Quote:
Originally Posted by Warin
What methods do you use to slow yourself down?
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As well as a slower speed on the road, how about staying longer in each place?
Making some sort of connection with local life.
"The mode of locomotion should be slow, the slower the better, and be often interrupted by leisurely halts to sit on vantage points and stop at question marks."
(Carl Sauer, president of the Association of American Geographers).
One good way of doing this is visiting a barber for a haircut. Places I remember doing this, looking for a
?, include Aswan, Egypt; Kigoma, Tanzania; Santarem, on the Amazon, Brasil; Panajachel, Guatemala and Tombstone, Arizona.
Always an interesting and unexpected outcome! (Including in Tombstone). No common language needed!
Then there's visiting a local library. Even if it's in a place where you don't know the language, looking inside can lead to some handy bit of local information.
Record shops and CD street stalls can be Aladdin's Caves of music never encountered before. In my experience, a foreigner in these places always gets a special welcome.
Then of course, there's the village motorbike shop. Go in, just for a look.
Save the bars, restaurants and cafes for after that lot.