Travel

TRAVEL WELL with Kate Springer

In these turbulent times, I’ve actually been travelling more than usual because it helps reset my mind, mood and perspective. And while it’s not a silver bullet (and certainly not the most cost-effective solution), several studies have shown that travel can boost creativity, reduce stress and make you happier.

I caught up with Andrea Oschetti, a Hong Kongbased explorer who specialises in meaningful travel at his agency Blueflower, to hear his take on the topic.

q A lot of Hongkongers have put life on hold during the protests and virus scare. What’s your approach? Andrea Oschetti: I personally won’t stop travelling, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. Striving for happiness in a time of crisis is not frivolous. Quite the contrary, it brings balance. There is a lot outside our control, but this doesn’t mean we have to put life on hold. The best we can do is adapt and move forward.

q In your experience, how can travel impact mental health? AO: Travel done right is an antidote against anxiety. Stress has a harder time thriving in your mind

when you are on holiday and it is hard to work on your emotions when you are immersed in stressful, everyday routines. With travel comes perspective and calm. Whether you go to a remote destination that inspires awe, or you interact with people that lead a life completely unlike your own, the effect is the same: a realisation that the universe is more extensive than our troubles.

q How can I improve my mental health while travelling? AO: To reap all the benefits of travel, your emotional needs should be in harmony with your destination and your programme. Travel is not just physically going to a place; it also implies a movement of the psyche.

Why do you want to go away? Is it to challenge yourself, to devote time to your deepest needs, to recharge or to bond with your loved ones? Or perhaps you're travelling to check an item off your bucket list and get a great selfie. All reasons are valid, but if you don't plan with purpose, you run the risk of travelling thousands of miles to end up in an extension of daily life, just with a better view.

q How have your travels transformed you? AO: I hiked in the valleys of Upper Dolpo in the Himalayas to strengthen the virtue of patience, which I needed at the time. I found benevolence towards others amongst the rural communities of the Silk Road. I learned to take myself less seriously by learning the story of the Holy Fool in Bhutan, a saint whose penis is drawn on the door of many homes. I have always found Japan inspiring for its cultural values: appreciating simplicity, such as wabi-sabi in traditional architecture; finding beauty in imperfection in practices like kintsugi, the art of repairing pottery; appreciating nature with shinrinyoku, the practice of forest bathing; the search for harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity during chano-yu, a Japanese tea ceremony….

q How can reconnecting with nature help? AO: Nature puts life into perspective. Perhaps you're admiring the endless desert landscape of the Taklamakan in northwestern China, and you feel small and humbled. This might sound like a negative emotion, but it is in fact a relief; you can't, and you don't have to, carry the world on your shoulders. The sensation of being a small part of nature is liberating. We can also take comfort in the fact that nature can accommodate our gloominess, pessimism and melancholy. Nature doesn’t push us to be cheerful and happy all the time, because it’s indifferent to us. On a rainy day, I visited the thousand-year-old cedars, moss-covered floors and babbling streams of Shiratani Unsuikyo nature park on the little island of Yakushima, Japan. It’s one of my favourite experiences in Japan.

q Any other advice for stressed-out Hongkongers? AO: When we travel, it's not easy to leave our bad habits, worries and anxieties behind… These are insidious stowaways. The best way to prevent them from ruining a trip is to invite them on vacation with you. As it turns out, travel does wonders at improving our relationship with ourselves. Learn more about Blueflower: blueflower.la

Kate Springer is an Asia travel expert who contributes to Conde Nast Traveler, Vogue, CNN, BBC Travel, Forbes Travel Guide, Fodor’s, Vice, and more. Follow her travels on Instagram @katespringer. Send travel news to kate@kate-springer.com