Find the Tables, Darling!

What’s one piece of travel advice you always follow?

Whenever somebody asks me for travel advice, I could give them all sorts of sensible suggestions.

Pack light. Keep your passport somewhere safe. Wear comfortable shoes. Never underestimate the importance of knowing where the nearest loo is.

All excellent advice, naturally.

But the one piece I always come back to?

Find the tables, darling.

And no, I don’t necessarily mean the ones with white tablecloths and a waiter who looks mildly disappointed when you order tap water.

I mean the places where people gather.

You see, when we travel, it’s terribly easy to become so occupied with seeing things that we forget to meet anyone.

We have our itineraries, our little lists of must-see attractions, our cameras ready to capture every magnificent building and breathtaking view.

And there’s nothing wrong with any of that.

But some of my favourite discoveries have come from simply sitting down somewhere and allowing a conversation to happen.

Perhaps it’s a little café tucked away from the tourist streets, where the locals gather for their morning coffee. Perhaps it’s a community dance, a market stall, or a tiny bookshop where the owner knows more stories than the books on the shelves.

You might discover that the best place for lunch isn’t the restaurant with the biggest sign, but the little establishment around the corner that somebody’s grandmother has been visiting for thirty years.

Or you might find yourself discussing the weather with a complete stranger, only to discover that you’ve spent half an hour laughing about something neither of you expected.

Of course, being me, I’d be particularly delighted to stumble upon a Lindy Hop evening.

Give me a little swing music, a wooden dance floor and a room full of people who don’t mind the occasional misplaced foot, and I’ll happily forget whatever sightseeing plans I had for the evening.

There’s something rather wonderful about finding a familiar rhythm in an unfamiliar place.

And that’s really the point.

A destination isn’t just its buildings, monuments and postcard views. It’s the people who live there, the conversations they have, the music they play and the little routines that make their corner of the world feel like home.

You don’t have to become everybody’s best friend. Sometimes a smile, a question or a few shared words are quite enough.

Naturally, a little common sense is advisable. Not every stranger is a future friend, and there’s nothing wrong with keeping your wits about you.

But don’t spend your entire journey looking through a camera lens.

Look around. Listen. Be curious.

Because years later, you may forget the exact name of that beautiful square or the number of steps leading up to the cathedral.

But you might still remember the woman who told you where to find the best pastries, the gentleman who insisted you try his favourite local dish, or the evening you danced with people whose language you barely spoke.

See the sights, certainly. But make room for the people.

After all, darling, the world is full of tables.

And you never quite know who might invite you to sit down.

Stay Fabulous,
Luce 💋