Courtesy of Rick Steves' Europe
Don’t let Rick Steves' gentle demeanor fool you.
Enthralled, Steves began asking question after question.
The only problem was neither his professor nor the guidebooks at the time had any answers.
Rick Steves' while relaxing in the Swiss Dolomites.Credit:Courtesy of Rick Steves' Europe
“He dropped the ball.”
Luckily, an intrepid Steves was there to pick up.
“I wrote 60,000 words when I was 23 years old,” Steves shared.
Rick and Gene Openshaw consult their map of the Hippie Trail, 1978.Courtesy Rick Steves' Europe
“And that’s what I really wanted to do.
I wrote the book for me.”
Because according to Steves, travel is actually a low-key political act.
Riding an elephant in 1978 in Jaipur, India.Courtesy Rick Steves' Europe
Fear needs to be considered, he said.
Fear is rampant in our society now.
Autocratswhether theyre left-wing or right-wingwill use fear to shape the electorate, to derail a democracy.
A photo of Rick in 1978 while he pedals to the Seti River in Nepal.Courtesy Rick Steves' Europe
The flip side of fear is understanding.
And we gain understanding when we travel.
For Steves, even the language we use to talk about trips needs to change.
Rick Steves in Afghanistan with an exuberantly painted truck in 1978.Courtesy Rick Steves' Europe
In the old days, people said, Bon voyagehave a good trip.
Now, what do they say?
Have a safe trip.
Are you sure you want to go over there, considering all thats happening?
Its safe to travel.
Theres nothing scary about it.
Theres nothing dangerous about it.
“If you really want to be safe, you dont need walls.
But Steves offers even deeper advice than to just go places.
Instead, he says, it’s critical to fully immerse yourself in a new destination.
I dont care about your bucket list.
I dont care how many countries youve been to,” he said.
“I wonder how many experiences youve had.
Thats what we look foropportunities to become temporary locals.
This means embracing cultural differences, even in small ways.
When I cross the border, I like to be like a cultural chameleon.
Suddenly, Im into chocolate because Im in Belgium.
Suddenly, Im into whiskey because Im in Scotland.
Suddenly, Im into full-bodied red wine because Im in Tuscany.
Suddenly, Im into pilsner beer because Im in the Czech Republic.
And traveling like Steves has paid off for both the people who follow him and Steves himself.
“We took 30,000 people on our tours last year,” he noted.
I mean, thats kind of cool, but what does that mean today,” he said.
You’re limited to 9 by 22 by 14 inches."
Embrace culture shock:A good approach to travel is to recognize culture shock is not something to avoid.
Its a constructive thing.
Its the growing pains of a broadening perspective, and it needs to be curated.
Do your homework:Equip yourself with good information.
That’s really important.
If you do your homework, you might be your own guide.
Recognize fear is the opposite of understanding:Fear is rampant in our society now …
The flip side of fear is understanding, and we gain understanding when we travel.
