A home for my words.

#1 You Know Yourself Best

You know what you like. Yes, something might be a “must-see,” but one search across the internet might be enough to decide that you, personally, don’t want to go.

I know that I am a sensitive and introverted person. Excess noise, crowds, etc. can overwhelm me, meaning some of the world’s most famous sights could thrust me into hermitage, irritability, or tears. Other people know they’d prefer to stay away from alcohol, nightlife, violence, animals, allergens, whatever it is. Great. Their knowledge of their own likes and dislikes makes it easier for them to plan the trip of their dreams, even if that means avoiding “must-see” places.

My point is: You should invite into your life what you need and you have the authority over your life to abstain from much of what you don’t want. This includes your travel decisions.

#2 “Can You Pay My Bills?”

If you’re the one fitting the bill for your travels, you get to determine where you allocate those funds.

For the vast majority of us, our money sources are far from limitless. And sometimes “must-sees” come with heavy price tags. You might be able to foot the bill for one piece of a vacation, but have to decide to opt out of another due to cost. Add on not having a strong desire to experience a “must-see” in the first place, and it’s a clear indicator to stay away. There is little sense in breaking the budget just to be able to say you did something popular that caused financial strife and/or something you didn’t even want to do in the first place!

#3 Filtered Façades

Some things are socially manufactured into being considered a “must-see.” There are influencers who get paid to make something look like it’s an incredible experience. What they show can be much different from the reality.

I stick to sussing out a cafe or establishment via Google Maps (and recently started posting Google reviews of my own!). Many people there are simply snapping a quick photo to add context and offering up a fair review of their experience. In other words, they are expressing their experience for little in exchange. That’s where the gold is for me.

#4 There’s Always Next Time

I know our time on Earth is finite. And if you are from the US, vacation days can be hard to come by. This adds to the pressure to see everything you can while traveling. But when we’re talking about a place that you might reasonably visit again, you can simply console yourself over not visiting a “must-see” by saying “next time.”

I told myself “next time” while in Lima, Peru. I simply did not feel like visiting Machu Picchu. I was scolded by many a local and tourist alike. But I felt so burnt out that the money, extra travel, effort, and crowds that the trip would require did not feel worth it to me. There was also a literal state of emergency due to flooding in the region at that time… which no one seemed to acknowledge. Since I’m nomading, I can always make my way back to Peru if I feel like having that quintessential experience.

#5 Simply Being

There’s a lot to be said for simply being in a new place. It’s one of my favorite things to do while traveling: get on a local bus and stare out the window, try out new coffee shops, people watch from a balcony, visit new beaches and parks. Few of these things might count as “must-sees,” but they may end up being the favorite parts of a trip.