The idea of slow travel captured my attention and imagination a long ago. For most people, slow travel is almost an impossible dream. We have many cares and obligations, and taking long stretches off to travel is simply out of the question.
What is slow travel, and does it differ from the other forms? Slow travel is an approach that highlights a connection to local people, cultures, food and music, amongst other things. It means avoiding staying in a resort and trying to live like locals. The emphasis is on learning – lifelong learning and experiencing the “local atmosphere”. An arrangement, for example, of “doing” 20 countries in 30 days might help us tick off a long list of “must-sees” but will do little to foster the learning of the local culture.
So how slow is slow? Some people say slow travel is somewhere between one and three months. Others advocate taking up a voluntary job and staying for six months. My first foray into slow travelling was in the Bay of Naples in 2022 for just 23 days. Just 23 days isn’t slow travel for purists, but it is a long time for me (for a start). Put it this way, how many people with a family to raise and a job to keep can afford the luxury of 23 days off? I can afford it only now – for I have just called it quits on an academic medical career.
Sorrento is a good base. And a good base is essential for the slower form of travelling. The train and bus station plus the ferry terminal can take you to Naples, Pompei, Herculaneum, the Almafi coast and all the islands in the Bay of Naples (Ischia, Procida and Capri).
The Bay of Naples is touristy and expensive, but we avoid the luxurious hotels and restaurants, which are “all over the place”. Our apartment in Sorrento is relatively modest. It is next to an orange orchard, but conveniently close to the train and bus station. We buy groceries from a local supermarket (which closes on Sunday!). However, the nearby mini-market opens every day till 10 pm. We love our favourite local restaurant and café just five minutes away.
I love the “days off” during our travel. These are the “travel rest days” when we do not go sightseeing. Yes, we go for walks to experience the neighbourhood or enjoy doing nothing much. Doing nothing is exactly what we want to be doing. These days off and rest days are also perfect for putting my thoughts together and writing.
I will do more slow travelling and for more extended periods. There is a particular urgency in putting my plans into action. After all, I do not know how many healthy days I have left in my life. Slow travel is one of the ways we can savour the joy of living.