Traveling Quietly: How to Be Quiet in a World that is Loud

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Travel is versatile and unique to each person who decides to seek adventure in the world. Regardless of what kind of person you are there is something about travel that draws everyone in. That curiosity is something that all humans share. For some people, though, travel can become overwhelming after so many days. Too much time around other people and constantly moving can be exhausting. As a person who is easily exhausted during travel, I want to share how I keep myself energized when I am on the move. Traveling quietly can be difficult when the world is such a loud place.

What is Traveling Quietly?

I am not talking about sneaking around everywhere when you travel. That would just be silly. What I am referring to is traveling in such a way that you are making time for yourself. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you will need some privacy while you travel. Introverts may just need to schedule it in rather than hope they get some quiet time. The main difference between introverts and extroverts is how they recharge their social battery. Introverts recharge when they are alone, while extroverts recharge when they are being social. Both personality types need to be social and alone at times; the only difference is how much!

Another aspect of quiet travel is to slip in and out of a place and leave no trace of you behind. Feel free to leave your heart in a place (figuratively speaking). We all want to see the world, but when we go somewhere without considering the impact we will have we can ruin it for everyone else. Don’t be that person.

As an introvert, I know that I can only take so much time being surrounded by other people. Sometimes I can last a whole weekend, others only a few hours. There is no set amount of time. Being quiet is a part of my personality, but I have to make a conscious effort to be polite and considerate of other people when I travel. Something about being in uncomfortable situations makes people want to give up on being polite and just do as they please (myself included).

Flying Quietly

When you travel, you are put into a lot of situations where you are in close quarters with other people and there seems to be no escape. The first such situation is your flight. As soon as you enter the airport you are surrounded, and that gets even worse once you are on the plane. Being trapped in a metal tube with a bunch of strangers can be a nightmare for anyone.

How do you survive? In the airport, I tend to seek out a quiet place to sit and wait for my flight. I find where my gate is and then I don’t go back to it until it is almost time to board. There are usually a lot of benches that are not associated with a particular gate. I seek out a bench that is not at my gate or I go to a restaurant or cafe. Time to myself before a flight is crucial for me to survive the lack of privacy that is inevitable. Also, when it comes to boarding your flight, don’t push through people to get in line. Line up calmly and wait your turn. We are all going to the same place.

Once you are on the plane, you are stuck with these people for the next few hours(or more). I am terrible at sleeping on planes, but if I want to be left alone I will put on a sleep mask. The chances of you being bothered decrease when you are clearly asleep. If you know your seat preference and can choose it beforehand, do so. I prefer the aisle because I can stand up whenever I want and because I am weird about asking people to let me up. I have been known to suffer, though, if I have to pay extra to choose my seat. Although I may be an introvert, I am a cheap one.

There are some unspoken rules for the plane. The person in the middle seat gets the armrests. Don’t lean your seat back on short flights (long or overnight flights are the exception). Do not put your feet up on your seat or the seat in front of you. Avoid bringing smelly food onto the plane. Do not wear strong perfume. Some people are allergic. All in all, just think about other people. If we are all a little more considerate, just imagine how much better travel could be!

Embrace Silence

You will need headphones, earbuds, or earplugs to help drown out the noise. Also, whether you are listening to music or not, having earphones on will deter most people from talking to you. Holding a book sometimes has this effect as well. There are always exceptions to this, though. If someone talks to you even when you are listening to music or reading, be polite. I tend to look distracted when this happens to me and they won’t talk to me for long. I can’t help that. When I am reading, I am fully immersed in the story, so when you talk to me I don’t focus very well because I am still in the book.

I would recommend talking to some people, though. They may turn out to be very interesting. There is a difference in small talk and a real conversation. I cannot speak for all introverts, but I hate small talk and am generally bad at it. I live for real, complex conversations. Tell me about where you are going and why. Don’t talk about the weather.

