"I realised that in the process of trying to curate the perfect day, I had completely forgotten what it is that makes these experiences joyful in the first place: spontaneity. Even on holiday, the one time of the year when routine is supposed to go out of the window, every day was planned with military precision and it was sucking the fun out of it."
"More often than not, reality fell far short of what was promised. The images of colourful, likely Photoshopped views, unspoilt historical landmarks and huge, gourmet, mouthwatering sandwiches I'd come across online would turn out to be utterly underwhelming in real life."
"Without realising, I'd turned travelling into admin. So, a year ago, I made a change. I banned myself from reading reviews and excessive planning for a trip to Barcelona. No longer would I scramble to get between places that I'd packed into a whistle-stop itinerary; instead, I chose an area I wanted to explore."
Over-reliance on online reviews, Google Maps, and pre-planned itineraries transformed travel into a rigid, joyless administrative exercise. While some researched recommendations proved worthwhile, most fell short of their online hype. The author realized that meticulous planning eliminated spontaneity—the essential ingredient for meaningful travel experiences. This realization prompted a radical shift: banning reviews and excessive planning for a Barcelona trip. Instead of cramming multiple locations into tight schedules, the author chose specific neighborhoods to explore organically, without phone navigation, allowing for genuine discovery and unplanned encounters.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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