For a long time I planned trips like a checklist. Wake up, film, move, edit at night, repeat. The result was tired footage and a lot of moments I don’t remember because I was already thinking about the next location.
Now every trip has breaks built into it: a full day in one village with no plan, an afternoon without the camera, a slow morning after a long travel day. Those are almost always the days when the best stories find me.
How I plan breaks
- One rest day for every three or four travel days. More on high-altitude trips.
- Stay longer in fewer places. Two nights minimum wherever I can.
- Back up and log footage on rest days, not at midnight after a ten-hour walk.
- Leave room for invitations. A wedding, a festival or a family dinner beats any plan.
Travel isn’t a race. The world is still there tomorrow, and you’ll see it better after a proper night’s sleep.
