Recently, it feels like travel is all about doing more—jamming more into your schedule, finding more ways to save time, and more “must-see” attractions to fit into a short visit. But Australian-born Northern Irish artist, illustrator, and writer Oliver Jeffers says the journey itself can be just as important and meaningful as the destination.
For him, European train travel encourages slower travel and the chance to truly experience the places and passersby that make a trip. Taking a moment to become more aware and mindful as you travel can help travelers stop “sightseeing” and start truly observing, so you can experience more without jamming-packing an itinerary. To learn more about his approach and mindset, I chatted with Jeffers, who shared how travelers of any age can see Europe in a totally new way by slowing down and becoming more mindful. Here’s what he shared.
The most common things travelers tend to miss
Pixabay
“Taking the train is my favorite way to travel because it gives you this rare chance to slow down while the world is still moving around you,” says Jeffers. “If you’re only thinking about the destination, you’ll miss the changing landscapes, towns, stations, people, and small moments that happen along the way. Something is exciting about watching the world roll past at a steady pace, and I find it gets my brain working in a much more curious and creative way.”
To become more observant while traveling, Jeffers recommends using simple tools like a sketchbook without turning the trip into another task. “It’s important to remember that it doesn’t need to be a finished product. A sketchbook can be used to put down a shape, a word, a color, or a tiny observation before it disappears. You’re not trying to make a finished work of art every time you open it. You’re just thinking with your eyes and your hands,” he shares.
“The same goes for a phone. It can be a useful way to remember something that catches your attention, but you don’t have to document absolutely everything. Creativity often starts with simply looking closely, so the real tool is your attention. If a sketchbook or a photo helps you slow down and notice more, then it has done its job.”
Arriving in Europe with open eyes
For Jeffers, one of the best parts about arriving in a new European city is noticing the style of people. “Every city has its very own flavor. Milan fashion is different from Paris, which is different again from Madrid, say. Also, the typography design of storefronts and the architecture of buildings above street level. I always love looking up in a city. One of my favorite things to notice is the uniqueness of each city’s municipal designs. Like the engravings on manholes or fire hydrants or other types of street design. It can be fun making pencil rubbings of some of these things, as they are often patterns on metal, so they can stand the test of time,” he shares.
In European train stations, Jeffers always encourages travelers to “look up,” as stations are full of shapes, structures, signs, clocks, and details that are easy to miss when you are rushing through to find your departure board or platform. “You do not have to know anything about architecture to notice when something has an interesting shape, pattern, or bit of engineering. There is often a lot going on above eye level that tells you something about the character of a place. Sometimes simply changing where you are looking is enough to make a familiar space feel completely different.”
Awareness for travelers of all ages
Paying close attention to your surroundings isn’t just a travel technique adults need to focus on—it’s an important component of well-rounded travel for travelers of all ages. Jeffers recommends parents encourage children to start noticing their surroundings without making sightseeing feel like homework.
“Give [kids] a starting point, but don’t tell them where they have to end up. You might begin with a train, but if the child gives it wings, that’s okay! If an underwater scene suddenly gets a castle, let it happen. The prompt is there to get them started, but the best bit is seeing where their imagination takes them. That same spirit is behind the Yoto Daily Draw Along with Trainline, giving children a creative starting point while they are traveling and letting their imagination take it from there. They’re naturally imaginative, so rather than asking them to observe the world correctly, give them permission to notice something and then make it their own. If it feels like play rather than an assignment, they are much more likely to remain engaged.”
How slowing down enhances multi-generation travel
Emily Caldwell / The Manual
For multigenerational trips, actively trying to slow down can help create a better experience for everyone — from adults to grandparents to children traveling together. “Slowing down gives everyone in the family a chance to experience the same journey from different perspectives rather than racing towards the next thing. One person may be watching the landscape, another drawing, another telling a story about what they see, but you are all sharing the same moment,” Jeffers shares.
“Something as simple as passing a drawing around can become a family activity where every generation contributes something. That shared pace also makes room for conversation and imagination. By the end, you have not simply arrived somewhere together. You have created a memory together along the way. It’s not about where you’re going, but about where you are.”
Slowing down also means letting go of the idea that every moment in a European vacation needs to be jam-packed. “A rigid agenda is about the surest way to strip your day of fun,” Jeffers says. “The best parts of any trip are always the quiet, small, unscripted, and totally spontaneous moments rather than the things you’re supposed to tick off. Conserving your energy with moments where you just watch or draw is a good way to keep some fuel in reserve for the inevitable lines or stairs of tourist attractions.