Traveling sober is difficult, but it made me more honest

I did not start drinking before the age of 25 – late among many standards – but once I did, alcohol quickly became both a social and professional currency.

As a management consultant, Drinking was part of the work – Whether it’s wine during team dinners or champagne toast for successful product launches. It was also how I connected with friends, I have relaxed in unknown places and I celebrated the summits of life on the road

Over the years, my passport has filled with travel stamps where the days often followed the same scheme: explore the day, Enjoy a glass or two The night. A hot sake in the Japanese Izakayas, a pint of Guinness in Dublin to celebrate Saint-Patrick, and a cold beer after having hike in Patagonia were not only drinks; They were part of the way I celebrated the journey around the world. I saw it as a way to immerse myself in the local culture.

But something changed the year I got 50 years old.

At first, it was a personal challenge where a “dry trip” spread a little longer to see what I felt. But the more I remained without alcoholThe more I have become curious about what could change others.

Can I still feel joy during a festive dinner with friends without glass of wine? Would I feel excluded on a trip? Would people look at me differently, or worse, should I look at myself differently?

Voyage

The first test occurred during a work trip to Switzerland. One night for dinner, we visited Fiescherblick, a charming hotel in the Bernese Alps. I was surprised to discover that they offered a alcoholless Torque menu.

That night, when the face of the north of Eiger shone pink in the evening light, I sat down to one of the most memorable meals of my life. Each route arrived associated with a carefully designed elixir, such as rhubarb-kombucha aperitif which picked up on my tongue or a infusion of berries and icy basil with a mixture of vegetables at the root.

Each sip was as intentional and superimposed as any wine agreement I had had in the past. I felt more aware and I noticed how I slowed down during the meal, savoring each bite and sipping. My body was satisfied but never dull, and there was No blur or cerebral fog – Just the clarity of a crunchy Alpine night and the satisfaction of enjoying each bite.

Since then, I continued to alcohol -free. Some trips were easy, but others were really difficult.

During an outdoor trip filled with adventure across Northern Ireland, known for its whiskey and beer, I felt discomble, as if I missed a large part of the local culture.

The most difficult was a two -week Antarctic Antarctic cruise, during which Fomo’s feeling was very strong, especially when the best wines in South America were served at dinner.

Line of defense

Almost 9 months have passed, and there are still times when I am given a drink and feel a grip of clumsiness or worse, when someone asks: “Why not have one?” With a perplexed smile. Social Drinking is so standardized In travel, choosing to withdraw can look like a rebellion.

But my choice was also liberating. I learned to start my days earlier and with more energy and to find other ways to connect with the inhabitants, such as asking the servers in the restaurants of their favorite dating places or listening to traditional Irish music in a local bar in Derry.

I no longer plan my evenings around drinks; Instead, I am looking for live music, tea houses, night markets or simply calm spaces to think.

Curiously, I feel more adventurous than before. Do not drink pushed me to be more creative and intentional about the way I seek joy. It also helped me be more honest with myself and with others. I realized how often I used Alcohol as shortened towards connection with people When what I really needed was real curiosity and vulnerability.

I am not here to plead in favor of sobriety or to say I will never drink again. I’m just in a season to explore what it means to be fully awake for my experiences and how it changes the way I travel.

Going to alcohol to 50 has started as a personal experience, but it has become a new way to move around the world.