I just went on a five-day break in Langkawi, Malaysia. And what did I do there? Absolutely nothing.
I woke up late, ate a huge breakfast and then lay around. At night, we binged on TV movies. Mealtimes were the high point. I did take a dip into the beautiful bay fronting the hotel. And yes, I read – something I hadn’t done in years.
It was a far cry from the days when I crammed on Arthur Frommer, writer of the bestselling travel guide, Europe on 5 Dollars a Day, to find the best travel deals. Also long over were the days when I pored over rail maps of various European countries to decide which rail pass to get for my two-week sojourn there.
The idea was to cram as much sightseeing as I could into the period I was there, and as affordably as possible.
Today, the thought of doing that tires me out. And I am not alone.
In my family of octogenarians, the idea of a holiday is not sightseeing, but relaxing: napping in bed and moseying in shops that are preferably within walking distance from the hotel. Car rides, if any, have to be short with plenty of loo stops. Of course, dining in nice restaurants, and on Asian food, is a must.
I remember our holiday in Italy some years back when I cooked dinner every night – not pastas and pizzas mind you, but Asian cuisine such as claypot rice and bak kut teh!
Adventure is not on the cards, neither are complicated itineraries that fit as many sights as we can into our schedule.
Does age bring with it laziness?
A friend, another senior, once remarked, “What is the thrill in travelling? After all, the amazing sunrises/sunsets, soaring mountain views, lush emerald forests, whatever scenery it is, are similar, wherever you go.”
But there are others of the same vintage who are more adventurous and energetic. I know of widowed women who travel several times a year.
One has lined up a destination every month in 2025, filled with places from her travel bucket list before she turns 80. Yet another has visited orang-utans in Rwanda and searched for Komodo dragons in Komodo. One other recently dived in Ambon, Indonesia.
With no husband in tow, widows go wherever they fancy. They are free to do so, unlike younger friends, whom now muse that the next holiday they take will be unencumbered of husbands!
But with or without spouses, most people follow group tours (which I dislike) when they travel. Especially now. The rigid timetables of those trips are just not my speed.
Neither are all-you-can-eat buffets suited to my appetite these days. Gargantuan servings of dishes, covered in creamy sauces also do not appeal.
You’re confined to a small cabin, threatened by probable seasickness and trapped into making desultory conversation with people you do not know and may not even like.
However, cruise fans tout the advantages of a holiday where you do not have to pack or unpack too much, and where food, drink, and entertainment are readily available, especially for those less mobile. There is also the “tantalising” allure of day tours whenever they dock.
Me? I’d rather stay at home.
Which is probably why I best like travel to places that are familiar, where there are no surprises, and I know my way around the attractions on offer.
I like living like a local and I follow the same routine abroad as at home. I wake up late, have a leisurely breakfast, prep for dinner (I cook daily), go out for lunch, run errands, head back home to nap, write a bit, walk a bit, then cook dinner, eat, followed by TV shows and perhaps, a book.
Of course I do do sights: but only when it doesn’t upset my regular daily schedule. I prefer visiting neighbourhoods that I haven’t explored, maybe catch a show or a movie, visit a museum, or go out for a really nice meal.
Boring, you may say. But I say it’s both comforting and comfortable.
There is no hassle nor do I need to work out unfamiliar routines, routes, and places. There is no need to cope with unexpected scenarios, as I have visited these places before and know the ins and outs.
While travel is often touted for the new experiences it offers, hopefully leading to a better understanding of different cultures, I get the same insights not from sightseeing but from the small domestic details of living abroad like a local.
Hugely entertaining, the audience knew each performer as he appeared, and clapped and cheered as a narrator announced his performing lineage while he took centrestage.
And at interval time, the audience stayed in their seats to eat dinner from bento boxes which they had packed for the performance! How civilised.
Aside from such unique insights which my kind of travel affords me, I like to travel to visit close friends and relatives who live abroad.
Whatever time I have left, I would prefer to spend it with people I love. And so I schedule a stay that is not too rushed with places to visit or sights to see. I’d rather spend time chatting and catching up with a friend’s life.
And that is probably the reason why I endure the inconvenience of travel. Not to regale in the fact that I have been-there-done-that, nor to check off items on a to-do list. But to spend my time meaningfully, and in a fashion most suited to my personal pace.
The Joy Of Slow Travel: How My Travel Style Changed With Age
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Credit: Sylvia Tan
Credit: Sylvia Tan
Not all silvers travel the same
Slow travel is fulfilling in its own way
Credit: Sylvia Tan
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Sylvia Tan
Sylvia Tan is a food author who loves Peranakan food.
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