One of the scariest yet most liberating ways to travel is traveling spontaneously. This kind of traveling is the opposite of order and repetition. It involves saying ‘yes’ to new things and making tweaks to your itinerary en-route. It certainly is worth exploring, but the question on your mind is probably ‘how to embrace spontaneous travel?’ Well, we’ll fill you in on that and share ways you can embrace the spirit of spontaneity as you travel –
The ABC’s Of How To Embrace Spontaneous Travel
Be Ready To Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
While embracing spontaneous travel, one thing’s certain, there will always be plenty of moments that demand you to garner the courage to do things you’ve not done before. It’s about trying new things when traveling that you always regret not doing. For instance, freely saying ‘YES’ to renting that two-wheeler which you know you feel like doing and exploring a town on your own.
It’s completely alright to give in to things like this that push you out of your comfort zone when traveling. This is something that the spontaneous style of travel calls for. Also, moments like going on an organized trek even if you don’t know anybody on it can be intimidating at first. It could also be awkward to trek with people you’ve not met before but you’ll eventually mingle and it won’t seem that bad. How crazy it is to embrace spontaneous travel, right? But this kind of travel will open your eyes to the fact that outside your comfort zone, there’s plenty of adventure that’s worth giving a shot.
Don’t Wait For Your Group
When you travel spontaneously, it’s best not to wait around for your group of friends to join you. It would take a miracle for all your friends to quickly get in sync for a holiday on the same dates you’d like. Plus, more importantly, spontaneous travel involves little to no pre-planning and preparation apart from the basics. Yes, that’s just how it is to embrace spontaneous travel. So instead of waiting, you better start packing your bags and make that trip when you feel the urge to do it. After all, you deserve to use up your annual leaves, and don’t need a group to postpone it from happening.
There are also several good upsides to traveling solo, and who knows, your spontaneous trip may just be the best ever.
Don’t Keep A Strict Itinerary
Traveling on a whim is about not having a strict itinerary to follow. It’s more about planning your excursions in a way that there’s enough flexibility to adjust things around. For example, you may want to go river rafting in Rishikesh but then you find out that you could also go cliff jumping. If you like the latter more, you should be ready to switch plans and ditch what you no longer want to do.
You can make a rough skeleton of things you would like to do based on the destination you’re going to but always make room for spontaneous adventures. If you see an art workshop, yoga or cooking class happening in a city you’re exploring, be prepared to join if you like it without worrying too much about the itinerary.
Use Apps & Memberships
It is super important to download a few apps that will make it easier for you to have a successful spontaneous trip. Use an app to book accommodation, flights, and even to find well-rated restaurants near you. When you use apps, you can snag the best running offer and save on costs. You can also do the same thing with travel memberships!
At goSTOPS, we’ve launched a Dream.Invest.Travel Membership starting at just INR 500 for travelers who pick goSTOPS to avail discounts on meals, stay, and much more. It’s our way of giving you benefits as you venture into traveling more often. It’s best to always take advantage of any offers and loyalty programs when traveling spontaneously. It ensures you’re not burning a hole in your pocket while you crave travel.
Approach That 3-Day Weekend
You’ll probably know that there’s a 3-day weekend coming up in advance so use it to go on a short spontaneous adventure. Take it as life’s sign of telling you to have some fun by driving to a getaway nearby. You might not always get an opportunity to go traveling at the spur of the moment with a 9 to 5, that’s when such weekends still let you embrace traveling.
Unplug from work emails and go where you feel like a free bird. It could be to check out a restaurant, go wine-tasting or spend some time in the midst of mountains – pick what you feel like doing.
Stop Waiting For The Perfect Time
Traveling spontaneously is all about not putting off travel plans in hopes of a perfect time. There could be tons of places you wish to see on your bucket list and that list will only get longer if you don’t start checking off destinations from them. If the weather prevents you from traveling, seek out alternative ways to still take that trip. Most people think that monsoons ruin travel plans but if you think about it, the scenery of a place turns luscious and beautiful in the monsoons.
If a road to your dream destination is blocked, look for alternative places to see instead of bumming yourself out about the unfortunate timing. It’s possible that you’d find a hidden waterfall or unexplored farm when you focus less on timing being perfect. So even if it isn’t the perfect time, add a twist to your travel plans.
Embrace Randomness
How to embrace spontaneous travel? The short answer – Embrace Randomness. Flip a coin or play a game of stone, paper, scissors to make decisions when you travel. You can also try throwing a dart on the number of options that lie in front of you. Embracing making random choices is liberating and gives you a break from planning things down to the tee.
The upside to randomness is that you don’t constantly worry about the things that lie ahead. There’s no logic to why you’d want to go river rafting, bungee jumping, or skiing but you do it to have fun. So go ahead and be random, pick something out on the menu you’d never typically have, or sign up for a comedy show in a new city you’re visiting. In reality, it is slightly frightening but most times it’s never as bad as it’s made out to be.
Go Ahead And Seize The Moment
Traveling spontaneously can be scary but you’ll be surprised at the fun you have by going out and doing something new. That does not mean making calculated plans is the enemy. It’s good to have a balance of both. With impulsive decisions, you turn up the fun a notch and with planned travel, you run into fewer risky situations. To us, hostels are the best place to get both. goSTOPS hostel common areas are a great place to meet fellow travelers that inspire you to come along to try new things. When you don’t feel like taking the random adventurous path, you can retreat to your room or go your own way. The choice is yours.
FAQs
How Do You Travel Spontaneously?
You can travel spontaneously if you don’t over-plan your itinerary. The idea of this kind of traveling is to increase the chances of doing something you’ve never done before. Challenge yourself to check out restaurants, sites or adventure experiences that you’d generally never pick to travel spontaneously.
What Is An Impromptu Trip?
An impromptu trip is when you decide to take a trip out of the blue with no prior planning for it. It involves booking accommodation or your flights at the last moment and making decisions at the spur of the moment as the trip unfolds.
What Does A Spontaneous Trip Mean?
A spontaneous trip is about acting based on impulse and not putting too much thought into following a strict trip plan.
What Should I Pack For A Spontaneous Trip?
After you embrace a spontaneous trip, make sure you’re packing just the essentials that you can’t do without. Pack items like your identity card, enough cash, charger, toiletries, and a few comfortable outfits depending on how long you’re going.
