Every moment with a certain person or place will never repeat itself. Life happens in front of you, and becomes immortalized in the stories you share. Travel is the perfect time to find yourself spending more time looking into the eyes of others, and making deeper connections. Iyer wrote that, “Not many years ago, it was access to information and movement that seemed our greatest luxury; nowadays it’s often freedom from information, the chance to sit still, that feels like the ultimate prize.” Your trip could include a few days of digital detox. Before you leave home you may want to plan how you will interact with your digital gadgetry. Who do you need to stay in touch with? What information might you need access to? Taking a break from your daily routine and the constant stream of digital information allows you to truly absorb yourself in your new surroundings. The result? Return home feeling inspired and, possibly, rejuvenated. Travel unplugged Local connections There is more joy in the journey when you use the power of observation, so we recommend that you incorporate downtime into your itinerary. Wander purposefully away from the crowd and get lost. Find what surprises lie around the corner. As we develop an appetite for improvisation, we are led to savor the details. These interludes provide a breathing space for planned spontaneity, where you can encounter the unexpected. Uncertainty can be daunting, yet there is much adventure in the unknown, and these are often the memories we hold onto for the longest time. Planned spontaneity If you want to go fast, go alone If you want to go far, go together - AFRICAN PROVERB 10 enchantingtravels.com What is travel if not an opportunity for connection? To forge new relationships and strengthen established ones? Honoré explains, “The great benefit of slowing down is reclaiming the time and tranquility to make meaningful connections – with people, with culture, with work, with nature, with our own bodies and mind.” Instinctively, we know that our experience will be enhanced when we are hosted by local people who intimately know their neighborhood. That’s why traveling with support and local expertise makes all the difference. Enchanting Travels continually seeks out experiences where you can physically immerse yourself in local rituals and routines. When you show interest in a new culture, your visit has the power to have a positive impact on local communities. Every trip helps us to better understand ourselves, for when we look outwards we inevitably turn inwards too. British polar explorer Ernest Shackleton wrote, As we roam, we ultimately find ourselves changing. Our curiosity piqued, we undergo a subtle transformation. Our understanding of the world evolves. We may find ourselves with fewer answers and asking more questions. Wanderlust allows us to stay youthful. When we experience awe, our senses become heightened to discovering all that is new around us. Inevitably, it leads us back to ourselves. We blow off the cobwebs of assumptions and value systems that have been shaped by our perpetually familiar surroundings. Iyer describes this perfectly. “Travel spins us round in two ways at once: It shows us the sights and values and issues that we might ordinarily ignore; but it also, and more deeply, shows us all the parts of ourselves that might otherwise grow rusty.” By making considered decisions in where we go, how we go, where we stay, who we meet, and what we do, we can reap the rewards of tailor- made travel. Ultimately, every trip away can be a reminder to treasure our inner tortoise. We are human beings, not human doings. So come, pack your bags, and let us take you on your next enchanting journey, where every step counts. Rest your head in a hotel that is different from what you are used to. Perhaps you will choose to stay in a rustic lodge in a remote area where few tread, or check-in to a downtown boutique hotel that is steeped in local heritage and traditions. The secret is to absorb the ambience of your unique accommodation. From an ecological mountain lodge in Bolivia, to a ryokan (traditional inn) with hot springs in Japan, from a restored palace in India to a luxurious safari tent in Tanzania, we provide exceptional tried and tested slow stays. Traveling inwards Slow Stays GO SLOW 11 “The world is a huge place. How will you know where you fit in unless you explore beyond your comfort zone?”