Let me guess. You love authentic travel. You don’t want some sanitised version of a place—you want the real thing. Rustic, raw, untouched. Preferably involving goats.

But here’s the catch: “authenticity” has become travel-speak for “this place hasn’t developed yet.” We don’t say it out loud, but we’re often most excited by destinations that still have dirt roads, electricity issues, and just the right amount of hardship—as long as we’re not the ones living it.

So let’s flip the script for a second.

Imagine if people visited your country and demanded it stay trapped in the 1800s. Because that’s what we often do when we travel—and it’s just as absurd as it sounds.

Disclaimer! All of my blogs may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase I may receive a small amount of commission for the referral at no extra cost to you. This commission is what allows me to continue creating guides to help travellers plan their next trip!

“I Came to London for the Oliver Twist Experience”

Imagine tourists arriving in London and being disappointed that no one is barefoot in the snow, selling matches. “Where’s the soot? The chimney sweeps? The plague?” they ask, with a sigh.

They head to Borough Market and are appalled to find sourdough and craft gin instead of boiled potatoes and despair.

Now swap London for India. I once met a traveller who was genuinely upset that her yoga instructor arrived on a motorbike, wearing trainers and listening to Drake. “It just didn’t feel spiritual,” she said, confused that a modern Indian woman didn’t match her Eat Pray Love fantasy.

“Scotland Was Too Modern – No One Challenged Me to a Sword Fight”

Imagine turning up in the Highlands expecting clans at war, bagpipes echoing through the mist, and men in kilts bellowing battle cries. You’re horrified to find hiking trails, eco-lodges, and someone named Callum running a vegan café.

Now apply that to Cuba. I once met a tourist who said, “I hope it never changes. The old cars are so charming.” As if Cubans love driving 1950s Chevrolets with no seat belts, no parts, and no hope—just so you can feel nostalgic for an era you never lived through.

So, What Are You Really Looking For?

We say we want connection. Culture. Authenticity. But what we often want is a poverty museum with good photo ops. Something raw enough to make us feel adventurous, but safe enough to still order oat milk.

We don’t travel to learn; we travel to confirm the narrative we already hold—that we have progressed, and they are still charmingly “other.”

But real life doesn’t stand still. Cultures evolve. Infrastructure improves. Toilets get better. And thank goodness.

Because the truth is: no one should have to stay poor, traditional, or uncomfortable just so we can feel worldly.

Final Thought

Imagine tourists arriving in your town, devastated there’s WiFi and no one churning butter. Imagine someone insisting your grandma wear a bonnet and cook over open fire—because “that’s what feels authentic.”

It’s ridiculous. And yet, we do it all the time.

So if you want connection, travel with curiosity. If you want meaning, go beyond the photo. And if you want authenticity, understand that it can absolutely come with solar panels and 5G.

Or come travel with me. We’ll see the real side of places—without demanding anyone stay stuck in the past for our benefit.