journey is the best way to learn. I still have this pilgrim’s soul to this day, and have decided to relate some of the lessons I have learned, in the hopes that they will be useful to other like-minded pilgrims.

Avoid museums.
This advice may seem absurd, but let us reflect a little together: if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to seek out the present, than the past? Usually, people feel obliged to go to museums, because ever since they were small they have been told that traveling is a search for this type of culture. Of course museums are important, but they require time and objectivity - you need to know what it is you want to see there, otherwise you will come away with the impression that you saw several things which are fundamental to your life, but cannot remember what they were.

Before traveling to another place, you must first study at least a part of what you will expect when you reach there. Part of the excitement in a journey is finally seeing face to face what you only saw previously in post cards, books, magazines, and other materials. But it is not good to focus only on famous tourist spots, but instead try to find and discover your own "tourist spot".

Frequent bars.
Unlike museums, this is where the life of the city can be found. Bars are not discotheques, but places where the people gather to have a drink, pass the time, and are always willing to chat. Buy a newspaper and observe the bustle of people coming and going. If someone speaks to you, strike up a conversation, however banal: one cannot judge the beauty of a path merely by looking at its entrance.

This depends on the culture and environment of the place that you are staying. Make sure you follow all of the community rules and policies so as not to get into trouble. The "bars" mentioned above does not necessarily mean the ones that only open at night, but rather the places where locals gather together and share their stories, probably near the market, a park, or a transportation station.

Be open and forward.
The best tourist guide is someone who lives there, knows everything, but doesn’t work at a travel agency. Go out into the street, choose someone you wish to speak to, and ask him or her for directions (where is such-and-such a cathedral? Where is the post office?) If this bears no fruit, try someone else - I guarantee that in the end you will find excellent company.

This is related to the previous item, where communication with the locals is a very rewarding experience. We had several experiences where strangers helped us find our way home, provided us with transportation, or let us eat lunch at their home when we had nowhere else to go. It is these types of interaction with the people that the journey becomes a rewarding and unforgettable experience (much more than the famous tourist spots).

Try and travel alone, or - if you are married - with your spouse.
It will be harder work, no one will be looking after you, but this is the only way of truly leaving your country. Group travel is just a disguised way of pretending to go abroad, where you speak your own language, obey the leader of the pack, and concern yourself more with the internal gossip of the group than with the place you are visiting.

Again it depends on the place you are going. Generally, safety is the top priority when you travel outside your "comfort zone". Although traveling alone really gives you the chance to discover your inner strengths, as much as possible, find a companion (unless you are prepared to make that journey your last).

Don’t compare.
Don’t compare anything - not prices, nor cleanliness, nor quality of life, nor means of transport, nothing! You are not traveling in order to prove you live better than others - your search, in fact, is to find out how others live, what they have to teach, how they view reality and the extraordinary things in life.

Observing how other people live their lives can be an eye-opener for you.

Understand that everyone understands you.
Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t be afraid: I have been in many places in which there was no way of communicating with words, and I always found support, guidance, important suggestions, even girlfriends. Some people think that if you travel alone, you will go out into the street and be lost forever. All you need is the hotel card in your pocket, and - should you find yourself in extreme circumstances - take a taxi and show it to the driver.

Yes, most people will understand you, but some will definitely take advantage of your situation for their own profit. If this is the case, make sure you have lots of extra cash to spend during unexpected expenses/situations.

Don’t buy much.
Spend your money on things which you won’t have to carry: good theater, restaurants, walks. Nowadays, with the global market and the Internet, you can have everything you want without having to pay for excess baggage.

Try to buy only small items that you can easily carry and make sure that you cannot buy it elsewhere! It is a bit frustrating to buy a "souvenir" item just to find that you can buy it at home from one of the souvenir shops. Do not take flora or fauna as souvenirs! Your memories with the place is the greatest souvenir you can have, so make sure you make good ones!

Don’t try and see the world in a month.
It is better to stay in one city for four or five days, that visit five cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman, who needs time to be seduced and reveal herself completely.

In today's busy world, more often it is impossible to take it slow and savor the place. The farther the place or the more difficult it is to go to your destination, the longer your stay should be. No one wants to go to a faraway place only to get back home very tired and all of the good times spent in the journey gone because of it.

A journey is an adventure.
Henry Miller said that it is far more important to discover a church no one has heard of, than go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel, with two hundred thousand tourists shouting all around you. Go to the Sistine Chapel, but also get lost in the streets, wander down alleyways, feel free to look for something, without knowing what it is. I swear you will find it and that it will change your life.

The most important thing when you travel: find your own tourist spot!