Blog Post 10 - Why I Choose Slow Travel Over Ticking Countries Off a List

The Rush

So many influencers today rush from country to country, showing off their passports like trophies. Yelling out things like: “I have visited 44 countries and counting!”

And sure — it’s awesome that you’ve seen the pyramids of Giza or had coffee in Paris. But have you really been there? Have you spoken with locals, shared a family dinner, or stayed on a small farm where life moves at its own rhythm?

For me, travel has never been about numbers. It’s about connection. It’s quality over quantity. The planet is huge, and yes — there’s so much I want to see — but when I visit a country, I’d rather feel it. I want to understand how people live, what they value, what makes them smile. The tourist sights might be part of it, but they’re just a tiny piece of a much deeper story.

What “Slow Travel” Means to Me

It is not about staying longer, but about being present where you are. Watching how locals start their day with a glass of fresh juice from the market, how shop owners greet each other in the morning as they open their doors, how life unfolds at its own rhythm.

It’s tasting the food where the locals eat - not just in the polished places designed for tourists - but the small family-run spots tucked away in side streets. Where the kids of the family are on the ground playing with their toys while grandma sits in the corner weaving or knitting her next piece of art. It’s wandering beyond the tourist trail, discovering corners of a town that doesn’t appear on the map and allowing your curiosity to lead the way.

Slow travel means forming genuine connections - sharing stories, smiles and moments that don’t need translation. It’s having a beer with the locals on the cemetery on Día de Muertos in latin America, joining a paint-your-own-lantern workshop in Hoi An, Vietnam, learning how to craft jewellery or making your own shamanic drum in Pisac. Or even just sitting next to a local mama who patiently shows you how she weaves her fabrics, her hands moving with generations of knowledge.

For me, slow travel is about experiencing life from within - becoming part of a place, even if just for a short while, instead of simply passing through ticking off the tourist highlights.

The Problem with Fast Travel

There’s nothing wrong with moving quickly from time to time - ticking off a few famous sights and snapping some amazing photos along the way. We all go on holiday for a few weeks a year to do that. 

But the problem begins when travel turns into a race - that fear of missing out playing up. The constant pressure to “see it all” can be exhausting. It’s not sustainable, especially when you’re on the road long-term. I’ve been there - I’ve felt that so-called travel burnout.

Social Media doesn’t help much either. It feeds the checklist mindset: collecting countries like trophies, chasing the next “Instagram moment”. But in all that rushing, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. What do you actually want to do, see, experience, or feel?

When you travel too fast, you often miss the essence of a place. You spend most of your time surrounded by other tourists instead of locals (apart from the guide perhaps). You miss parts of the real culture, the spontaneous conversations, and the beautiful, unexpected moments that only happen when you slow down.

What I’ve Gained from Slowing Down

By taking it slow - in my daily routines as well as how long I stay somewhere when travelling - I’ve built real friendships - not only with other long-term travellers and expats, but also with locals. Those connections have given my travels a sense of depth and belonging that fast travel never could.

Occasionally I end up deciding to live somewhere for a longer period of time. Usually this happens in culturally rich places like, now, Pisac, and before in Margaret River and Stellenbosch.

Life stops feeling like a series of destinations and it becomes more about really diving into the depth of living somewhere, developing your own routines and blending in. I get to know the familiar faces at the market, the artists and café owners, and slowly, I begin to feel part of their world.

Slowing down has deepened my creativity. When you create together - painting, making jewellery, sharing stories - you don’t just observe culture, you enter it. It sparks a different kind of inspiration, one that feels rooted and alive.

When on the road it can sometimes be hard to find the time to actually sit still and take your time to create - as so many distractions occur. When I stay longer in places I have more time to sit down, relax and process. Just being present with myself and my art.

There’s a calm that comes with this way of traveling. You feel less rushes, you accept you don’t need to see everything, more grounded, more relaxed. It’s good for the soul and with that, for your health. By slowing down, I’ve come to understand not just the places I visit, but the heartbeat behind them.

Practical Tips for Slowing Down

If you want to experience the heart of a place rather than just pass through it, here are a few things that have helped me along the way:

Stay at least a week (or more) in each place. The longer you stay, the more familiar everything feels — faces, routines, even the rhythm of the streets.

Learn a few words of the local language. Even a simple “hello” or “thank you” opens doors and hearts.

Visit local markets and eat where families eat. My personal tip: always choose the place where the chef looks the happiest — that’s where the food is made with love!

Volunteer or take a local class. Whether it’s jewellery making, cooking, or art, it’s a beautiful way to connect with people and save a bit of money while traveling.

Disconnect from comparison. Social media makes it look like everyone’s doing more, faster. But remember: algorithms reward movement, not meaning. Real life happens in the pauses.

Remind yourself: you can always go back. The fear of missing out fades when you realise the world isn’t going anywhere. There’s always more to see — but you’ll experience it better when you’re not rushing through it.

Don’t plan every detail. Leave room for spontaneity and let the days unfold naturally. Some of the best experiences happen when you don’t try to control the outcome.

And if planning is your thing - or you’d love a little help creating a slow-travel-itinerary - I can help you with that! More and more people are craving slower, more mindful journeys these days. That’s why retreats and cultural stays have become so popular - we’re all looking for something that nourishes both body and soul rather than going home completely drained of our energy.

Closing Thought

Maybe the real magic of travel isn’t in how much we see, but in how deeply we experience each place we visit. Why do you have to see everything in the world at a young age already?

Let’s assume we have plenty of time to explore the planet - time to wander slowly, connect deeply, and truly feel the places we go. Travel isn’t a race. Go and experience, rather than rushing through it out of fear of missing out.

With warmth,
Kimberly 🌻