Travel can be an amazing, life-changing experience, but it can also be incredibly stressful. There’s so much to remember when it comes to travel that it can feel overwhelming. When this happens, it can help to ground yourself and remind yourself exactly what you need and what you’re about to do. Having a checklist on hand of things to remember when you go travelling can be helpful, so that’s exactly what we’ve created. Here are 10 things you should keep in mind while you travel.
1. Stay calm
The most important thing you can do when you travel is to stay calm. If you’re afraid of some aspect of the journey – flying, for instance, or leaving your home behind – staying calm will help to alleviate your nerves and keep you grounded. Spirituality can help in times like this. Maybe you could distract yourself and use this calculate name in numerology advice. That could not only keep you calm, but also give you a new sense of identity and a newfound purpose when you reach your destination!
2. Go with the flow
Having a solid itinerary can certainly be helpful when you travel, but it shouldn’t dictate everything you do. When you get to your destination and after you’ve settled into your accommodation, try just taking a walk and seeing what happens. You’d be amazed how quickly you can immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of a different place. After all, what’s the sense of travelling if you’re just going to stick to your standard schedule? Travel should be an eye-opening experience.
3. Don’t forget to eat – and drink
Of course, one of the main reasons many people travel is for the food. Still, it can be easy to forget to properly eat or drink while you’re away because you’re shaking up your regular routine. Don’t forget to drink lots of water and make sure to take regular meals, too. You don’t want to run out of energy and lose the ability to create those all-important unforgettable memories, after all. Eating out every day is great, but you should pack contingency food too so that you’re never out of supplies.
4. Don’t overdo it
You’ll probably be tempted to rush from attraction to attraction while you’re travelling, taking everything in as quickly as possible. This would be a mistake, though. Setting yourself some time to relax and chill is just as important as the holiday itself. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to do nothing with your time. It simply means that not every single waking second of your journey needs to be spent sightseeing and trying to cram as much in as possible. You’ll only exhaust yourself that way. Speaking of which…
5. Get some sleep
Vacations and longer travel journeys can be very difficult times to sleep. There’s jetlag, for one thing, which can seriously mess with your sleep schedule. You may also find that you’re too excited to sleep or that you’re trying too hard to immerse yourself in the nightlife of your destination. It’s very, very important to make sure you get some sleep while you’re travelling; that’s how you’ll recharge your batteries, and it’s one of the only real ways to combat jetlag.
6. Don’t over-pack
Before you pack every single item in your suitcase, ask yourself this question: do I really need this? Am I going to miss it if I don’t take it? The more you can lighten your load, the better. Although you won’t be carting around everything you’ve taken while you’re wandering the streets, it’s always better to pack light; after all, what happens if you find some truly delightful souvenirs and you don’t have anywhere to put them? Take it from us: make sure you pack as light as you can.
7. Don’t get taxis everywhere
If you’re able, you should walk around as much as possible when you travel. Getting a feel for a place is much easier if you’re on street level, and there can sometimes be safety issues if you’re in a country you’re unfamiliar with. Walking as many places as possible is good for you, too; exercise releases endorphins, so all of those memories you’re creating will be even more special thanks to your exercising decisions. Remember: to immerse yourself fully in a new place, walk!
8. Try off-peak times
There’s nothing more magical than arriving at a tourist destination or hotspot long before or after everyone else does. If you manage to get your sightseeing done during “off hours” – a difficult prospect, given everyone else will be trying the same thing – you’ll have a totally different experience. The magic of a tourist attraction you have all to yourself is unparalleled, so if you can, research the peak times for attractions in your new surroundings and try to time your journeys accordingly.
9. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
There’s a big difference between making mistakes while you try a new activity and intentionally or unintentionally offending people. Obviously, you should try hard to avoid the latter at all costs, but don’t worry about the former; everyone messes up when they’re doing something new. If you’re at a cookery class or a dance class, for example, don’t be afraid to look like a fool; it’s how you’ll learn new skills. You’ll be thankful you tried, even if you fail at first!
10. Don’t pine
When you return home, it can be tempting to wallow in post-travel blues. That’s understandable. You’ve just come home from what could have been a life-changing experience, so you’re bound to miss those adrenaline highs when you’re back to normal life. Try to appreciate the smaller things around you, though. After all, normality has its bonuses, too; some holidays don’t go anywhere near as well as yours might have done, so be thankful that your normal life is less eventful than those!
