What is it really like to let go when you travel?
/As a digital nomad in 2018, I am constantly connected to technology. I'm always taking photos and videos to share on Instagram and spend at least 40 hours a week on my laptop to sustain my travel addiction.
It's very rare when I'm able to completely switch off and let go - let go of all the stress, pressure to always perform, my routines, self-imposed rules - but I do know that when I'm completely forced to, I have an amazing time and some genuine experiences that are somehow less forgettable.
The funny thing is when you can't share what you're doing with the world, you completely own that experience. There's no other feeling like it and it's sad that my lifestyle doesn't allow me to let go more.
Five very connected travellers got invited to take part in the trip of a lifetime recently but there was one big catch. They needed to completely let go, not just give up their phones but let themselves go for the whole trip in order to completely connect with the destination.
The destination?
Québec.
The victims?
Jean Imbert - chef and restaurant owner
Kiersten Rich - travel expert
Benjamin Prescott - nature portraitist
Jess Dales - global wanderer
Alan Estrada - travel blogger
How did they do?
I’m really excited to share this with you as the whole concept of the experience really spoke to me and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way no matter what you’re trying to let go of.
Check out the video below to see how they fared and what they experienced on their trip.
The promotion was run by the tourism brand QuébecOriginal who has the enviable job of promoting the province of Québec as a destination around the world.
The music was composed by Québecois artist Geoffroy and it's really got my heart pumping for my upcoming trip to Québec this summer.
Here are some of the experiences that really captured my attention:
Wildlife watching
You know I'm a huge animal lover and seeing the travellers get to dive and kayak with seals and interact with wolves has given me some new life goals. Québec has nearly 650 animal species and I would just love to go whale watching and spot as a moose in the wild.
Festivals
The people of Québec love any excuse to celebrate and it's known for having year-round eclectic festivals to suit all tastes. Experiences like these are not something you can take away and share and I really want to just get in the middle of one and take it all in.
Ancient traditions
Being able to truly learn about an indigenous culture from the people who have lived it is a very rare thing around the world. Québec has 11 distinct Indigenous nations with age-old traditions and I can't wait to dive into the history of the region.
Outdoor fun
I honestly had no idea there was so much to do in Québec. I saw it as mostly a city of diverse culture and great food but the video really opened up my eyes to all of the activities waiting for me. Zip lining is a big love of mine and guaranteed to get the blood pumping and paddling out into a lake to seek out the marine life will have me occupied for days.
A lot of travel often comes hand in hand with being in control. There was once a time when you eagerly sought out an internet cafe to send proof-of-life emails home to your mum or you needed to carry around a giant brick of a guidebook so you could plan your next destination. To take pictures we carried tedious film cameras or guarded the more expensive digital cameras with our lives.
Now, most parts of our journey are just so convenient that it’s impossible to let go and just let ourselves wander with no schedules, no plans and without the preconceived idea of exactly how our trip is going to go.
It seems, though, that when you're in the right destination, you can really just be in the moment and let go.
I honestly can't wait to start packing my bags and seeing how I end up. Québec, here I come!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quebec Original . The opinions and text are all mine.
