There was a time when a big holiday or travel adventure followed a fairly predictable script. You arrived in a new city, made your way to the most recognisable sights (such as the Mulafossur waterfall), take some snaps of the amazing buildings and famous scenery and then move onto the next attraction on the list. Some landmarks felt almost compulsory, as though a trip only counted if you had stood in front of the right monument or skyline. That instinct still exists, but it no longer dominates the way many people travel.
Rather than listing famous locations, many travellers now tend to describe moments that felt unexpected or immersive. There is a focus on the ‘off the beaten track’, rather than the typical sights everyone else sees. It could be an area they found by mistake while lost, or an incredible restaurant they strolled past unexpectedly, or a museum that wasn’t packed with crowds. The traveller stories are slowly changing from a tick list of cities to a collection of stories about experiences and moments they’ll remember forever, something I’m very happy to see.
When landmarks start to feel predictable
Ok, I’m not slagging off all the big landmarks, I grew up in London and think everyone should experience that city at least once in their life. But after a while, looking up at the likes of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace can get a little tedious…Ok, I was a local, let’s say when you go to Asia and you’ve got to spend two days exploring temples, or you head to Europe and you spend two days exploring cathedrals and churches, as well as statues of people you don’t know. It does get a bit tedious after a while.
I’m not knocking the history, the beauty of the architecture or the cultural aspects around these amazing sights, but when you return home and you share stories, it’s not about those famous landmarks.
It’s the activity you didn’t plan, or maybe you did plan but it exceeded expectations. Forget queing for hours to see an old clock in Prague, my favourite thing to do in Prague was the bobsleighing, which was just out of town and was absolutely incredible.
Why experiences leave a stronger mark
Experiences are personal, they’re different for everyone, they don’t follow a set rule, as what I say about a 4D cinema in Barcelona, someone else might find dull or get dizzy from the experience. They are rarely identical from one visitor to the next, and that unpredictability is part of their appeal. A local market, a a food festival, or even a friend you make on your holiday can absolutely provide you with an unbelievable experience you’ll look back on for years to come.
I find the tourist traps a bit tyring now, maybe that’s an ‘old man rant’ coming out, but queuing for hours to stare at an old building simply doesn’t appeal. I’ll come for a natural landmark, that’s for sure, but the idea of walking through Venice just sounds awful nowadays.
Sport provides a particularly interesting example of a unique experience, as I’ve always tried to watch a local sport wherever I go, whether that’s baseball in the USA, sumo wrestling in Japan or cheese rolling in Gloucester…Now that’s an experience! Some people like to go for big events like the World Cup, or the big race days like the Melbourne Cup in Australia or Royal Ascot in England, which attracts huge audiences. With odds on racing easy to access, many visitors and fans enjoy having a go at predicting scores or outcomes.
What Unique Experiences Would You Recommend?
Alright, after about 15 years of travel blogging, I’ve tried to think of some unique experiences that you should try over the next few years for a great story to share with others.
- Visit the Amazon Rainforest. There are some great tours that will take you through the rainforest, where you’ll see so much wildlife. I hate to think about how much of the rainforest is destroyed every single year, while this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever lived through. Make sure you opt for an ethical company that respects nature and the local area.
- Try a weird festival. This could be the cheese rolling in Gloucester, or the wife carrying championship in Finland, La Tomatina tomato throwing festival in Spain or the massive mud fight in South Korea.
- White water rafting is arguably the most fun activity I’ve ever tried. Maybe this won’t appeal to everyone, I can’t imagine my mum being tempted, but honestly until you’ve tried it, you don’t realise how much fun it is. Obviously you have different levels, so you can start with a relaxing beginner level rapid and build-up if you enjoy the time you spend on the raft.
- Attend a food festival. I’ve been to food events all over Europe and seriously love this, we’ve started to post more about food content over the past 2 years, especially on our social channels, as we’re massive foodies. Trying local cuisines in a new area is such an amazing experience, I can’t recommend it enough.
