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6 Tips To Really Enjoy Yourself When You Travel

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Thoughts of travel are often very exciting. We imagine incredible adventures in far-off lands, full of thrills, pleasures, and wonderful memories

Unfortunately, the reality is often quite different. Once we arrive, it’s nothing but wall-to-wall headaches, mosquitoes, and locals offering us things we don’t want to buy. 

The trick here is to know how to approach travel properly so you really enjoy yourself. Here’s what you need to do: 

Drop The Expectations

Experiences themselves rarely disappoint. However, the gulf between expectations and reality often does. 

Therefore, always travel without any expectations in mind. Rather, accept whatever the destination offers once you arrive. 

Let Things Happen

When travelling, it is tempting to follow a strict itinerary to ensure that you cover as much ground as possible. After all, you don’t want to miss anything. 

However, this approach can often leave you feeling stressed. Moreover, always watching the clock feels too much like work. You’d love to unwind, but you just can’t. You feel like a coiled spring, always looking for the next bus to catch or the entrance fee to pay. 

Try taking a different approach. When you arrive at your destination, avoid the compulsion to dart from place to place. Just allow reality to unfold as it will. Go with the flow and see what you discover. You’ll find that when you let go, things unfold more beautifully. 

Learn Skills Before You Go

If you’re going skiing, it’s a good idea to learn how to ski before you travel. Likewise, if you’re going surfing, it pays dividends to get surf lessons beforehand. This way, you can make the best possible use of your time once you arrive at the destination. 

The same applies to the language. You don’t want to arrive in a place like Korea where relatively few people speak English, unable to communicate. 

Chat To The Locals

Most local people welcome tourists with open arms. More importantly, they reveal all the local area’s secrets. Having a good chin wag with someone who lives nearby gives you a bird’s-eye view of the location and helps you find all the best spots for photos, bars, restaurants, and hidden gems. 

Go At The Right Time Of Year

Many destinations are highly seasonal. Therefore, the time of year you travel has a tremendous impact on your experience. 

For instance, if you travel to the Alps during August, don’t expect to do any skiing. Likewise, if you want to see Sweden covered in snow and see the aurora, go in the winter, not the summer months.

You’ll also want to time your trip to coincide with local events. Check the calendar before you go to avoid disappointment. 

Cut Down On Luggage

You really don’t need a huge amount of luggage to enjoy yourself while traveling. In fact, just the basics should suffice. 

When packing, ask yourself if you really need five pairs of leggings and ten tops. You might need them, but the likelihood is low. The exception is if you are traveling for a wedding. Then you really do need to bring the kitchen sink. 

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