Tag: travel

It is time for you to make some new and fresh goals for the new year. After all, this is the time of year when optimism is at its peak. Everyone is making plans and resolutions for things to make them happier, healthier, and an overall better person. The avid traveler can do the same. You often hear people say their New Year’s resolution is to travel more. But, these travel resolutions are not specific.

We’ve put together a list of travel resolutions that will change the way you look at your future vacations and travels. And, because we know how easily these travel resolutions can be broken, we are going to show you how to stick with them!

1. Do not overplan.

If you are the type of traveler who never wants to miss a sight, an adventure, or an experience on your vacation, there is a good chance that you create an itinerary before you ever leave home. There is also a good chance that your itinerary schedules your time down-to-the-minute. While doing research and planning your trip can be incredibly helpful, your travel resolutions should include not over planning.

When you plan a tight schedule, you don’t leave room for anything spontaneous. And, quite honestly, when you are traveling to unfamiliar places, not every local detail may be discovered online. Be sure to save some free time – or a loosely organized itinerary – so that if you encounter something that sparks your interest, you can just do it without worry!

Resolve to allow for exceptions to the plan in order to gain richer experiences.

2. Take exploration over all things material.

Sometimes there are places that you would love to see that require more money than you generally like to shell out for your getaways. It is still possible to have your cake and eat it, too. All you have to do is make one of your travel resolutions to put your money towards exploring new places and encountering new experiences, rather than buying more material possessions.

Resolve to create a plan for your travel savings and make it happen.

3. Use all your vacation days.

How many vacations days do you let disappear each year? It is easy to get caught up in the work routine and think that you don’t have the time or ability to leave the office for more than a few hours. You do – and you need to. After all, that is why you have vacation days. These days are earned so that you can get out of the office and rejuvenate your mind.

Resolve to not allow any vacation day to go unused this year.

4. Pack smarter.

If you travel more than most, you may have a packing system that works for you. But, does it, really? Spending time lugging around a bunch of baggage, having to dig and dig to find a pair of socks, or requiring two people to zip your bag because of that souvenir you just had to have is not the way to go. Packing can be so much easier if you just pack smarter. If one of your travel resolutions includes packing smarter, here’s how:

• Take less than you need, especially if you can wash your clothing while on your trip.
• Take two pairs of shoes – one for walking, one for dress. Leave the rest at home.
• Create a color scheme among the clothes that you take. This will allow you to mix and match your outfits.

Resolve to pack smarter on all your trips this year.

5. Unplug – if only for a moment.

Vacations are meant for gaining new experiences and exploring unfamiliar places. But, they are also good for letting you get rejuvenated and refreshed. It is your break from your normal day-to-day life. So, try unplugging from your electronic devices for a bit while on your trip. This will allow you to disconnect from everything that overstimulates your brain daily. And, it will ensure that no matter how much you try to fit in your schedule, you will still have some downtime.

Resolve to unplug from your phone, computer, tablet, or any other electronics so that you can feel refreshed and rejuvenated when you return from your vacation.

6. Indulge in the local culture.

When you travel, do you stay in the resort or tourist area? Or, do you let yourself get lost among the locals? Traveling is so much more than being a tourist. It is learning about the culture. It is indulging in the local cuisine, spending time meeting locals, and learning of the best places to visit. Maybe one of your travel resolutions involves getting more active in the local culture. Doing this will allow you to get a real understanding of the destination you are visiting. Think about it – locals live where they do because that is home. To truly see your destination, see it through the eyes of a local!

Resolve to dig deep into the local culture of your travel destinations this year.

7. Spoil yourself.

Last, but not least, spoil yourself. You may travel a lot, but perhaps you do so economically. And, perhaps that is the reason you can travel. At least once this year, you should spoil yourself. This could mean choosing to travel by a private jet charter, choosing to dine on a meal at the hottest restaurant in the city, or maybe it means upgrading to the hotel suite.

Resolve to do what spoils you on at least one vacation this year. You deserve it.

How to stick to your resolutions

Nearly half of the people who create resolutions break them within the first month of the new year. Yikes! If you are looking for how you can create travel resolutions and keep them, then you are going to need to take a few steps:

• Be specific about your travel resolutions.
• Write it down (with details) and put it where you will see it very often.
• Be realistic in your resolution.
• Attack one resolution at a time.
• Remember the resolutions you make and vow to keep them.

Take your travels to the next step by making and keeping your new years travel resolutions. Then, when you reach your next destination, you will see what it means to enjoy it to the fullest!