Choose Your Accommodations Wisely

Once you are at your destination, you will likely head for your accommodation. I like to stay in a mix of places. I have stayed in hotels, hostels, Airbnb, and bed & breakfasts. They all have their advantages and disadvantages to me. Ultimately, I need quiet and privacy. I always do my research before I settle on a place.

Staying in a hotel is a smart move because it will give you a place to be alone. If you want to stay in your room and order room service you are welcome to do so. Hotels do put you in close proximity with other people, however. If the walls are thin, you may end up hearing more than you bargained for. When booking a hotel, always consider what part of town it is located in. Expect more noise if you are in a more popular area. Stay outside the city some if you want more of an escape.

I really do enjoy staying in hostels, but I have stayed in some that did not sit well with me. Make sure that the beds have curtains or something to divide you from the rest of the room. Privacy is important. I have also had situations where I want to sleep and the rest of the room wants to talk all night. Some people snore. I once stayed in a room where a girl ground her teeth. Not great. This is where your sleep mask and earplugs could save your life. Hostels are a wonderful way to meet other travelers and save some money. They are a lot of fun and can be a good way to socialize when you are traveling solo. Again, do your research. You may not want to stay at the top rated party hostel. Perhaps you just want a quiet place to sleep and recharge.

Airbnb is an excellent option when you can find an affordable place, especially if the owner does not actually live there. This may provide the most privacy as you will have a whole apartment to yourself. Having your own space could prove to be very freeing. You can relax without worrying about anything until a massive storm wipes out the wifi (this happened to me in Mexico). No matter where you choose to stay, make sure that it suits your needs. If you need quiet time, plan for it. If you want to be surrounded by people, you can plan that too.

Schedule Time for Yourself

I have found that reading is an excellent escape for me. It is like a cheat code for recharging even while I am surrounded by people. Something about mentally exploring another world makes me feel so much better when my social battery is low. If you love to read, this is a great option for you. Always carry a book, or better yet a Kindle so that you can have many to choose from.

If you are not a reader, you can visit a cafe and people watch, go for a walk, or watch TV. When you travel it may seem like you should be on all the time. You feel like you need to be seeing something new every minute, and when you are sitting you are missing out. You will miss out on more when you wear yourself out, or worse when you get yourself sick. Taking time for yourself will make your travel experience so much better.

Surviving Public Transportation (or not)

Another part of travel that is necessary, but not always pleasant is public transportation. It is not always bad, but during rush hour it is a downright horror show. I have been jam-packed into trains, and it can really cause anxiety. As calm as I may look in those situations, all I can think about is whether or not I am stepping on someone or if I am too close to the person who is practically laying on me. I wonder if I am in the way of someone who needs off at the next stop, and I constantly try to anticipate what will happen next. By the time I make it off the train, I am mentally exhausted and I need a break. I haven’t been able to think of a way to escape this situation other than avoiding rush hour. Once you get off the train, I recommend a nice walk and some fresh air. If you have tips for this, please tell me.

Be a Quiet Tourist

Visiting particularly touristy areas can be stressful for everyone, introverts and extroverts alike. We all want to see this wonder of the world, but just not at the same time. The best way to avoid people in these situations is to get there as early as possible. Beating the crowds is the only way to see things without having to fight to take a picture that you will have to Photoshop people out of anyway. Your other option is to go in the offseason. That is my preferred way to travel when I can help it.

Another thing that I consider to be traveling quietly, is traveling with little to no impact to where you have been. Tourists are ruining some of the most beautiful parts of the world. People leaving behind trash, being obnoxious, relieving themselves, and just disrespecting the world are a few things that are leading places to close their doors to tourists. Traveling quietly is not just for quiet people. We all need to learn how to be quiet and calm when faced with the excitement of the world. Enjoy it, but don’t ruin it for everyone else.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How do you recharge your “battery” when you are traveling? Are there ways I have not mentioned to be considerate of our fellow travelers? Let me know in the comments!

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