Applying Wan’s advice to the greater journey: A reflection on the value of “taking it slow” while travelling

Packing as much as possible into every possible second is part of the North American psyche. It’s all about getting the most “bang for your buck” out of each day. Faster, more, quantity, quantity! In trying to do too much everything becomes a blur, and the surface of any one experience is only just skimmed. With this type of mentality, it would seem that you are getting more out of an experience, but in fact you are really losing out.

On the recent trip Caitlin and I took to Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia, a local restaurant owner named Wan gave us some advice about hiking in the forest. He explained to us that we need not rush. Instead, to truly appreciate the forest we should use all of our senses and really take our time. When Caitlin and I later discussed our time in the forest we felt that it was such a good experience because we took our time, which allowed us to be present and focused on all that was around us. Wan’s advice of “taking it slow” came at a good time, when we were still fresh backpackers, figuring out how to make our travels work for us. His advice is applicable to the rest of our journey, and will be of great value to our backpacking experience. 

Doing things slowly and with deliberation is important. It is about doing everything as well as possible instead of as quickly as possible. The North American mentality often values quantity over quality when it comes to experiences. Doing as many things as possible and seeing everything you can in any given time frame is often the archetype of a North American vacation. With a list of sights to see, the vacationer sets off to discover the “greatest hits” of a place, rather than experiencing the location in its truth. In doing so, the traveller cannot truly get under the skin of a place. There is so much value in travelling with quality in mind, instead of quantity.

Picking a handful of essential experiences to take our time with (and saving the rest for another trip) is a mentality that has kept Caitlin and I happy backpackers. When we try to do too much or to see too many places, it feels like we are always on a bus/boat/train, or just settling into a spot when we are uprooted and whisked off to the next location. Travelling like this leaves me in a dizzying haze, not to mention in a grumpy and uptight mood. Travel is about experience NOT sightseeing.

Some of our best experiences have happened when we go off the beaten path, do something spontaneous and unplanned, take the advice of a random traveller (“You have to go there, it is AMAZING!”), or just simply reading a book and sipping a coffee. Exploring surrounding villages instead of big cities, or eating where locals eat instead of going to the local “western food” restaurant are always travel gems. Experiencing a place for what it truly is, the local people for who they truly are, and allowing time for reflection of all the things that you are doing are the perfect ingredients to create a trip full of life-long memories and authentic experiences.