Ever since the movie “The Bucket List”, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman came out, more and more people are creating their own list of life experiences to check off. These lists can involve such items as dining on the Eiffel Tower, having a private audience with the pope, or singing onstage with Bono. But many bucket lists revolve around travel. For, to experience the world in a whole new way may be the ultimate luxury.

Often, these lists easily merge with the next, citing such experiences as diving in the Great Barrier Reef, hiking to Machu Picchu, or walking on the Great Wall of China. Fascinating stuff, no doubt. However, every bucket list item does not have to be as expensive or far reaching. And each person’s bucket list will prove to be as unique as the individual. To create your very own bucket list, follow your interests but then, just maybe, seek out a more authentic experience to make it your own.

Cambodia

There is no shortage of options for the history lover. A constant top choice is Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The largest religious compounds in the world, these vast ruins encompass over 400 acres, featuring hundreds of sites. The best sightseeing option is to make a base camp in nearby Siam Reap and purchase the multi-day pass. Early mornings are best for avoiding the heat, if not the crowds, but an insider tip is to head back to the site in the late afternoon. Most visitors rush to get in a morning of touring before spending afternoons at the many cafes, or around the pool, and you may just find yourself waltzing through ruins all alone.

Egypt

For another idea, perhaps a trip to Egypt is in your sights. And no, we don’t mean the Pyramids of Giza or the Valley of the Kings, no matter how remarkable those might be. Visit the biggies, but for a truly memorable experience, head to Luxor, but book a day with a local guide visiting places the hoards ignore. Instead of standing in line to visit King Tut’s tomb, head to the workmen’s village of Deir el-Medina, and the modest homes of the artisans who created the Kings tombs. Descend alone into tiny, yet stunning personal tombs, a sample of the exact same work, all without the crowds. Take in some more magic at the practically unknown Tombs of the Nobles, and finish your day on the West bank of the Nile, sharing tea with the taxi drivers, confident that your day in Luxor was unlike nearly anyone else’s.

Africa

Africa is the obvious and instant answer. Nowhere else on earth can you experience such incredible diversity and numbers of animals. Krueger Park is justifiably famous, but for a different experience, head to the Okavango Delta of Botswana. The waterways of the Delta lesson as they drain to the parched Kalahari Desert, but at their source is the lifeblood for dozens and dozens of species, including the largest elephant population in Africa. Sunrise safari drives, sunset river cruises, and overnights into the Delta bring the magic of Africa alive. Book a mokoro, a locally made cutout canoe, and move silently through the reeds, fully aware of all of your senses as you get up close and personal with the great wildlife of the world.

India

On the other side of the planet, be amazed by the big cats of India. Gravely endangered, and with numbers continuing to dwindle, the Bengal Tigers of northern India rate as their very own bucket list. Certainly, the entire experience is one for the list. Although jeep safari options exist, the most amazing way to search for the big cats is atop the back of an elephant. Imagine quietly working your way through the forest, the great beasts making surprisingly little noise. The scene makes you feel breathtakingly alive, as you slowly move through the tiger’s natural habitat. Of course, there is no guarantee of a sighting, but this fact, when combined with the drama and the excitement of the day barely dims the overwhelming emotions.

No Motor

Humans have forever been drawn to the idea of flight. For an once-in-a-lifetime experience, head to the exotic center of Turkey. The Cappadocia Valley is a miracle, all on its own. For centuries, the people have lived in houses literally carved into the jagged cliffs.  This surreal landscape of limestone cliffs, reaching towards the sky, is the perfect place for to take to the air in a hot air balloon. Watch the sunrise at elevation, the ever-lightening sky revealing more than you will ever be able to experience from the ground.

Open Air

Victoria Falls. One of the great natural wonders of the world. It is impossible to truly comprehend the enormity of the raging water from the ground. Sure, you could book a fixed wing or helicopter flight, but for a bucket list experience, taking in the scene in a microlight is the only way to go! Microlights are fully open air, thus ensuring that you not only get the view of the falls, but can appreciate the thundering crash and water spray as well. Many trips even include animal sightings in the river above the falls. Microlights are capable of flying much lower than helicopters, and with no sides, the experience of truly flying can simply not be underestimated.

Jet Fueled

Perhaps you’re not looking to connect with nature. Perhaps streaking through the skies in the utmost comfort is what you truly desire. Although many air carriers’ offer stunning first class and suite class options, this is a bucket list we’re talking about. It may be time to go all out. In that case, consider booking a private charter jet. Embrace your inner celebrity fantasies and book a seat on a private jet charter. With some companies offering up individual seats on private jets, the “lifestyles of the rich and famous” are easier than ever to achieve. After all, you only live once!

A bucket list can be ever-evolving, but now is the time to start checking those items off the list to make room for something new.