It’s not that far. Can we just walk?
My argument for taking an active, health-focused approach to travel.
Traveling with me be like…”It’s not that far, we can just walk?”
A few years ago I was given my first magnificent opportunity to go to Asia (thanks, Julia of Craft Travel!). I went with a small group of travel industry professionals. We were 8 in total, visiting some of the most luxurious properties while participating in very authentic, culturally immersive experiences.
Highlights included:
Watching the sun reflect its shimmering light as it rose above 3,132 pagodas in Myanmar. WOW. At which point I was, hilariously, accosted and straight up USED as a blonde prop for a photo shoot by a band of elderly Chinese women. But that’s for another love letter.
Sitting in a temple in Laos for an hour with a room full of monks, chanting in unison. This was so beyond magical I still get chills when I think about it.
Artfully and SUCCESSFULLY haggling for a better price on my rambutans at a market in Vietnam. This required a lot of hand gestures, as my Vietnamese leaves a lot to be desired.
I experienced so many mind-altering moments on that trip that I will never forget.
And while we spent an equally mind-altering amount of time eating, I did not come home feeling like a lethargic elephant.
When we had down time, I chose to be active. Example: Instead of sleeping in, I solicited our local guide in Laos (who was a cyclist) to take me for an early morning bike ride. We pedaled past golden temples at dawn, around rice paddies and along the river bed. We saw fishermen at work, children en route to school in their tiny uniforms, old ladies cleaning their stoops.
I ate all the local produce I could get my hands on. Despite the elaborate spread of incredible breakfast breads and pastries, I was enamored with the endless array of exotic fruits and vegetables available to me. I swapped every meal possible with the fresh foods that I couldn't get at home. I was even nicknamed the Fruit Bat.
On occasion, I skipped dessert. (Brutal. I know.)
Inviting healthy choices into my first Asian experience did not make me feel restricted at all.
In fact, one might argue (“one” being I, myself) that the experience was even more authentic & immersive than it would have been had I chosen to sit around during down time or scarf down every dessert set in front of me (let me not deny, this was probably the hardest part).
There was also the added benefit of energy, vibrance and sharp mental focus.
NEWSFLASH (Remember that from the 90s?) Active, health-focused travel can be easy! It combines a little bit of fasting, fresh foods, movement, and wandering days (or “living days” as I like to call them). Oh, and some willpower.
Here are 6 easy steps you can take to travel healthier.
Choose active places. Try Patagonia for hiking and nature. Paris for walkability and fantastic markets. Safaris can be notoriously sedentary, so investigate locations where “walking safaris” are also an option.
Replace one meal with fresh fruits, veggies, juices or smoothies from a local market. You get the added bonus of assimilating into the local food shopping culture.
If you intermittent fast at home, continue to fast here. But consider shortening the fasting period if you’re moving significantly more. However, if fasting feels stuffy or stifling, don’t worry about it. Enjoying the experience is the top priority, and fasting can also be opting for fruit in the morning instead of a basket of pastries.
Choose a handful of local delicacies you want to try and be okay with not trying every single thing. If you’re in Mexico, eat a pan dulce! Since there are up to 2,000 recorded varieties of pan dulce, opt to taste test 2-3. Or, choose 1-2 vices a day to indulge in. For example, in Italy, maybe you have a day of pasta and wine. The next day can be pasta and gelato. The third day can be gelato and wine.
Walk everywhere possible. You will see more, hear more, smell more, and feel more at one with the location you’re in. Take at least one day to wander aimlessly and pretend you live there. See where you end up. If walking isn’t an option, can you bike? If none of these are options then incorporate step 6.
Go to a fitness class. If you’re abroad, take it to the next level and do it in the local language. It’s honestly the perfect crash course. You’ll never know how quickly you can learn body parts and action verbs until you are forced to memorize them right before entering a yoga class in a language you’ve never spoken. (See my “French Yoga experience” here). It is also a fascinating insight into local life. What are people wearing? What kinds of fitness are the locals interested in? Does this instructor teach virtually? There are so many awesome benefits to taking local fitness classes and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s also scary, and shouldn’t we do one thing every day that scares us? As Aristotle said, “An individual develops courage by doing courageous acts”.
To successfully travel healthy means being honest with yourself. Does overeating & overdrinking make you feel slow, foggy and lethargic? Isn’t traveling under these conditions kind of, well, miserable?
If you agree, keep to the tips above and I promise your next experience will be much more vibrant, energetic and authentic.
Or, go on an active, health-focused trip with me!
With love,
Bethany
