The importance of slowing down while traveling

By Holly Hearn

I had only been in the UK for a week by the time I realized we just weren’t stopping. We’d visited Brighton, the Seven Sisters, London and Edinburgh, and there were still another four places to go in the remaining two weeks. I didn’t feel like I had a chance to settle myself anywhere, or even really see the places I was visiting.

Going to a new place every couple of days allowed me to see more in three weeks than I’d been able to see after spending many weeks here throughout my life. It opened my eyes to so much, and I’ve learned the many ways of life that exist between the southern coast of England to the Scottish Highlands. Brighton is artsy, Edinburgh is historic. 

At the same time, had I really seen anything? My day in Brighton was more like an afternoon, and although we saw the major sites like the pier and the shopping area, I couldn’t help but wonder what I missed by having to just walk past so much.

In my not professional but decently traveled opinion, I’d say there can be a time for going place-to-place, and I’m grateful to have seen so much. But it isn’t my preferred way of traveling.

Before my trip, I thought that it was going to be so great getting to spend a little bit of time in a lot of different places. I thought that that would be convenient because why wouldn’t I make use of the train lines and see as much as possible?

I loved getting to experience many new things while only taking three weeks off work. But I hardly felt a true connection to any place. Other than one bakery in London with amazing stuffed croissants and the convenient and consistent presence of a Tesco meal deal, it had been hard to find favorite places.

It seemed that as I soon as I figured out the public transportation in one place, it was time to go to the next. And so on. 

On the other hand — and maybe this is unfair because it’s where my family lives — I could tell you all my go to places in the suburbs of Southampton, England. 

Following behind my hometown and college town, it’s one of the next places I am most familiar with. I can tell you about the Whiteley Shopping Center in Fareham and The Talisman pub down the road from my grandparent’s house in Park Gate. The big Tesco is basically a more-fun Walmart and the garden center for dining with a different environment.

Admittedly, this may not be the best example, but it is still the UK so it can be easily compared. I have spent more than three total weeks there and I have the influence of locals. These towns are not ones I’d recommend to a tourist, but I have been able to pick up on a lot. 

I love getting to know each place on a deep level and understanding the local culture. It has been an incredible experience each time. 

Taking the time to really see a place has endless benefits. You get to spend your time seeing what the locals see, rather than just what’s on Tripadvisor’s top attractions lists.

I won’t tell you to skip Big Ben or Buckingham Palace if you’re visiting London for the first time. What I will tell you is that I seemed to hear considerably more American accents than English ones.

If you only have a day or two in London before moving to your next stop, you will go to all the most popular spots. For years, my family would just do daytrips there and see the big sites like Westminster Abbey, Oxford Circus, the Tower of London and more.

I never truly appreciated London when I would just see those locations. It was all Americans, just like home, so really, how different was it from any other city, where local culture seems to be drowned out by foreigners?

This time, I got to spend a total of five days in London. It changed my entire outlook on the city. My roommates had never been to the UK, so we went to the “tourist traps,” but also had time to explore many other neighborhoods and see what really makes it such a special city.

Because of the amount of time I had, I got to see a multitude of tourist areas. London really does have something for everyone. But I’ve also gone into the local spots, which have been what really has stood out.

Places on the outskirts of the Underground, such as Richmond, opened my eyes to what London means to those who live there. We chose Richmond because I love Ted Lasso, and going there gave me so much more than seeing the location of one of my favorite shows.

There were some decked out in AFC Richmond merch taking photos at all the recognizable spots, but they were outnumbered by the locals enjoying the nice weather.

We even went to dinner at The Prince’s Head — known as the popular pub “The Crown & Anchor” on the show — and rather than it being overfilled with fans, it was locals watching the live football game over drinks with their friends.

It showed the local culture and reminded me of many weekends growing up when my dad — a country away — would call my grandad and uncle to discuss the Premier League over a cup of tea.

Exploring the different parts of London was only possible because of the amount of time I had. Getting to see the areas that people don’t always think of was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It made me learn about and really appreciate where I was, something I don’t think would have happened otherwise. And certainly not if we were always going and never stopping.