You can travel full-time around the world as a slow traveler, a fast traveler or even as an expat who travels. How you travel is totally up to you, but there are a few particular styles that nomads and full-time travelers embrace as they adventure through the world. Let’s take a look at a few of the options.
What is Slow Travel?
Let’s first take a look at slow travel and what slow travel is. Although it can take many forms, the people who slow travel will tell you they move around the world slowly, often staying in one place for a month or more. They are not in a hurry to get around the world, and they feel like they’ve got all the time they need.
Slow travelers, or slowmads, often will take in an apartment or other homey type location. They want to have a kitchen, a washer, a comfortable couch, and be in a location where they can meet the locals. They’ll join walking groups, sign up for dance classes, go to the local coffee house, and try their best to meet local people.
Getting to every tourist destination is not high on a slow traveler’s list of things to do. Granted, they like to go to the touristy areas, but they have time. They don’t build daily schedules that are packed with every tourist museum and cathedral. Slowmaders are living their life on the road, so they take down days, “office” days to pay their bills and interact with home. They feel like they’ll “get to it” when they’re ready.
Although slowmads like having internet, they usually don’t need it as urgently as fast travelers. Their plans move more slowly, so if their plans get changed, it might not impact them as greatly as it can impact fast travelers.
Finally, slow travelers often do well at keeping up their diet and exercise routines. They cook in their “home” that they likely found on AirBnb or Booking dot com. Often they’ve found a gym nearby or they make use of public parks for their exercise routines.
What is Fast Travel?
Fast travelers are the opposite of slow travelers, often changing locations every few days or weeks. They have a fast pace and a desire to scratch the surface of places rather than dig deep like slowmaders. These fast travelers often stay in hotels, eat out most of their meals, and generally are on the move.
“Fasties” may not even unpack their bags. They’re frequently booking only a few days ahead, not knowing where they’ll be two months from now. Getting to tourist destinations is high on their list, as they are often traveling just for the sake of seeing as much as they can see. They might have a list of things they want to see or they book their trips based on themes (castles, golf courses, vineyards.)
Having internet access is very important for fasties because they are constantly booking and confirming reservations. They frequently have to access their travel information, including their confirmation numbers, and if a travel hiccup occurs, they have to adjust their future plans.
Fast traveling people often spend more money than slow traveling people because they have lots of transit in their budget. In addition, because they are frequently only at their accomodations for a few days, they don’t get to take advantage of long-term discounts.
Finally, diet and exercise can be a challenge for fast travelers. They eat on the run often, they might catch a youtube routine for exercise or they jump into the hotel’s gym for a workout. They might carry exercise equipment with them in order to have some consistency in their exercise.
What is Expat Travel?
Kind of a blend between slomads and fasties, expats approach travel from their home. They live abroad probably in a permanent residence, and from that residence they travel. They return to their home when they are finished traveling.
Expats probably think of their traveling more as vacations than as travel. They book trips that go to tourist destinations. They come home to rest and take care of their domestic chores, then they book their next trip, which may be a slowmad type of travel or a fastie type of travel. They may do both.
Returning to their home, they don’t necessarily have the laundry requirements that fasties and slowmads have. They can often wait until they get home to do their laundry, so they don’t have the need for washers or laundromats. While on their trips, they may forgo their exercise routines.
Finally, expats probably don’t travel with their entire wardrobe and all of their belongings. They have the luxury of a home base where they can return to get the things they need for their next trip.
What Do Slow Travelers, Fast Travelers and Expat Travelers Have in Common?
Despite the differences in how these people travel, the one thing they have in common is that they love to travel. They want to see different things every day, taste new foods, and learn different ways to say thank you and please.
Although delays and travel challenges happen, these travelers just take them in stride. It’s part of the lifestyle, and they literally, just roll with the punches. They have a curiousity about the world and wonder why people don’t live their life style. Why not travel the world as much as you can?
Here’s an easy at-a-glance chart of the major types of full-time travelers and how components of their lives differ:
| Type | Pace | Diet | Exercise | Internet Need |
| Slow Traveler | One month+ at a time | Cooks regularly | Has a routine | Medium |
| Fast Traveler | 3-4 days+ at a time | Eats out often | Erratic | High |
| Expat Traveler | Random | Eats out often | Paused | Low |
Other Types of Full-time Travelers
Although these three travel styles tend to cover the full-time travelers of the world, they don’t cover all of the styles out there. Of course, there are digital nomads. These folks can be slowmads or fasties, but they are also working.
Full-time cruisers is another style of full-time travel. These people live abroad cruise ships, jumping from one cruise to another as the ships move about the world. They may or may not be loyal to one cruise line, but they do love a good port, a good wifi connection, and a good crew.
Backpackers tend to be full-time travelers who look for budget accomodations and are on a particular time-limited trek. They might be on a summer sabbatical or a gap year. They don’t tend to be backpackers for longer periods of time, but they could be.
No matter the type of traveler you are or want to be, the first step to travel is to circle a date on the calendar and book your destination. What are you waiting for?
Chris Englert, the Walking Traveler, believes walking is the platform for life. Wanderlusting since the age of 5, she’s since traveled all 50 US states and 62 countries. Chris shares her love of walking while traveling via blogs, books, and presentations. A natural storyteller, she invites you along as she explores the world, one walk at a time.
Currently, Chris and her husband, Steve, travel the world, full-time as nomads, with just their two carry-ons. They’ve been traveling since May, 2021.