The story about sophisticated travelling begins on a dark Sunday night at the kitchen table, where we started to talk about travel, trying to formulate our own way of travelling. It is not frugal travel – we are not really looking for the cheapest deals, even though we try to make sensible decisions and we believe in flexibility. Our travelling might be a bit mindful – we really like to find out about our destinations, learning the language is fun too. We are that kind of people who find election campaigns intriguing, visit supermarkets, and like the local foods. We want to experience more than surface of the place that we are visiting. Essentially, our outlook on travelling – and life – defines the adventures we seek and the life we lead.
We were once told that our travel routines seemed boring. No parties, no crazy adventures, no extreme sports. We ain’t no smarty pants, nor are we elegant. However, we would like to consider ourselves sophisticated. And we’d like to say that we engage in sophisticated travelling. The word sophisticated is an adjective that refers to something being “pleasing or satisfactory to the tastes of people who are educated, cultured, and worldly-wise”. We seek to increase our knowledge about ourselves and the world by travelling. To us, that means digging into politics and history, walking around in unknown places, feeling the place and its people. There are many reasons for people to travel. There is no right or wrong. In our case it is essentially a desire to learn more about the world that surrounds us, to gain a deeper understanding.
We do not really know what draws a human being out into the world. Is it curiosity? A hunger for experience? An addiction to wonderment? The man who ceases to be astonished is hollow, possessed of an extinguished heart. If he believes that everything has already happened, that he has seen it all, then something most precious has died within him—the delight in life.”
– Ryszard Kapuściński, Travels with Herodotus
Our tips for what we consider to be sophisticated travelling can be found below. Fancy clothing is optional, comfortable shoes is a must.
Greetings from here in Finland. Adventures .. thanks! I could just as well be walking along the paths, as a luxury hotel, anything goes 🙂 <3
Yes, adventures are always great 🙂 Thanks for your comment!