Time is Food

When it comes to backpacking, time is food. Food and drink is an open window into another culture, open for a limited amount of time. What better way to experience another culture than by eating something new, something different?

Many of us are set in a fixed routine in life, not just with that monotonous 9 to 5. We frequent the same Starbucks every morning, munch on the same mid-morning snack and eat the same simple lunch. After work, it’s typical that we eat the same boring things throughout the week. Maybe there’s an occasional Friday night pizza run, or Saturday diner visit. Maybe Sundays have a wonderful feast for the family. But do we really venture out from our usual comfort foods and easy routine? The answer is ‘no’ for most of us.

When there is an opportunity to eat something new, instead of taking the chance on something knew, far too often we choose something familiar. We might not even try a different pizza on that Friday night in, opting instead for the old standby.

Why are we so predictable? It’s simple: It’s easy.

While I think it would be good for all of us to push our culinary boundaries a tad bit more, it is understandable. Taking the easy route is the safe bet in avoiding disappointment. But backpacking isn’t the easy route of travel. It’s not the comfortable way of travel. Backpacking, at least in our minds, is supposed to be adventurous. It is supposed to be some great experience of exploration, learning, uncertainty and fun.

Slow Down

We spend every day of our lives in a hurry to get things done, meet deadlines and rush from place to place. Why do so many of us act the same way on vacation? It’s vacation, not work!  In the hustle and bustle of trying to catch a train or see a famous attraction before it closes, we’ll often reach for a bag of chips or pop in a fast food joint to fill our stomachs on the go.

Slow down! A slight adjustment to your schedule can open up the time to take the long way round. Zig zag through neighborhoods and you’ll come across options you may never encounter over on Tourist Street. You might find that authentic dish you were looking for earlier or see pastries in a bakery shop window, finding that they are far better than those a back at your hotel. You may notice fewer tourists dining at these places, and that should be the best sign. If you go a little out of your way, you’ll come across local spots. The result is tastier, more authentic food. To make matters even better, there’s a solid chance these spots you’ve ‘discovered’ will be significantly cheaper, too.

By taking a little more time, we give ourselves the opportunity to explore and find new places. We get the chance to try new foods.

If you’re walking down that random road and see a strange something in the bakery window, go inside. Try it. You never know when you might find something unique to that one region of the world, or even unique to that specific town that somehow remains missing from the guidebooks. More importantly, you never know when you might find something delicious!

Many westerners, especially Americans, are notorious for hurrying and rushing about everywhere. We’ve got to be the first in line, fixing our schedules down to the minute. There certainly is never time for post-meal coffee and conversation. There’s no time to wait in line and we can’t come back later because that schedule is nowhere close to flexible.

When we eat – even in the midst of a multi-course meal – there is a severe lack of patience for busy waiters or the lag between courses. As soon as we finish dessert, by God, it’s time to go!

By making a habit of eating slower, the experience will transform into something much greater than food. Rather than checking lunch off the to-do list, we can enjoy our food, every bite, and maybe even enjoy some nice conversation with the people around us. Slower eating not only allows for a more complete experience, it is healthier – there is certainly an argument to be made that eating quickly is a contributor to the obesity epidemic.

When we travel abroad, even as backpackers, it is important to slow things down. There is a time for rushing, but it shouldnt be every minute of the day. Taking a little more time will helps to gain a better understanding of where we are. It will lead us around a random corner, down a curious street and into the arms of the most delighful foods imaginable. Slower travel finds a less stressful adventurer, a healthier vacation and a whole experience.

Slow travel is slow eating.