Slow travel is transforming my digital nomad life 🤯💻
When you think about traveling, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Maybe planes, photos, touristic spots or even a palm tree. But I bet there is also a feeling of excitement every time you hear the word “travel”.
This feeling is real and I have been experiencing it for more than three years during my journey as a digital nomad.
Every time I am surrounded by new energies, wild nature and powerful mountains. When I look out the window and observe the sky and trees welcoming me in secret. That moment when a local waves back to me and smiles like we were old friends. It’s just wholesome.
Traveling is full of rewarding human experiences, but depending on how you live it, sometimes it can be very exhausting to the point that you might need a vacation from your trip.
Traditional tourism and the clutter of modern life sometimes can be the cause of this problem since they can distract you from finding what matters the most to you while traveling.
Tours that hardly leave you time to dissipate the mind, jumping from one place to another with the pressure of seeing everything and barely having control of your day is probably what more tourists have to deal with. At the end, you let yourself be carried away more by the material experience than the spiritual one.
How can you experience your travel time with meaningful and memorable events that — why not — can change your life?
My boyfriend Douglas and I, without really knowing, have been applying the concept of slow travel during these past few years. And this lifestyle is probably the answer to the question above and is also a big factor that has been keeping us motivated to continue on the road.
What is slow travel?
Slow travel is about the journey, not just the destination. Being excited about where you’re going, but being just as excited by how you get there, the people you meet, the sights you see and the experiences you have along the way. About slowing down to acknowledge that the journey you’re on allows, for the briefest moment, the chance to peer into someone else’s life and to share that moment in time with them.
— The Travel World.
For a digital nomad, the concept of traveling is much different than a traditional tourist. My life has adapted to the nomadic style and it has allowed me to be more conscious of my presence in each destination.
I’m not longer on a vacation, traveling has become part of my life rhythm and I tend to ask myself more often— why did life take me here? — how I am appreciating this exact moment? — or — what does this place have to show and teach me?
But this mindset doesn’t have to be adopted just by digital nomads, everybody no matter how often are traveling, have the opportunity to discover the benefits of slow travel and experience their trip in a more meaningful way.
I would like to share a beautiful memory from my trip to Brasil, to show you what happens when we ask with our heart the next question:
What does this place have to show and teach me?
A year ago, we visited a small town in the middle of Brasil, in the very center of South America, called Alto Paraíso. Of all the amazing natural spots we visited there, the one that stick out the most to me was Loquinhas.
Let’s imagine a mountain full of vegetation and a road that can take you to every stage of this mountain, to the right and left — like floors from a building.
Now, imagine that on every stop, there is a waterfall that leads to a lagoon of crystalline waters with turquoise, green and blue tones. Surrounded by monkeys, butterflies, birds, little fishes and so much more wildlife.
Each spot was special, as if nature had created them for healing purposes. The energy from every waterfall was incredible and the whole mountain was inviting me to break free of my own fears and doubts.
I could perceive how my heart was totally attuned to the loving energy that was emanating from the mountain and was welcoming me like a grandkid in the arms of her grandmother.
We met an amazing guy that was playing the guitar while walking. He saw us and simply decided to stop, look into our eyes and start playing. Medicine was sent to us.
In silence, we let ourselves feel the sound around us, feel the vibration of life at that exact moment. I felt like something was changing all around me, I felt myself floating free in an ocean of love and trust.
I felt I was at the right moment and at the right time. I tuned with myself and with life.
When he finished the song, we saw in each other’s eyes nothing more than love and gratitude.
We talked for a long time, shared our dreams and ways to see life. One message I still remember from him is:
Sometimes, I see myself as a doctor. Looking for patients to help, because most of us still don’t know that music can heal.
On the road, the first two waterfalls were guiding me to trust, to open my heart and soul, and surrender to this energy. The next two, helped me to let go of these old beliefs that were limiting my own growth and causing me anger and fear.
When I got to the last, I saw one the most beautiful and enigmatic landscapes I have seen in Brasil.
This last waterfall was on top of the mountain and the water was literally falling around ten meters to become a single thread, surrounded by small caves inhabited by cobras, the energy of this place was mysterious and wise.
It showed me compassion and freedom. I felt loved and empowered as a woman, human and apprentice. Empowered to be myself.
It was an experience I will never forget.
Happy Souls ready to swim in Loquinhas, Goiás— Brasil
Now imagine that instead of visiting this place with an intention, we just went to pass the day and take some pictures. Don’t get me wrong, I took many pictures and recorded some videos, but that wasn’t the main purpose of the visit.
I want to end by reminding you to enjoy the small details of life, connect with yourself, the people around you and nature. That is slow travel. You will be rewarded, I promise you.
You never know what life has to show you until you ask. 
Karelia
I'm a Peruvian Nomad 🇵🇪 traveling the world, digital artist, spiritual seeker and environmentalist.
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