We’ve turned travel into a productivity contest: counting countries, optimizing itineraries, and rushing from place to place as if vacation were another item on a to-do list. In this solo episode of Put the Guidebook Down, Kiara challenges the idea that “more” equals better. She unpacks how fast, checklist-style travel contributes to burnout, emotional numbness, and overtourism, and why slowing down leads to deeper memory, stronger connection, and more responsible travel. This episode is a call to rethink what successful travel really means.

Why we started measuring travel success through productivity and country count

How social media rewards quantity over depth in travel content

The connection between checklist itineraries and overtourism

Guided tours and time-compressed travel: what gets lost along the way

Personal reflections on fast travel across seven countries

What travelers lose when rushing: routines, nuance, and emotional processing

Research on slow tourism and its impact on memory, fulfillment, and stress

The power of unplanned moments and local recommendations

Why longer stays lead to better cultural understanding and recall

Living abroad as a form of slow travel and immersion

How habits and identity shift through deeper cultural engagement

Redefining successful travel beyond destinations and accomplishments

The environmental and economic benefits of slower, more distributed tourism

A final reflection: what would you gain if you planned fewer destinations?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kulturatravel.substack.com