The Art of Being a Tourist at Home

Book excerpt: In The Art of Being a Touristat Home, Jenny Herbert takes us on a journey through our neighbourhood streets and our local parks, through museums and libraries, art galleries and bookshops. There’s wonder to be found in the theatre and music-making all around us, vibrancy in fresh-food markets, new friends to meet through hobbies and clubs, and so many lifetime learning opportunities to be had – all without the stress involved in planning a holiday. After all, why do we travel in the first place? It’s an urgent question in these days of climate crisis and global instability. Staying closer to home makes good sense: it’s cheaper, easier, less stressful and better for our health as well as the health of the planet. But Jenny doesn’t suggest that we should abandon all future travel plans. Instead, she shows travellers of all kinds how we can still harness the spirit of travel through the art of the ‘staycation’. With beautiful illustrations throughout, The Art of Being a Tourist demonstrates that travelling at home offers the greatest potential for us to discover what contributes to our wellbeing and our happiness.