Making the best of time when travelling

This editorial features:
Cluse La Bohème classit watch in 38mm gold face and black stainless steel mesh band

These the first weeks of 2017, I write to you, gloves and earmuffs at the ready, from a well-chilled Europe. My time piece choice of the moment, Cluse La Bohème with modern black stainless steel mesh band, befits perfectly the start of my fashion month travels from Pitti Uomo in Florence to Milano Moda Uomo (Milan Men’s Fashion Week).

Stepping out bravely onto the road again leaves me facing the same licorice allsorts of delightful pleasures and trivial adversities that come with (at least my kind of) travel. Without fail, I set out with grand sweeping plans of doing all there is to do during a single trip. And therefore, I’m one for whom a regret for the misuse of time results in a different kind of morning-after-remorse altogether. But after many stress-filled trips of the past, fuelled by the fear of missing out, I am unfortunately no closer to the magical formula for making the best of travel time. However, there are three little strategies that I have come to trust to, if not save me time, put my mind at ease.

1 Choose the long commute

Because when one is stuck in transit (intentionally or otherwise), there is a sort of wonky truth that it is virtually impossible to waste time. And besides, unnecessary sacrifices often need to be made to shaving off that few minutes or hours. I always choose the 20 minute walk over the 10 minute Uber ride, or even the 7 hours train journey from Milan to Paris over than the 2 hour plane trip (the hassle surrounding plane travel is always a time eater in disguise). Commuting presents time to think, to absorb, or simply to space out – and spacing out at appropriate intervals is absolutely essential, even (and especially) when one travels.

2Rise with the sun

While travel seems like that rare opportunity to sleep in for once, nothing ruins a trip faster than waking up late and missing the buffet breakfast. But in all seriousness, here in the sun-deprived northern hemisphere, the mere 7-8 hours of daylight is rare and precious, and it is simply not worth losing any of this to sleep. On the other hand, in the long summer days, waking up early as the sun rises yields a satisfyingly long day where all activities seem more possible. I highly recommend it.

3 Calm the bleep down

This one is perhaps self-explanatory. Just remind yourself it’s not the end of the world if you screwed up on timing and didn’t get to walk the Ponte Vecchio in Venice or take that iconic photo in front of the Duomo di Milano. The sum of your travel memories is not quantity but quality. Having traveled to the destination, soaked in that air, and walked among those people, is already the best thing you ever did. The rest is just an extra bonus.

This editorial was shot on location at my Milanese apartment and the Duomo Di Milano, in collaboration with Cluse.  Shop the Cluse La Bohème here.

Location: Milan, Italy | Photography: Self-Portrait

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