The People We Meet Along The Way
Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash
Ask any seasoned traveler what the best part of their last trip was and they'll likely say it was the people they met. You might think it odd, especially if they enjoyed a place renowned for food, art, or entertainment, but they just can't stop talking about the waiter at this one little hole-in-the-wall restaurant and their host at a B&B. Why are they so fascinated?
Travel is life condensed and, as in everyday life, it's the connections to people that make the difference. Any guidebook can tell you the opening hours of a museum but only the locals can tell you to be sure not to miss the exhibit that's almost hidden in the back room on the right and was discovered down the road by their great grandparents.
That's the secret really. Any place can feel magical and intriguing if people take the time to connect and make it so.
Through my years of travel, I have countless stories of the difference the people have made. Whether it was the folks at the auto shop who made sure we didn't get stuck on the wrong side of the flooding Mississippi River on our way home (we barely made it) or the couple who live all the way out on the end of the Isle of Skye who shared their home, their incredible view, and their dreams during an amazing evening, they all made a lasting impression. They gave of themselves to make us feel welcome and very well cared for.
So how do these regular folks, living in their regular places create magic for travelers? Quite literally, they let them in. They let travelers into their homes, businesses, families, and hearts. They anticipate needs and provide a window into places and ways of living we could not otherwise access. I don't understand what it's like to live 3 hours from the closest town running shoe shop, but my hosts do. I don't know what it's like to live in a giant world-class city with everything on my doorstep, but my hosts do. I don't know about the best locally-owned restaurant in town, but the person running the tiny bookshop does. It's the people that make any place worth visiting, otherwise, trips might be mostly made of looking at buildings and standing in line.
Social connection can occur anywhere and it changes everything, including you.
It's not just deep social connections that make a difference. Connections made in passing or in the short term build happiness too. Connections while on vacation frequently allow you a way to celebrate differences rather than fear them.
Even as a serious introvert, I never miss a chance to talk to a friendly local when I visit somewhere new, no matter how terribly I speak their native tongue. I am always impressed and humbled when they invariably then choose to speak to me in my language while in their country. That is a kindness I never forget. The people are why I travel and why I preach the virtues of travel to anyone who will listen. Travel stretches you in new and unexpected ways. The further afield you roam, the more you are stretched and changed. All of that change becomes a part of you and you return home a different person.
Even though it is harder and more uncomfortable, this is why I avoid packaged trips and encourage others to travel independently. Spending 6 hours in a city before getting back on the river cruise is nowhere near as meaningful as spending 3 or 4 days wandering in foreign places. In 6 hours you get a chance to eat, take a bunch of photos that look like everyone else's, and tour a hotspot or two. There’s nothing wrong with that actually. But you'll never find that local Scotch shop with an amazing selection, knowledgeable staff, and no sign. You either have to know someone or have the time to happen upon it.
When you invest in people at home, they take care of you as much as you take care of them. The same thing is true on your travels.
Take an interest in people. Be curious. Get uncomfortable. Ask why they do things this way and see what you can learn. After all, everyone has something to teach us.
It’s the people who make all the difference.
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