They say, “The world is a book and if you do not travel, you have only read one page of the book.” We all love to travel and explore different places and their culture. Travel gives us a sense of freedom and peace within. For me, travel is about experiencing and learning new things and adapting a little something from each destination you visit. Travel can have distinct significance for different people. It’s about experiences and adventure, for some it’s leisure and for others, it’s a relaxing getaway from the hustle and bustle of life. However, when you begin to travel for something new, it adds new meaning to your life. So, this new year, transform the way you travel to expand your horizons and renew the way you experience life. This new year, transform the way you travel by practising these travel hacks below.
Plan an Itinerary
A Travel Itinerary is something that presents you with a roadmap for your journey. Having an itinerary is always better than not having an itinerary. Before you book your trip, research the destination and churn out the best things to do around to make your trip worth the time and money. Whether it is a two-day trip or a long vacation, a small itinerary makes things easy for a smooth travel experience. It will definitely help you transform the way you travel.
Create a Budget
While it’s essential we create a budget in our life for our daily or monthly expenses, it’s equally vital and wise to allocate a travel budget. Planning a trip is easy, but managing your expenses while on a trip can be quite overwhelming. To avoid such cases, allocate a budget for your trip and see how it maximises your fun and adventure and minimises your post-trip stress. Before heading out, make sure to have the assigned amount of money both in the form of cash and card to avoid any unnecessary hassle.
Pack Light
While most of us function on “the more the merrier” it can cause us a little trouble while on a trip. Packing is one factor that makes it easier for you to travel and function all along. No one wants to roam around with a heavy backpack that only makes travel slow and inconvenient. So, learn how to pack light, it’s an art to master for a comfortable getaway. Next time you plan for a trip make sure to pack light and avoid keeping unnecessary stuff for the trip. You can use packing organisers, a kit for toiletries and a once-size backpack that can carry all your stuff and yet keep it lightweight and organized.
Practice Slow Travel
The idea of slow travelling is all about slowing down the process of travelling. It helps travellers change their mindset and focus on quality over quantity. Travel is not just making your trip insta-worthy but more about taking in each experience slowly and making it more insightful. Slow travelling transforms your journey but also helps you become a better human being and you are grateful for each experience you encounter. It helps you explore an off-beaten path to discover uncovered gems of the destination.
Learn and Respect the Culture
While you learn to travel slowly and live the place as it is, you also need to learn and respect the culture you are exploring. Every destination has its own set of rules, culture and traditions which needs time to understand. Once you grasp the concept of learning culture, you will also begin to grasp new experiences. From its territory to the local language and art form you learn everything at a pace. It allows you to learn the basic foundation of a place and enhances your knowledge and respect for the culture. It’s a good way to not only transform the way you travel but transform your cultural experience.
Go Vocal for Local
Being an active part of local communities gives you a chance to be a part of the local cultures and traditions of a place. Locals are the essence of any destination. With them, you will not only learn about the true culture but also get to the roots of that place. So, when visiting a place try and have a conversation with the locals to learn more about their community. Instead of eating out in expensive fancy restaurants, try local food instead. Shop from the local markets and recommend the same to your friends.
Stay Eco-friendly
With many eco-friendly practices in place, eco-tourism is on the rise. Staying eco-friendly not only has less impact on the environment but also allows you to save money. For example, travelling by train is cheaper than travelling by plane. In addition, flights have the highest amount of co2 emission which adds to pollution levels. So, taking public transport and travelling sustainably will help have a lesser impact on the environment. Also, you can switch to sustainable accommodations like homestays and hostels instead of luxury hotels for stay. This is a great way to transform the way you travel and stay.
Be Friendly but cautious
It’s very easy to get fascinated by a new place, people and culture. You are highly mesmerised by your surroundings and willing to try every new thing you encounter. However, it’s very important to be cautious of your surroundings while enjoying. Being polite is surely good when you’re looking to meet new people and initiate conversations with locals and fellow travellers. However, that doesn’t mean you need to say yes or agree to everything you see and hear. So, enjoy but stay alert with how you travel and who you socialise with. You must rely solely on yourself and learn from fleeting encounters to gain confidence as you start to trust your instincts.
Journal your experience
Travel is a journey and a new experience in itself. When you travel you experience various new things and you are open to new horizons. Journalising is a great way to hold on to your travel memories. It is a beautiful way to appreciate your travel journey and bring remembrance to great events that happened around you while travelling. Journalising can also include creating a photobook of your travel pictures and preserve all your adventures, discoveries and memories at one place.
Conclusion
It’s never too late to try new things in life and to change the way you travel. So, if you are planning for your new year solo trip or even group travels for 2023 already, make sure to try out the above for a new experience altogether. Got any other unique ideas on changing they way you travel? Let us know in the comments below.
