Travel Tip: Wander Around

market at LIttle India – Singapore

Travel Tip: Wander Around

No matter where you travel, be it to a major city, small town, rural area or the great outdoors, one rewarding activity you should spend time doing during your trip is simply wandering around.

No matter who you are or what kind of traveler, you can enjoy this fun venture. Whether you’re a luxury traveler, mid-level traveler, flash-packer or budget traveler you can go wander around. Whether you’re traveling with kids, you’re a teenager, college student, 30-something or senior citizen, you can go wander around.

Ubud back roads- Bali

Choose your own pace. Make it a stimulating power walk to burn calories or a slow, leisurely saunter. Unless you have an injury or illness that prevents you from walking, you can go out and explore.

By simply wandering around you’re guaranteed to discover something new about the place you’re visiting: interesting cultural quirks, gorgeous architecture, useful shops, intriguing daily life customs, beautiful plants or animals… something.

night streer food stalls -Penang -Malaysia

night street food stalls in Penang – Malaysia

Many interesting small neighborhoods, cultural tidbits, local shops and parks you won’t find mentioned in any guidebooks. You’ll only discover them by exploring on your own.

Even if your immediate surroundings appear uninspiring and featureless, go wander around anyhow. You might be surprised what you find once you start wandering. Even if you only confirm that a place is boring or ugly, well at least you’ll know that.

But most likely you’ll be surprised, educated, intrigued, entertained, welcomed, confused, or piqued by curiosity.

water lilies – Marina Bay – Singapore

At the same time you’ll get some exercise, have a chance to interact with locals, become educated about people’s daily lives, foods, habits and customs.

Merits of wandering around:

* exercise

* learn about the local customs, daily habits, foods, shops, merchandise

* find useful shops or markets

* chance to interact with locals

* have fun

* …and it’s free!

Singapore

I recently was reminded of the rewards of wandering around. Yesterday I decided to go out for a walk here in Singapore. I’ve already visited Singapore dozens of times and have written over a dozen posts on the country. I feel I know Singapore pretty well…

This time around I’m staying at a friend’s place in Holland Village, a small trendy enclave about 30-45 minutes from Singapore’s downtown area & great attractions like Singapore River, Marina Bay and Little India.

Aside from a small trendy restaurant/bar area, Holland Village is pretty much in the middle of nowhere- set in the midst of several big highways and dozens of high-rise apartment buildings. I’ve stayed here with my friend several times before, but have never explored the immediate area on foot.

Holland Village – apartment blocks and highways

I was quite skeptical that I could enjoy walking here – along zooming highways, in between apartment blocks. I searched maps for a nearby park, but didn’t find any, though I did spot a small canal meandering between the highways.

Ah, well, I reckoned I could check out the canal to see if there was a walking path. A few days earlier I’d also glimpsed a gorgeous modern building nearby that I could investigate. So I set out along the highway, hoping to find some sort of green space for my walk.

Within five minutes of leaving I discovered an off-road cycling trail running through a wide grassy area below the highway system. That was great news since I have my bike with me.

great architecture – Singapore

A few minutes later I reached the first major intersection, turned left and soon found myself heading straight towards a leafy hillside park! Despite what the maps said, a lovely park was located within 10 minute’s walk from my friend’s apartment.

Just across from the park was that gorgeous building I had wanted to investigate. I stopped three local girls to ask about the building. Shopping mall. Wow, some fancy looking shopping mall!

one north park – Singapore

I entered the park and walked through to its far end, beneath huge tropical trees dripping with ferns and leafy vines and past flowering bushes and open grassy lawns. At the far end of the park I came to several minor roads shaded by more lush tropical trees. I followed several roads through residential areas featuring unusual colonial bungalow-style homes in a park-like setting. Eventually I headed back the way I’d come.

The end result was that I enjoyed a wonderful 1-hour energetic power-walk through parks and shaded, empty streets surrounded by two of my favorite things: nature and stunning architecture. Prior to my exploration I’d had no idea any of that even existed so close to my friend’s house. It was all a great discovery.

Colonial bungalow homes I dsicovered in Singapore

It reminded me that even if I’m returning to a favorite location that I’ve visited many times before, I can still always discover something new about the place just by wandering around.

Try it next time you go traveling!

A few reminders before you go wandering around:

* Pay attention to the weather before you head out. Carry along the appropriate gear with you in case of potential rain, cold or heat. You might be wise to have an umbrella, raincoat, sweater, hat or sunscreen. Don’t let yourself get frozen, soaked or fried in the sun!

* Find out beforehand if the area suffers from any petty crime or dangers. If so, take the recommended precautions, leave your valuables behind or well hidden beneath your clothes, and remain aware of your surroundings while walking.

* Take water with you, especially if it’s an area without shops.

* While wandering, pay attention to which way you’ve come so you don’t get lost on the way back. Better yet, carry a map with you. Also carry the address & contact information of the hotel, hostel, guest house or apartment you’re staying at, just in case you get lost or have trouble.

That’s it. Go enjoy wandering during your travels. It might just be the best thing you do during your whole trip.

QUESTIONS:

Are you in the habit of wandering around when you visit a new place?

If so, what do you like best about wandering?

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You might also find these travel tips useful:

Budget Travel Guide to Adding Luxuries to Your Travels

Why Living Overseas is Better pt 2 – Lower Crime / Higher Safety

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