Have you ever come home from a trip feeling like you needed a vacation after your vacation? You raced from one landmark to the next, checked every “must-see” box, and returned with hundreds of photos—but not enough stories. Slow travel is the antidote to that kind of travel fatigue. It’s not about doing less. It’s about experiencing more deeply.

Fifteen years ago, leaving my cat behind for a least a year with friends, I stepped onto a plane with no return ticket and a heart full of questions.

Fear and doubt have a funny way of sneaking up on us when we least expect them—especially in unfamiliar situations.