Would you visit a place you’ve already traveled to?

During the last half decade or so in Mumbai, I’ve traveled to a number of places around the city for short weekend breaks. And ever so often, one friend or another will want to make their maiden visit to one of these places and ask me to come along. Every time I find myself in such a situation, I “uhmm” and “ahhh” about it, trying to squeeze my way out of their persuasive efforts to get me to go, before finally committing.

My reasons are simple. I don’t want to spend precious time and travel budget to go somewhere I’ve been when I can see some place new. There’s so much more to see out there!!

Strangely enough though, whenever I have gone along, I’ve never regretted making that second trip and it actually turns out to be even more enjoyable than the first.  I posed this question to my followers on Instagram and their response was unanimous, although with different reasoning behind it.

Here’s why you should visit a place you’ve already travelled to:

It is impossible to see everything in one trip (Ashfina Charania/@thewickedsoul) – Whether you’re visiting over a 2 day weekend or taking a month-long holiday, there will always be so much more to explore.

Places change (Martin Smith /@shirtman99)– Ever visited the city you grew up in? You wouldn’t even recognize it. Cities change over the years. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but you’ll have new experiences, that’s for sure. When I visited Canada two year ago, I learnt that the government keeps innovating and creating new things to do to attract tourists and locals alike.

You change! – Visiting a city as a 20-year-old back-packer and as a 35-year-old with funds to spare make a huge difference in how you experience the city. As you age, you’d choose a swankier neighbourhood to stay in over a dorm room and spend more money on the arts, culture and food as opposed to mere sightseeing.

You’d experience different seasons (@sunflower_seeds_) – Take Goa, for example! Those who’ve visited during the monsoons will tell you how picturesque the state is, with its lush green fields, looming clouds and raging waves! Visiting in the winter (if I may call it that) will give you a taste of parties, water sports, street shopping and meals by the pool. Similarly, visiting Himachal Pradesh in the winter is a completely different experience, that too, without the tourist influx!

You get to live like a local the second time (Karan Bhatija / @karansbathija) – … and not like someone with a checklist of places to tick off. Re-visiting a place takes the pressure off what to see, eat and do, giving you a more authentic experience. Once you’ve accomplished those major things on your first trip, you can then experience the place more slowly and deeply. You have more time to interact with the locals, too!

You know what to expect and it makes you nostalgic ( Tharun Bangera / @bangeratharun) – The first time all of us travel to a new place, we build up expectations that are not based on reality. These expectations can leave you overly impressed or disappointed, depending on how high you set them. The second time, you know what you’re getting into!

You start uncovering secret spots and noticing details (Marissa Fernandes / @marissa_fernandes) – Little bookstores, vintage cafes, beautiful by-lanes, the strange windows that houses have… you begin noticing details and exciting spots the second time around. You can taste more of the cuisine or go back to that restaurant you loved. Another experience you can probably relate to is the fact that the first time you see something new, you’re probably looking at it through your camera, trying to get the perfect shot. The second time, you can actually appreciate it!

Time with your friends who live in the city – Thinking back to all the places I’ve visited, I realize that I spend a mere half an hour with the friends I have who live there. I was so busy with the sights I had to see that I had a rushed coffee with them! Alternatively, when travelling with friends, discussions were all about planning the next hour, lunch, things to do… and not enough aimless banter. Revisiting means having time to chill with friends when you travel

Because the place calls you back (Gautam Shah / @an_indian_abroad) – There are certain places that just make you happy and you feel the need to return. You loved the time you spent there, enjoy the vibes and just can’t get enough.

How do you feel about revisiting a city you’ve been to? Let me know in the comments below!

Catch you later!

xoxo