The essence of travel

A street in Jamaica Plain, Boston

One of the best ways to explore and discover a new city, is to avoid the main attractions altogether. Get off the tour bus, strap on some comfortable shoes, and download a good map of the city onto your smartphone: it's time to see the city in a whole new light.

Don't get me wrong: the famous sights are popular for a good reason. But to really get a feel for the "essence" of a city, you need to walk on the well-treaded sidewalks of the business district, eat at the grungy little coffee shop across from the train station, and take a leisurely bike ride through a sleepy suburb. Then you can discover the true beat of the heart that pumps within a city.

The scariest thing about wandering aimlessly through an unknown town is the fear of getting lost. In fact, some of the best discoveries I've made in some of the different cities I've traveled to, were found by letting go of that constant need to be in control, and letting the crowded roads and rhythm of a busy town sweep me away.

Like the little Thai place that had the best green curry I've tasted, five miles away from the main Strip in Las Vegas; a misty pond resting in the stillness of a summer dawn deep in the hills of Malibu; a cozy vegetarian restaurant snuggled amongst other quaint restaurants deep in an alley of London; all were met through the openness of a curious mind and wandering feet.

The best thing about running away from tourist roads and trolling everyday streets, is discovering a world slightly familiar, yet so different from the one you call home. My sister and I took the "T" from Downtown to Jamaica Plain, a suburb of Boston on our visit last month. The narrow, sun-dappled roads,  pastel-colored homes, and whimsical spirit of the neighborhood reminded me of home, and yet was totally foreign to me. 

In travel, you can't help but compare your destination to the place you know best; the similar things spark a comforting familiarity; but the different things bring an awareness of the foreignness of this new city. This ambiguity is the essence of travel.

So, fellow netizens, heed my call: the next time you visit a new city, town, or country, try taking that small side road, instead of the main thoroughfare; you might find exactly what you were/were not looking for.