Planning for a Vacation? Consider the Following Ways to Make your Travel Meaningful in a Personal Level
When we talk about travels and vacations, our mind wanders off to some awesome places, white-sand beaches and exotic destinations. That is why a lot of people spend so many hours planning their dream vacation. They go into detailed lists of itineraries and exert considerable efforts to save money for their vacation.
As a result, they get so caught up with all the preparations so that when things turned out to be less than what they expected, disappointment would cloud their minds, and they can no longer enjoy their vacation. Or sometimes, they have planned everything to the dot that the whole vacation became nothing more than a fieldtrip.
What most people fail to appreciate is that vacation is more than just the destination. It is not about where you are going. It is, first and foremost about you. You are taking yourself out from all the stress and hassles of your daily life into a place where you could relax and be renewed.
For you to be able to fully enjoy your vacation, you have to have the right mindset. Here are various ways to make your vacations meaningful and memorable:
Make the Most of the Travel Time
Most people, because they were so into their plans and preparation, fails to make the most of the travel time. This is the part of anyone’s vacation that is least taken thought of. However, it is a perfect time to get yourself ready for whatever your vacation can turn out to be. It is also a great time for personal reflection.
a. Take the Slower Route
Majority would easily pick the plane as their mode of transportation. While it can get you to your destination a lot faster, it also greatly shortens the time of travel that you can no longer have time for some personal thinking.
Why not try the ferry? You could also go on a road trip, either through train or your own car. This would give you ample reflection time as well as a chance for some scenic views of the countryside.
b. Back to Basic
A good way to enjoy the travel is to go without any devices and gadgets. Since vacations are intended for you to relax, go without your laptops and tablets. This would allow you the feeling of being away from work. If you cannot live without these, at least stash them in your luggage.
Document Your Travels
Documentation of your escapades is something that you should never take for granted. That is because this is the best way to immortalize your experience. While there are so many ways for you to do this, here are two simple ways to keep a record of your travels:
a. Take Photos
Photography has come a long way especially in documenting events in one’s life. Taking pictures is still among the most used way of documentation. Why not? Still cameras are handy and they always come with awesome features. With the advent of digital cameras, picture taking has never been easier.
Take pictures of your whole experience. Snap at the scenic views you pass along the way. Don’t just take pictures of yourself. Try capturing the people and their way of life. This would give you and those who would view the pictures a deeper understanding of these people.
b. Write it Down
While pictures are among the most common forms of documentation, writing is still indispensable. Why not try to make a journal that would chronicle your vacation experiences? This would provide you a profound and more personal record of the whole experience.
You can write down any thought, observations, or anything that crosses your mind in any time within your travel and the whole vacation. It could be funny, straight forward, thoughtful, or even spiritual.
You could write just about anything from your personal reflection to a person you meet on the rain couch. Whatever it would be, having it written down allows you a second look at the way you view the things around you. It could help you get to know yourself better.
Going to travels and vacations are just so amazing that thinking of the whole experience can easily rouse our excitement. As you plan ahead for your dream vacation, take time to remember that it is not about where you will go; rather, the whole experience is about you so make the most out of it.
Photo Attribution:
1st and Featured image by David Gubler (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by MAKY. OREL [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
