travel & the art of slowing down

thoughts on rushing through life, highlights of a Canadian Noah Kahan concert, and a list of things i've been loving lately

As a (mostly) timely person, I hate being rushed, running late, and not being prepared. Much like my fellow millennials, I’ll plan my day around one singular plan or appointment and require at least an hour buffer before and after said event before considering tacking on another thing that day. There are moments, though, when my pace does not match someone else’s, and they’re standing by the door with keys in their hands, yelling an exasperated, “let’s go!!” which will immediately skyrocket my heart rate and bring out the worst version of myself. This sense of urgency registers as a threat to my nervous system, and my brain and body then respond in kind– elevated heart rate, racing thoughts, and hypervigilance. Clearly, it is not an ideal state to be in when heading off to any kind of plans. 

I’ve noticed lately that I’ve been inflicting this sense of urgency on myself when physically sitting still, curled up on the couch with my laptop, scrolling for hours. With two international trips this month, I’ve felt panic bubble up around what to bring, what to buy, what to see, where to go, what I’ll eat, and where I’ll rest my head at night. Anxiety hates uncertainty, and uncertainty is guaranteed with travel (it’s actually a quality people love about it). It’s an ever-evolving practice to strike the balance between prepared and panicked. I want to prepare, prepare, prepare to avoid future panic, but in the process, I’m living in a state of worry instead of excitement about what’s ahead. 

There’s a saying that goes, “If you look like your passport photo, then you need a vacation.” While no one denies the fluorescent lighting in those photos is harsh, and the closed-mouth smile is always awkward, I think that our internal state before travel can be less than desirable, too. There’s a lot of preparation and, well, stress when it comes to taking the time to go on a trip or do anything outside our normal routine. We realize just how much we do day to day when suddenly we need to find other people to do it. Finally, when we arrive, that pre-trip chaos washes away. Suddenly, we remember to slow down, be present, and soak up the precious newness of each moment. 

Two weekends ago, I spent 36 hours in Montreal to see Noah Kahan perform. Back in February, one of my best friends texted me asking how badly I wanted to see him perform in concert. If you’ve been a reader, you know I’ve mentioned his music on numerous occasions. His music is of the folk-pop genre and is heavily influenced by his Vermont childhood, his New Englander identity, the divorce of his parents, and his personal mental health struggles. His hits, Stick Season, Orange Juice, and New Perspective, are songs you’ve likely heard on the radio or while shopping at the mall.

Months before, I waited over an hour trying to get tickets to his Madison Square Garden Show, but after being bumped offline numerous times (Thanks, Ticketmaster), I was sadly unsuccessful. As dedicated fans, this wouldn’t do. So naturally, traveling to another country was the next best option. We arrived in Canada on the day of the show and were greeted with dreary, cold, damp weather. With a few hours to spare, we explored the city and tried a few vegan places (forever grateful for friends who dabble in vegan food every now and then). We felt inept when the wait staff greeted us in French, only for us to reply in English every single time. We managed to snag a reservation at a casually cool sushi spot, Bloom Sushi, that had an incredible menu of all vegan options ranging from Crispy Rice to Rock ‘n Roll rolls with tempura tempeh. Upon nearly licking our plates clean, we were ready for the show. 

Bloom Sushi Eats

Much like traveling, there’s a collective appreciation of humanity when showing up to an arena filled with humans who all happen to love the same musicians and artists. There’s a palpable buzz from the twenty-one thousand concert-goers, some like us who literally crossed borders to get to be there.  Then there’s giddiness right before the artist comes out when everyone is waiting in amplified excitement. For the next few hours, I sang along to nearly every single song, with the exception of his unreleased tracks. I felt a strange sense of comfort as the arena filled with voices, confirming that these same songs I sing alone in my car aren’t just for me. 

I woke up the next morning in the coziness of hotel sheets and the glory of black-out curtains, with tired feet but ready to take on the day. This trip continued in its gentle slowness as we made plans on the spot to grab a morning matcha with macadamia nut milk with the most scrumptious soft-baked gluten-free almond cookie at a cafe by McGill followed by a stop at a smoothie shop– my most ideal morning. Despite being in the city for such a limited amount of time, there was never a feeling of being rushed or trying to check things off a list. We shopped for souvenirs for my friend’s students, then went to a market where I ate “maple taffy” (basically frozen maple syrup), which prompted a sugar high, and followed that with another well-loved vegan meal. 

morning in montreal

Almost everything went well, that was until we arrived back at the airport for our Sunday night flight home. Our flight was delayed three times, which included boarding the plane twice, deplaning once, and sitting on the tarmac longer than we were in the air. Despite my doubts, we made it back to the Garden State in the wee hours of the morning. While the delays tested my patience in many ways, the relaxed pace of the day allowed me to feel more centered than frazzled. The travel woes were a clear reminder from the Universe that we can try to rush through life, but at some point, we’ll be forced to slow down. Why not set the pace ourselves? 

A (Brief) List of What I’ve Been Loving Lately

Since I missed last week’s Substack (sorry, friends!) due to my aforementioned travel delays messing with my sleep schedule, I want to share a few things I’ve been loving lately. 

Recess Therapy 

• Not to brag, I did feel a little brave [when I didn’t have a meltdown in the airport at 11 pm] (quote from an adorable little boy from Recess Therapy’s latest video featuring Maggie Rogers)

• I love seeing clips from Recess Therapy on TikTok and Instagram and checking out their full-length videos on YouTube. The videos include interviews of NYC kids (sometimes with celebs) and they have the most adorable and insightful things to say. As their insta bio says, “Little Kids, Big Questions, Free Advice.” 

Travel Pill/Supplement Case

• My friend Olivia influenced me on this one, and I am a convert! It’s a really compact pill case that you can use for travel, and it’s under $10. It’s small enough to throw in my purse, and I like that I can switch out different pills and capsules as needed. Plus, it’s pink. 

Birdie Personal Safety Alarm 

• Since I’ve been traveling more lately, I feel better and more prepared when I have something to help with safety. This is the second Birdie I’ve had. When you pull the pieces apart, a siren alarm and strobe light feature go off. I really like that it easily hooks to my key ring and is a discreet way to protect myself. 

That’s all for this week. I’ll be taking next week off for some more international travel, but I’ll be back the following week to share all about my Italian adventures.

xoxo
Nicole