Authentic Travel
What does that even mean?
People often talk about “authentic travel” without really defining what it means to them. As we all seek different experiences from our travels, travelling authentically looks different from traveller to traveller. For me, the central idea of experiencing local life is important, but there is so much more to it than that.
1. As Local As Possible
My main motivation to travel is to see all the amazing sights the world has to offer, as well as experiencing cultures and ways of life that are unfamiliar to me. Local experiences are important to me and are a core part of any trip, however where some travellers are reluctant to engage with the tourist hotspots, I will willingly include these in my adventures too. These sights are hotspots for a reason, and if you have a genuine interest in seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Times Square or the Champs Elysee, I don’t think we should feel ashamed to jump on board the bandwagon.
2. Embracing The Negatives
Not every moment of every trip is going to be perfect. In the social media-obsessed world, so many feel the pressure to make sure their trip is insta-worthy and aesthetically pleasing at all times. Anything outside of this can feel like a failure. But things do go wrong sometimes. Boredom, cross-cultural mishaps and the dreaded solo trip loneliness can and do rear their heads and it’s important to be realistic about this.
3. Following Your Own Interests
Perhaps contrary to the first point, I do encourage others to embrace their own travel interests, rather than feeling pressured to follow the herd, because certain experiences are deemed a “must-do”. There are so many lesser know attractions in cities and regions across the world, and if you stumble across something that piques your interest, take the time to check it out. Don’t pass by your own interests just to make sure you tick off someone else’s bucket list.
4. Imperfect Pictures
I am by no means a photographer. I haven’t taken a single photography lesson in my life and at this moment, don’t plan too. This means many of the photos you see here won’t be the dreamily lit, aesthetic pictures with the perfect setting that you will see elsewhere. And that’s ok. It definitely feels like I’m breaking some kind of travel blogger code and I admire the photography talents of so many other bloggers. But I like my imperfect, authentic pictures. I’ve always believed that imperfect photos are a good sign that you were too busy having a good time anyway.