Two of my most passionate pursuits in life are food and travel. Although, many food enthusiasts and travelers would put these two in separate baskets, for me, food and travel goes hand-in-hand. In this manifesto, we will explore some ways to optimize your next food & travel experience.

1. The
Food
&
Travel
Manifesto

2. Uncopyright: This manifesto is uncopyrighted. Feel free to copy it, share it, steal it or post it on your blog. Although, attribution is always
appreciated.
Thanks,
Amit Sonawane - Fishing Buddha

3. Food Two of my most
passionate pursuits in life
are food and travel.
Although, many food
enthusiasts and travelers
would put these two in
& separate baskets, for me,
food and travel goes
hand-in-hand.
Travel
In this manifesto, we will
explore some ways to
optimize your next food &
travel experience.

4. It is an age-old secret that, somehow,
has been lost. Food offers the traveler
an unique insight into the culture and
the ways of the people. “Best
way to learn about a new culture
We often take this for granted and is through their
stick to the safe options. If you are
food.”
traveling then being safe is a foolish
idea. Traveling is about getting out of
your comfort-zone. Make some local
friends and see where they eat. Try
cooking with them.
Leave the reviews and restaurant-
finder apps at home when you travel.
All you need is your five sense to travel
well.

5. “Involve
all 5
senses
when
eating & traveling”
Smell See Touch Feel Listen

6. Agenda is useless. Itinerary should
“Travel
have dreams, destinations and bucket-
list items only.
Many of us rush travel. The desire to
see everything, do everything and be
everywhere ruins the experience.
slowly;
Travel slowly. Take in the culture, smell
the coffee-shops, talk to the locals,
watch the people go about their lives,
eat
taste the freshly baked breads. Stay.
Do not rush.
And when you sit down to eat; eat
even slower. Never eat alone in a new
city. Make friends with the locals and
get to know them over a meal. Ask if
you can visit the chef in the kitchen.
slower.” Take him/her to the local market next
day. Learn about their foods.

7. “If there’s a line,
then the food is probably
worth the wait.”

8. “You don’t need
$
a lot of
One of the biggest excuses to not
travel and get out is money, or rather
lack of it.
money
To travel well you need a curious mind,
a taste for adventure, a quest, some
personal stories to share, and
willingness to get out of your comfort
zone. Not money.
to travel well”
Money doesn’t enhance your travels.
You might not need money to even
book that ticket to your destination.
Some friends of Fishing Buddha are
world-renowned for travel-hacks.
So, don’t let the lack of money stop
you from traveling. Traveling to far
corners of the world will convince you
how complete lack of money can
introduce you to some of the happiest
of peoples.

9. Traveling and experiencing the world’s
food is an adventure. It is a futile
attempt if you resist change.
Try everything once. We live in a
protective cocoon of a society.
However, some of the places you will
travel to are free and pristine.
Don’t let the fear of unknown stop you
from making unforgettable memories,
meeting amazing people and tasting
the most delightful foods.
One of the golden rules of the art of
food & travel is - be brave.
“Don’t be
a
wuss .”

10. “Tweet
about
it
later
Social media is here to stay. It is a
wonder how so many people can
connect so rapidly over a hashtag or a
photograph.
.” Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all
the other wonderful services really
make it possible to document, collect
and share your passion, work and
adventure. 20 years ago, I couldn’t However, social networks can also be
have imagined sharing a picture of my a distraction. Many times, I catch
meal with a total stranger from Ireland people basking the in glow of their
who also likes sushi. smartphones, connecting with the
virtual worlds, while the real world just
As a friend of mine once said, “These slips away.
other humans are just floating around,
one chance decision away from being Traveling gives you a chance to
your next closest friend.” experience the reality of life.
Sometimes one slight moment
completely turns the whole trip around
for good. You don’t want to miss that
one fleeting moment.
Be present when it happens and
share it later when you are back in
your hotel room or home. You’ll
experience more, remember more
vividly and, as a result, be able to
share more with your friends and
family.

11. Everybody has a story. We tell a story
with our lives. One of the Fishing
Buddha rules to live by is, “learn to tell
a story with your life.”
When you go on travels do not forget
to pack some stories with you. Even a
simple story about how or why you set
off on this trip would do.
When you sit with a total stranger and
tell them the story of your life,
something wonderful happens. Minds
glow, hearts open and smiles blossom.
Sharing your life’s story is a very
intimate and an extremely friendly
gesture.
Nothing else help you make faster,
long-lasting friendships than sharing of
a story.
“Always
share So, always share your inspiring story
with the people you meet on your
travels. Preferably over a meal.
your
Also, do not forget to listen to their
story
stories.
.”

12. “Be interesting .”
Many of us travel for our own sake.
Travel is not a selfish act. When you
begin your travel or sit-down for a
meal in a foreign land, do not forget to
give, and not just take.
Travel is not just about learning from
other cultures, cuisines, peoples and
their customs. Traveling is also about
spreading your message and leaving
your legacy.
One of the ways you can do that is by
simply being an interesting traveler. Be
an interesting stranger to talk to. Be an
interesting customer to walk into a
local bar. Be an interesting passenger
to get on the flight.
When you are interesting, people will
remember you and what you are all
about. It creates a long-term memory.
And a memory is the most beautiful
gift you can ever give to the people in
your life.

13. “Travel is not really about leaving our homes, but
leaving our habits.”
- Pico Iyer

14. Do not be afraid to connect with
people. Although you probably won’t
be staying there for long, it will make
your trip worthwhile if you make new
ties on your trip.
When you are back, stay in touch with
“Connect.”
these new friends. Make them a part
of your life and share your own life
with them.
The biggest joy of traveling comes
after the fact when you reminisce.
Being in touch with the people who
actually made those memories
possible is the second biggest joy.
So, stay connected.

15. When you write about your
“ Write about your
experiences, you preserve that, not
just for yourself, but for the rest of the experiences.”
world, for years to come.
Writing about your travels - the places
you visited, the people you met, the
food you ate - and publishing it for the
world to see is one of the most
generous things you can do.
Writing helps you create your own
unique experience, you own little
adventure story. It attracts other
readers and it multiplies your
passions.
You writing might inspire somebody
else to take up a food & travel journey
of their own. And their life’s story will
include a chapter about you.

16. “May your life’s story
include several chapters on
the places you have been
and the people you met
there.
May you always savor every
bite and never eat alone.
May you always have the
power to bring a smile on a
strangers face and a mind
full of memories of those
smiles.”
Thank you.

17. About
Fishing Buddha is the blog of Amit
Sonawane. Amit writes about the
small things in life that ultimately
make the biggest impact.
In his writings he explores life as
an art. His life’s four passions are -
traveling, food, writing and
philosophy.
Besides the blog, Amit is also a
friend, thinker, aerospace
engineer, MBA student,
entrepreneur, photographer, biker,
climber, Tough Mudder, cook,
reader, stoic and a minimalist.
Website: http://FishingBuddha.com Twitter: @amitsonawane Facebook: http://facebook.com/fishingbuddha