Extreme Day Trips: Traveling Abroad in Just One Day

This article delves into the phenomenon of extreme day trips, where enthusiasts like Monica Stott and Luka Chijutomi-Ghosh share their experiences of visiting foreign cities within a day, balancing the allure of travel with environmental concerns.

For many, holidays typically involve extended stays and a packed suitcase, but a growing trend is challenging this notion: extreme day trips. One of its advocates, 37-year-old Monica Stott from Wrexham, embarks on whirlwind adventures to places like Milan, Amsterdam, and Reykjavik—returning home just in time for bed.

“I think people are always surprised that you really do feel like you've had a holiday,” said Monica, who discovered this travel style while on work trips to Ireland. Nurtured by Facebook groups sharing stories from fellow adventurers, Monica embraced planning out her own expeditions that maximize experiences.

She believes the best memories often come from the initial days, saying, "You arrive in time for breakfast, squeeze as much as you can, and fly home at night. It's a busy, crazy day." Another traveler, 18-year-old Luka Chijutomi-Ghosh, ingeniously choreographed his travel plans around his studying schedule.

His first extreme day outing involved a £15 return flight to Prague, landing at night and exploring throughout the wee hours. Following this, he ventured to Luxembourg, Brussels, and Amsterdam during a single day while in Paris. Luka fine-tunes his trips to ensure he can visit multiple locations in one day, recognizing that this method allows him to fit travel into his student budget, often said to be less than a typical night out.

Social media has allowed these extreme day trip enthusiasts to find connection and support, with many groups boasting hundreds of thousands of members dedicated to sharing tips. Both Monica and Luka emphasize that these trips provide budget-friendly avenues for those who desire to travel but struggle with time constraints.

However, such globe-trotting has faced scrutiny over environmental impacts, with flying contributing significantly to global emissions. Monica acknowledged this concern, recognizing that while flying can create more demand for flights, many partaking in extreme trips do so out of necessity, not luxury. Luka supports finding alternative transport where possible, as he did during his multi-city journey.

Monica shared crucial planning tips for these day trips, opting for destinations within a two-hour flight to avoid exhausting travel. Maintaining a calm perspective at airports, she believes, helps alleviate stress and allows travelers to conserve energy for their mini-adventures abroad.