Traveling, fast and slow

Growing up, going on vacation usually meant going at a break-neck pace. My parents always saw travel as an educational opportunity, so instead of going to a resort for a week, they’d pick an area we’d travel around, visiting as many museums, historical sites and unique experiences as possible. I always walked away from these trips with newfound knowledge, but a part of me wondered why we couldn’t take it a little slower for once.

Nevertheless, that fast-paced style of travel has more or less become a part of me. Now that I’m studying abroad, I take every opportunity I can to visit all my dream destinations, often spending no more than three nights in a single place. I’ve even tried a bit of slow travel, but found it’s not my preference.

As I’ve become more experienced with traveling, though, I’ve noticed a divide between more seasoned travelers on a “proper” speed of travel. Some enjoy “fast travel,” which includes visiting various cities or even countries in a single trip. Many more argue for the inverse: “Slow travel,” which requires that the traveler stay in a single place for at least a week. Only through slow travel, they argue, can you thoroughly experience and know the destination.

In reality, neither is superior to the other. Slow travel simply isn’t for everyone; its benefits are overstated and it certainly doesn’t automatically make you a more worldly traveler. Indeed, anyone can have an enjoyable, immersive travel experience, even at a fast pace.

Traveling at a slower pace certainly has its advantages. You spend a longer time in one destination, allowing for more opportunities to engage with the local culture, make discoveries that go off the beaten path and overall get closer to an “authentic” experience. You also aren’t spending time in transit between destinations, meaning you get more time to explore your destination of choice. Instead of scratching the surface, slow travel allows you to get a deeper understanding of the place. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for everyone. While many Europeans, for instance, have more vacation days that allow them to go on a two-week holiday, many Americans can’t do the same. It’s no wonder my family spent a week driving from place to place to place — my parents couldn’t afford to take more than a week off.

That’s not to say fast travel is a consolation prize; it offers its own benefits. What fast travel may not offer in depth, it offers in breadth. For travelers itching to see many corners of a region in one go (which is often the case when transatlantic flights are as expensive as they are), fast travel enables you to sample a bit of everything and get an idea of what you might like to come back to. I prefer this anyway — it’s better to leave a destination with the hope of returning, rather than having a feeling that you’ve seen everything you need to.

Furthermore, immersion doesn’t have to be purely physical. Before and after traveling to a certain destination, reading up on that place’s history, culture and lifestyle will enrich your experience and the memory of it. One of my favorite things to do is visit a bookstore in the city I’m in and look through their local and cultural sections. Having done this in Prague, I found a book on Czech feminism and Czech women’s literature at the turn of the century. Reading them now reminds me of my time there and teaches me more about the place I fell in love with. Your time traveling shouldn’t be the only time for education, but rather spark inspiration for deeper learning, even after departure.

Because we envision travel as a means of engaging with individuals and cultures across the globe, we too often forget how travel is also a very personal experience. Some are scared of flying, while others can’t stand the thought of a road trip. Some make the best memories traveling with a large group, while others find solo traveling more impactful. 

When it comes to deciding the pace of your journey, you have to weigh your own values and circumstances to determine what’s best for you. Maybe it’s been your dream to see Tokyo and Tokyo only. It would only make sense to plan a trip where you spend as much time there as possible. 

Or say you’re going to Munich, but you’re dying to visit Prague and Vienna, too. In this case, it might be better to cut down your time in Munich and make a loop between all three cities. It might cost you some extra time and money, but a faster-paced trip could be the right choice if one place is not your sole focus. It’s certainly cheaper than planning a longer trip, or flying in and out of the U.S. three times over.

It might require some cost-benefit analysis, but those trade-offs, along with the pace of the journey, are ultimately up to the traveler. Only you can say what works best for you, and the best way to decide is to try out both fast and slow travel when given the chance. Travel fast, travel slow, travel far and wide, to there and back — but travel how you prefer.

Audra Woehle is an Opinion Columnist currently studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany. In her column, “Audra Abroad,” she writes about culture, identity and travel. She can be reached at awoehle@umich.edu.