What to do when you just can't travel anymore

During the first few months of my European adventures, each view, architectural phenomenon and natural wonder was both captivating and intriguing. With the words, "I’ll never know if I’ll get here again" constantly running through my mind, my friends and I would rise early each morning in search of all the items on our must see wish list.

During the final month of my exchange, fatigue and exhaustion began to set in as countless overnight busses, early morning hikes to the train station and rising temperatures began to take their toll. The fairy tale feeling that once lingered with each castle visit began to escape me and after the 100th church, I could no longer bring myself to stand in line, no matter who the inspirational architect/artist behind the intricate spires and stained glass was.

Despite these feelings, I stuck to the routine I had developed throughout my travels—conduct thorough research prior to arrival, wake up early and make it to all the top attractions as well as a few off the beaten path cafes, churches and neighborhoods. Yet, the exhaustion continued to escalate and the indifference I was feeling towards the places I was seeing grew worse.

All of these signs were all symptomatic of one thing: over-travelling.

In recalling a famous Einstein quote, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, I realized I needed to start doing my travel differently if I wanted to make the most of my final weeks in Europe.

And so it began in Prague, where I along with the friend I was travelling with decided to slow things down, to not feel pressured to pack it all in, to meander through historic streets while taking extra-long coffee breaks, attempting to read signs in an alternative alphabet, marvelling at fancy cars while listening to a language we’d rarely heard before.

If you find yourself experiencing similar signs of over travelling, try implementing these breaks to your own routine to avoid feelings of disenchantment while visiting truly magical places.

It doesn’t have to be all planned out

With so much experience travelling, we began googling the main attractions on Trip Advisor as well as some off the beaten path sites upon our arrival. While some may frown upon this approach, it allowed us to truly be present in the city we were in as we weren’t spending our evenings researching our next destination while we should be enjoying the place we were in. Stopping locals in the street for directions or asking our waitress at a restaurant for some recommendations was also helpful for finding out the must do’s and places to avoid in the area.

Find a cool coffee shop and don’t feel guilty for staying awhile

Our Airbnb host left a list of suggested coffee shops located near our apartment. Rather than getting out the door at the crack of dawn, we would start our touring a little later deciding to take the advice of someone who had made Prague their home for the past number of years.

Upon entering the first coffee shop recommended by our host, we immediately understood why he suggested it. Blending in with a series of white houses, it took a closer look to realize which door was not like the other as we spotted a sign out front appearing to bear the same name listed on our sheet. With a hipster like vibe and a crowd of people working on their laptops rather than reading from a guide book, we knew we had found a local spot. Without feeling the need to down our drinks and go, I took the time to observe my surroundings, such as the man with striped socks on his computer, fingers barely letting up on the keys to seeing a mother at the counter trying to balance a child on her hip and one in a stroller while ordering what I imagined to be her survival juice for the day.

By purposely allowing for a few peaceful hours in the morning, we were better prepared to deal with the inevitable crowds and heat that would come later in the day, allowing us to truly enjoy the historic as well as newer quarters of the city.

Coffee Shop we went to

• The name of the coffee shop recommended by our host is Café Pod Lipami located at Čechova 1, 170 00 Praha 7. Pay close attention as it blends in with the houses beside it, but your efforts will be rewarded once you sit down and enjoy a good local brew.

Be flexible

Despite our plans to see the St. Charles Bridge on our second day, we decided to turn right back around upon seeing the crowds of people plugging up the pathway. In months prior, we probably would have made the effort to stick to the schedule, worried that, if not now, when?

In making our way back later that evening, we decided to take an alternative route that just so happened to lead us through Letna Park, one of the best places in Prague to look out over the Old Town. As we went deeper into the park, the castle came into view, made recognizable by the looming black towers of the cathedral, somewhat reminiscent of the horns of Disney’s Maleficent. With spotlights highlighting the edges of the castle grounds, cathedral and bridge, the mystery rumoured to hang over the Golden City came alive.

The alluring glow of the castle grounds motivated as to keep walking despite the evening chill that began to set in. As we pressed forward, we discovered that the path providing entry to where we were going was closed for the night. Immediately, stress started to creep in again as I was counting on reaching the bridge via the park and castle grounds in an effort to free up time to see some more sights the next day. I quickly retracted, reminding myself to continue embracing this alternative way of travelling.

As we made our way back, I began to notice that locals had gathered at various lookout points along the outer edge of the park. The light radiating from the medieval quarter below made for an impressionable scene with small groups sitting huddled together appearing only as a silhouette. A few metres down the path, we suddenly noticed a crowd of people gathered. Curious as to what they were looking at, we took a small detour from our route back, causing us to stumble upon an open air cinema. Together, we sat and watched this somewhat odd but nonetheless interesting choice of American film, with the city lights of Prague taking the place of the usual black curtain behind the screen.

Get to know who you’re with

After reaching the top of the hill of the Prague Castle, my friend and I suddenly realized just how hungry we were. Despite our heavy breathing and the tiredness in our legs, we returned back to the bottom in order to get some snacks at the grocery store (#studentbudgetproblems). While munching on our strange collection of food items, we talked about everything from chocolate preferences to our hopes and dreams for the future.

By removing ourselves from a tight schedule of “have to’s” we could truly become absorbed in a setting so different from that of our home country, consistent of medieval walls, local artisanal shops and cobblestone streets, while also getting to each other a little bit better.

Do what the locals do

When main tourist attractions no longer hold the same appeal they once did, go for the more untraditional route and explore the places that are a part of locals everyday life. What better place to do this than the grocery store? A trip to the supermarket was a cultural experience in itself as we explored a variety of brands that we had never seen before. With enticing and colorful labels to alternative ways for displaying meat products, we ended up spending a good hour wandering up and down the various aisles. Our favourite being the wall of chocolate that contained shimmering wrappers and combinations of ingredients that made our mouths water.

Grocery store we went to

• Billa-Letnà, located a few minutes down the street from our apartment, is one of the larger grocery stores, stuffed with cool products, be adventurous and pick up something you don’t have in your own country.

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