Anthony Bourdain had one rule for every trip: no planning. Here's why he swore by it
'Letting the happy accident happen,' is the best way to travel, said the celebrity food chef
Only a person heading to a vacation knows the anxiety of making the perfect itinerary. People spend weeks on colour-coded spreadsheets, make non-refundable deposits, and not to forget the frantic sprint across a foreign city just to make a 7:00 PM reservation. However, what if someone told you you’re doing it all wrong? By "someone," we mean legendary chef Anthony Bourdain, who revealed in his interview with the Explorer how he used to plan his travels.
Bourdain liked to be spontaneous
In his May 11, 2015 interview, Bourdain shared that he didn't plan his vacations at all. Instead, he was a big believer in letting things happen and had the willingness to try just about anything. This exact willingness was at full display in his television series "Parts Unknown," where he traveled throughout the world tasting dishes that most of the tourists would've skipped. Of course, this was a hit-or-miss thing, but that never stopped the late chef from trying different things. "Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think," Bourdain wrote in his book, "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide."
His life's philosophy
He always urged people to leave their room and allow things and experiences to happen instead of always meticulously planning everything. Nonetheless, many people might hear this and believe that being spontaneous means letting go of the staple experiences, but that's not it. Bourdain's philosophy means taking time and enjoying the process as much as you'd enjoy the destination, rather than being in a hurry to reach the next best spot. He urged people to keep the famous spots in their itineraries, but be open to other detours as well.
This made up for a much more authentic experience, as Bourdain prioritized people over anything else. "So many of the good times traveling this world relate directly to finding a human face to associate with your destination, the food you eat, and the memories you'll keep forever," he wrote in his book. To put it simply, he didn't want tourists to fall for unwanted traps. Even though Bourdain is no longer with us, it seems people have finally started to understand what he meant.
Tourists are preferring 'detour destinations'
Travelers are seemingly looking to explore new places, according to a survey by Expedia's "Unpack 25." Nearly 63% of the participants showed their interest in traveling to offbeat destinations for their next trips. By taking this route, people seemingly aim for better, quieter, and more authentic trips. Additionally, as per a survey with around 5,000 participants, almost 66% are more interested in traveling than before. Out of these, nearly 72% priortize a good trip over the cost of it and are more than ready to save for it by cutting corners.
This explains why, in a video posted by @friendsofanthonybourdain, people gathered in the comments to praise him for his excellent travel advice. @mizz.spoke4_ wrote, "I can honestly say Anthony Bourdain is the reason why I love traveling the way I do, and I will pick a 10 to 12-hour layover anywhere just so I can have extra time to enjoy the city or country that I'm in at that point in time." Meanwhile, @mr.kitty8888 commented, "Indeed… I have learned from watching his show to speak with the local people, wander through the streets… find a cafe and watch people."
More on Scoop Upworthy
Food snobs mocked an elderly woman reviewer until Anthony Bourdain stepped in and changed everything
Share on Facebook
