I believe that public transit is the greatest invention in the world. If I can’t get around a city on buses and trains, then I don’t like that city.
It’s not just my lifelong battle with carsickness or my experience living in three of the best cities on the planet; it’s a deep-seated belief that public transit provides the kind of accessibility cars could only dream of. This held true as I left NYC to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland.
Whenever I visit a new place, I like to learn about its public transit. Whether it’s buses, trains or trams, I love them all. They’re quick (hopefully), cheap (theoretically) and easy (most of the time). This remained true when I visited London last weekend. I’d used the Tube before, and I was excited to experience it again.
However, much to the chagrin of my friends, I was opposed to taking it everywhere we wanted to go. Not from any dislike of it, but from a love of something else: walking.
It’s a symptom of only living in urban areas, but one I have no issue with. I love walking and will happily walk several miles to get somewhere. And when you have limited time in a new place, I’ve found it’s the best way to see as much as possible.
Sure, you could take the train from the airport directly to your hostel, then directly to the Tower of London and directly to Big Ben, but you’ll miss out on so much in between. There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing touristy sites — you are there for a reason of course. But if you want to experience more of a city, I suggest you take the time to walk to your destinations.
In the 44 hours I spent in London, I walked 77,800 steps, or just over 30 miles. I wandered over bridges, down side streets, through archways and past dozens of little shops and cafes. I got to see so much of London, and not just the heavy hitters. Sure, going to the British Museum was amazing, but it was made better by the little café we wandered into a few blocks away. The scone I had was a thousand times tastier because of the many hours of walking before it.
Walking places might take a little bit more time, but you’ll find it is absolutely worth it. Whether you’re somewhere for just a weekend or a whole semester, you need to walk. Every few weeks, I take a day to wander around a new neighborhood in Dublin, not for any specific reason, not to go to a shop or museum, but to explore. To build my mental map, and to really feel like I know the city I’m living in.
In this day and age, it’s so easy to put an address into Google Maps and just walk the most direct route there. But where’s the fun in that? You won’t find your favorite underground spot if you only walk the beaten track. You need to put down your phone and let yourself get lost, because if you do it enough times, getting lost won’t be an issue anymore.
So, whether you’re abroad or at home in New York City, I have a challenge for you. Put on your best walking shoes (if you’re me, your trusty Doc Martens), listen to some music, ignore Google Maps and get lost. You might not find your new favorite café or thrift store, but you’ll be one step closer to knowing the city you live in.
Plus, if you’re showing people around, it’s not a good look to keep checking a map every five seconds. Be confident in each step you take, even if you’re completely turned around, because if you look like you know where you’re going, people will believe you. And once you walk enough, you won’t need to pretend — you’ll just know.
