April 15, 2009 Light & local
We’ve established that to go light you just can’t take everything you might need. It will happen that you run out of something, ruin an item of clothing, or otherwise get caught unawares. This necessitates something that I really enjoy about travel - visiting local stores that everyday, local people use. A stroll through the aisles of a European grocery store is an eye-opening experience for an American; you’ll see and learn things there that you won’t in a tourist trap, gift shop, or high street boutique. You may just find that the local, everyday solutions are better than the ones you would have brought with you. And there’s also the wonderful possibility that your small crisis may afford a greater connection with the locals than the average, insulated, self-sufficient tourist could have. It’s amazing what a little dependence can produce.
Reader Comments (6)
And I might add that a walk through an American supermarket for a non-American is also an eye-opening experience! We were offered samples of peanut-butter flavoured icecream (the mind boggles). I saw things that I still have no idea what you should do with them e.g. do you eat them?
People all over the world live very different lives and encounters with these different lives can lead to amusement, incredulosity (is that a word?!), interest, and sometimes even greater understanding. :-) I really enjoy supermarkets in other countries!
Yvette from sunny Sydney, Australia.
This all began quite by accident for me. I had promised to find for a friend a certain brand of tea in Scotland (Scottish Blend) and the quest was tougher than I imagined, but it was enjoyable. Let's just say I saw a different side of Edinburgh. Maybe it helps you decompress after too much culture and history!
A great way to help lighten the load is to wear clothes that are ready to be thrown away (or given away). Then, you can shop for clothes when you get to your destination. You will fit in better, not look like a tourist, therefore not be an easy mark for thieves, and you will have great souvenirs from the trip!
It all depends upon if you are going to developed or developing countries.....
This is a good tip. I love to do a little shopping in foreign places. The only item I make sure to bring plenty of is contact lens solution. Right now I am using some acai flavored tooth paste I picked up in Brazil. It tastes funky but every time I use it I have a nice memory.
I live in Canada but come from London, England so it is mandatory for me to go shopping when I go 'home'.
My husband and I aren't particularly enamoured with shopping here but love browsing around foreign shops and especially visiting street markets. Since we've started renting apartments in England (instead of staying at hotels) our first thing to do, upon arrival, is go food shopping, we really enjoy that.
Would just like to add that Marks & Spencers in Britain have a partnership with Oxfam charity shops (who are all over the place), you can drop off your unwanted clothes at Oxfam and if you happen to be giving away Marks & Spencers items, they will give you a five pound voucher to spend at M&S.
http://plana.marksandspencer.com/about/partnerships/oxfam/stories/17?mnSBrand=core
This makes for great recycling and if you're a fan of M&S (like me), it's a little bonus towards buying something new.