Pico Iyer on the secret of immersive travel

The celebrated writer reflects on how this once-in-a-lifetime experiment of global stillness can teach us to see the world with new eyes.

“It’s a relationship that has come to haunt me more and more over 46 years of travel: my capacity to be stirred is in direct proportion to my ability to be quiet … We’re most transported when we’re least distracted. And we’re most at peace – ready to be transformed, in fact – when most deeply absorbed.”