Reasons for Intentionally Getting Lost in a City

When you decide to travel to another place especially one that you have never been to before, it is crucial for you to plan everything well. You need to know what to do next as soon as you step out of the airport. A well-planned trip can be stress-free. You can visit all the places that you intend to visit and not get lost. You wont waste hours finding some places. You dont lose your money because you did not take the right vehicle.

Although it is beneficial to plan what you need to do upon arrival, it is also a good idea to intentionally get lost. As long as the city is relatively safe, there is nothing wrong in trying to get lost. These are some reasons why you need to try getting lost in a city even once.

You will see places you would not otherwise see

If you only stick with popular places, you will follow the path that all tourists are following. These are the busiest streets that you might already see the pictures of in the past. When you try getting lost, you might discover neighborhoods that are worth looking at. You will discover unusual cultures and practices.

You will see how people live

The problem with tourist areas is that people living there are already used to the idea of having lots of tourists. Therefore, they try their best to put on a face to satisfy these tourists. When you visit areas that are not popular among tourists, you will see how people actually live. You can find local businesses. You will see how people interact with one another.

You dont need to rush

When you travel, you want to relax. You dont want to keep rushing because you have a schedule to follow. You dont care about the first thing you do during the day. You also dont care if you have not visited all the places you want to see. As such, you can even do things you wont otherwise do like talking to the locals or sitting around while watching people. The interaction is more authentic this way.

You can take pride in your experience

When you ask people who have visited the same place that you visited, they will most likely share the same experience. However, you have something unique to offer because you did not follow the regular route people took. You can share something new to them because they have never been to those places.

A few tips

Although it is exciting getting lost, you cant take safety for granted. To begin with, you can only get lost when you know that the place is generally safe. Avoid getting lost in areas that have high crime rates or are hostile to foreigners. Keep your phone with you in case something wrong happens. You also need to tell someone that you plan on doing this. When you feel threatened, you have to abort the plan and figure out how to get back to your hotel safely.

Photo Attribution:

Featured and 1^st image from https://za.pinterest.com/pin/154318724714898722/

2^nd image from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-amazing-cities-where-you-can-live-well-on-50000-a-year-2017-09-07