Getting Lost (On Purpose) in a Foreign Country

For travelers, scoping out street layouts on Google Earth can often kill the romanticism and mystique of being in a foreign place. Particularly for experienced travelers, avoiding typical tourist traps is a much desired but hard to accomplish mission. Some globetrotters may opt to do away with planning altogether, and instead get lost and let the landscape of the foreign place dictate the narrative of the journey.

Put Away the Map

Maps can only make cities and villages smaller. If you’re really looking for a specific attraction or destination in your area, try asking people you encounter. Perhaps the best course of action, however, is to walk around and see what you find.

Travel Light and Carry It All With You

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell where your journey will take you. You may make new friends who want to take a train from Paris to Brussels on a moment’s notice. For this reason, it is important to bring all of your travel possessions with you, ideally in a small bag or knapsack.

Have an Emergency Plan

In the event you are truly lost and have no way of finding your way back to your hotel or to your friends, it pays to have a back-up plan. Using tall landmarks that loom above the city skyline is a good way to orientate yourself. You might even consider stashing a radio or cell phone in your backpack just in case, even if you never use it.