The Places We Skip

When I lived in Brussels, it was a running joke that tourists only came to switch trains between Amsterdam and Paris. The same joke existed when I lived in Philadelphia, where most visitors seemed to stop only briefly on their way between New York City and Washington, D.C. Living in cities not known for tourism, but positioned between cities that are, gave me an unexpected perspective on where travel attention goes, and what we miss by following it. 

When one of my best friends moved to Johannesburg, I kept hearing the same opinions on my trip to visit her: Johannesburg is dangerous, boring, and ugly, skip it and book the first flight to Cape Town. In reality, Johannesburg is now one of my favorite cities I’ve visited. Known as the ‘New York City of Africa,’ it amazed me with its vibrant street life and diverse food. The architecture was strikingly different from any other city I had seen, and there were many surprising elements to its layered history. I was also able to visit smaller parks a short taxi ride away, where I could view wildlife up close with literally no other person in sight. I was having such a great time, I did not end up going to Cape Town at all! This experience taught me the value of forming my own impressions rather than relying on others’ opinions.

Hiking in the mountains is one of my favorite ways to experience a region, often leading me to small towns that exist largely outside the tourist radar. Near Cusco, Peru, I accidentally missed my stop on a local bus, arriving in a very small town about an hour away that I had never heard of. While there, I was able to join in a local festival that happened to be taking place, and some locals directed me to Inca ruins where I could explore completely by myself. Later in my trip, a woman invited me to pitch my tent inside her barn to avoid sleeping in the cold, an encounter that reminded me how travel can be about spontaneous connection and observation, not just packed itineraries and checklists. 

Most travel itineraries try to pack as much as possible into limited time, often hopping to a different city each day. While this method lets travelers ‘cross off’ highlights, it leaves little room to truly explore. When I arrived in Split, Croatia, I was low on funds and unable to afford boat trips to the islands or the coveted day trip to Dubrovnik. Thus, I spent an entire week in my hostel in Split. As my bunkmates came and went each day, the owners laughed, saying, “you’re still here?!” because it was so uncommon for someone to spend so many nights in the same place. As I wandered different parts of the city each day, I hiked up a small mountain that, upon nearing the top, had tiny medieval chapels scattered throughout the path. The views were spectacular, and it was almost eerie to be experiencing something so beautiful with almost no company. There were some locals who clearly made this route part of their morning run, but it had not appeared in any of the travel blogs I had consulted to plan my trip. I was amazed with the serenity, and grateful that I had taken the time to experience Split beyond just one day.

There is no single ‘correct’ way to travel, and popular destinations often earn their attention for good reason. Yet by planning every minute, we risk missing opportunities to challenge assumptions, connect with others, and find peace in a different rhythm. Johannesburg, Cusco, and Split were three of my favorite destinations not just because of their beauty in themselves, but also because I experienced each in its own terms.