Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Among the many possibilities in the United States, you can stay in a house on Lake
Ruben, Georgia, or at a ski lodge in the Colorado Rockies. In Mexico, spend a week in an
apartment in Mexico City's La Condesa, an area described by the
New York Times
as much
like the East Village. On a recent trip to England, Kenny and Cohen rented a cottage in
Wiltshire. Wherever you go, you can stay true to the slow travel credo by staying within 30
minutes of home, get to know the locals at nearby bars, restaurants, and cafés, and walk to
interesting sights, perhaps a local garden, museum, or market. Sure, you'll see only one small
corner of the world, but you'll see it
in depth
—as visiting residents rather than fly-by-night
tourists.
JUST SAY SLOW
Slow travel is an offshoot of the global movement dedicated to reining in our 24/7
lives. The slow movement probably began in 1986, when McDonald's set up shop
near Rome's Spanish Steps and Italian food writer Carlo Petrini organized a demon-
stration. Incited by the fast-food invasion, Petrini and his followers, brandishing
bowls of penne pasta, called for a return to the pleasures of “slow food.” His in-
sistence on the preservation of traditional foods and artisan methods spearheaded
an international movement—more than 40 countries—that extol the notion of slow-
ing down to enjoy and savor living. Some ways to slow down include taking up a
leisure pursuit such as knitting or painting; spreading out your chores; shopping at
a farmers' market; and enjoying the company of others rather than TV or a book
while eating.
Some of the tips for having a slow vacation:
•
Go someplace so isolated there is no cell phone or BlackBerry access.
•
Take all the vacation days you're entitled to. A recent study by Harris In-
teractive found that American workers typically leave four vacation days
unused.
•
Remember the two golden rules of slow travel: Stay at least a week and
visit only places within a 30-minute circle.
To find your own “slow vacation,” check out Kenny's website, a community of some
6,000 travelers who are all sold on the stay-at-least-a-week approach. Members review vaca-
