How You Travel Matters: Indagare Travel

Articles

For me, the most important part of traveling is immersing myself in the local culture, learning traditions and creating connections. On my most recent trip to Bolivia, my guide Gustavo not only taught me but showed me the significance of Pachamama for his people. Pachamama is the ancient earth and fertility goddess, revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. We gathered offerings and palo santo from the Witches' Market in central La Paz and made our way to Las Animas, needle-like rock formations in the eastern limits of the city, to pay our respects to mother earth. While watching our ofrenda slowly burn, we chanted the Three Incan Rules: Do not lie, Do not steal, Do not be lazy. This spiritual experience and deep connection I felt to Pachamama opened my eyes to a new way of showing gratitude and my love of nature. #HowYouTravelMatters — Diana Li
I am very into conservation and environmentalism and use my travels to discover both causes that need support and new ways to adjust my lifestyle in a healthier way for the planet. Since going to the Galápagos, I’ve been involved with charities that focus on invasive species management, and going to Brazil made me far more conscious of how much waste I create in my day-to-day life, and where that waste ends up. #HowYouTravelMatters — Colin Heinrich
Fully immersing myself in a different culture and then finding a way to give back as a gesture of gratitude have made for some of my most meaningful travel experiences. My travels to Malawi as a part of my involvement with the non-profit Maloto are one way that I do this annually. When I am in northern Malawi, my days are spent with Malawian women and vulnerable children helping with Maloto's feeding and education programs. Through these trips, I have had a hand in creating positive and lasting change for people who need it the most, in addition to developing true friendships. #HowYouTravelMatters —Rose Allen
My favorite thing about traveling is immersing myself in regional cultures and landscapes that are very different from my own. I am especially interested in the intangible quality of how a place makes you feel. It provides a lot of food for thought on how to make changes in your life back home. Being on safari in the Serengeti, I love how all your senses are on high alert. You are so present and observant, watching every blade of grass for movement. In more urban settings, coming from an individualist culture and spending time in a collectivist culture is fascinating. When I visited Japan, I understood more deeply what it means to have a really tight and respectful social contract. In Tokyo, no one litters and everyone is prompt. I got lost walking in Ginza and a stranger stopped to help me, then walked me all the way back to my hotel. People take care of each other. Part of this approach to travel is choosing destinations and activities where you can have authentic experiences that don't feel canned or touristy, but instead really special and memorable. #HowYouTravelMatters —Eliza Harris
When I travel, I am most excited for the opportunities to immerse myself in a new culture and to partake in as many unique experiences as possible. As a lover of history, I always plan numerous cultural tours to learn more about the country and the city that I am visiting, and I love getting advice from the tour guide on great hidden gems to check out. Another easy way for me to immerse myself in the local culture is by visiting establishments that are run by locals, such as restaurants, bars and cafés where I am able to enjoy the local cuisine and interact with the neighborhood residents. These experiences have led to some of my favorite travel memories: stumbling upon a local shack in Barbados that serves the best fish tacos on the island; enjoying homemade wine and learning the moves to the Tarantella dance at a local family’s home in Naples; and visiting the spectacular Fusterlandia, a public art project by local José Rodríguez Fuster in Havana, Cuba. #HowYouTravelMatters —Sarah Girma
To me, travel means opening myself up to different perspectives and challenging my worldview. As a person who grew up in a developing country in Asia and spent my adult life in the U.S., I am constantly reminded that people all over the world contain multitudes, and there is no one way of looking at things. Travel is fatal to prejudice, someone wise once said. I’d like to think I’ve gained more empathy and a deeper understanding of this world through my travels. #HowYouTravelMatters —Janine Yu
My favorite moment of any trip is the very first day when you wake in a new place. Your senses are on high alert and already you are anticipating all the new impressions that the day will bring: Who am I going to meet today? What am I going to learn today? What am I going to see and experience and taste today? It doesn't matter how much research you have done, how many articles you have read, how many photos you have looked at online—you're finally in the place, about to push open your door, take a step outside and then decide which way to go — and any choice you make will bring the destination into focus, will take you a step closer to understanding its unique patterns and textures. That, to me, is the most beautiful sensation in the world. The morning of arrival: indescribable and utterly addictive. #HowYouTravelMatters —Simone Girner
While I don't mind traveling alone, my favorite thing about travel is the ability to share those precious moments of discovery and fun with friends and family. Creating those memories, and then reliving them with others, feels almost as good as the actual moments on the ground. Traveling is so amazingly connective. #HowYouTravelMatters —Avery Carmichael
Meeting people from other walks of life and experiencing their daily lives is one of the primary reasons my love for travel is so strong. The differences and similarities that I encounter each inspire me to be more of an empathetic global citizen. You can never truly grasp your place in this world until you have an understanding of others. #HowYouTravelMatters — Sam Doran
Traveling allows me to leave the day-to-day stress behind and truly be in the moment. It has a magical ability to provide you with more time in the day—time to observe, to learn, to reflect. I’ve never truly seen details the way I did when I was in Florence, passing the Duomo on my way to the art studio. I could see every swing that the hammer took to chisel the marble sculptures and every stroke the artist’s paintbrush swiped across its façade. Somehow travel makes flowers brighter, air crisper and smells more reminiscent. #HowYouTravelMatters — Alyssa Yanover

The Indagare team reflects on how and why we travel, from the immersive local experiences we seek out and the causes we support to the people we travel alongside and those we meet along the way.

– Nikki Erlick on April 25, 2019