A trip is always a wonderful experience?
well, it might be, if we didn’t ruin it with some actions and attitudes that are a serious risk for some part of a travel or for the whole journey.
Le’s see together 5 attitudes and actions that should be avoided in order not to spoil the amazing travel experience.
1 –Too high expectations
First of all, you should put a little serendipity in your suitcase. A journey is often spoiled by all the expectations that we have before the departure. We have our head filled with the stories of others, the pictures of travel guides (blogs are better!!), and by our immagination.
Keep it simple, for everything that you lose or can not find in your journey, you will find something else, better and only yours.
2 – To do and to see everything
Have you read about the 10 most beautiful spots to see the sun set in Puglia? All right. Have you been told about the 5 best restaurants in Dubai? That’s good! Did you read my article about the 3 vicious things to do in Bruges? Bravò!
Now, it’s high time to give up!
Make sure that the trip is only yours and leave with the intention to create your own decalogues of amazing things to do. Avoid the stress of the competition with the experience of others.
If there’s still something that you haven’t seen or done and you think you should, this can always be a good reason to come back to that place.
3 – Having fun, always.
Closely related to the second point, there is the recommendation not to try to do at all costs those things you are supposed to do on the road, like ‘always having fun’ and ‘thinking about nothing and relax’ (I’ve always wondered, how is it possible to think about nothing?).
Every travel experience, even the most epic and explorative, should allow a time when you are in the room looking out the window, or watching TV in an incomprehensible language or sitting on a dock to contemplate nothing (or everything, that is eventually the same thing).
4 – Dedicate one day to the gifts
Some people prefer to focus on the last day to go in the souvenir shops and take an object more or less at random for friends and relatives. Others do it the very fisrt day not to worry about the issue anymore.Then there are those who decide to look through the shelves of the duty free at the airport.
Ok, everyone does as he/she pleases. But I propose an alternative, try to follow it and then tell me what you think: Don’t think you have to buy gifts, forget that someone may expect them.
Go around the local markets, where there are things that you like to see and that you’d buy for youself. Go where there are girls and boys making necklaces and bracelets in the street or play live music and sell their Cds and, if something makes you think of someone (an object or a CD), buy it.
Then the day before you leave, do the computation of those left out: once back home, make a print of a cute picture done on the road and you’ll have a new gift for those left out.
This will save you from spending hours in shops on the edge of uglyness to buy dust generators. (stay tuned to read the next article abut the creative travel gifts!).
5 – Impose your own pace to you travelmates
Those who travel with us are worth half of a successful trip. The remaining 50% is up to us.
You can read this small guide about how to choose the perfect travelmate but, at the same time, I recommend you to have compassion for the brave people who decide to travel with you.
Do not impose your own pace, do not think that everybody must be interested in waking up at five to see the sunrise or walk for hours and see all the museums of a town. Your journey will be better if you don’t make a hell of the one of others.
Any other suggestion? What is a MUST NOT in travel time?
14 Comments
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Stella
I am a try to do everything kind of person and sometimes it pays off, but others it’s inevitable.
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Marteen
It is difficult to not have high expectations and to not want to see everything. I always say, there’s so much to see and so little time! 🙂
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Sabrina - In My Suitcase
I think it’s like when you change an entire life attitude: you can’t do all that MUST be done. So just Keep calm and do well what you ca/like 😉
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Sandra
I’ve finally learned to embrace the number 2: you can’t do and see everything! Even in my home city I haven’t yet seen and did everything.
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GlobalMary
I can’t agree more! Sometimes we are putting ourselves under such a pressure to see everything, to do all the cool stuff, to have fun all the time, that we don’t even enjoy these things anymore. I have learned that hard lesson when I was traveling in UK last year and got really sick, because my body couldn’t handle it anymore. The time I spent in bed was great and relaxing. I felt better pretty soon. Since then I am enjoying my trips and don’t make a race out of them.
Great post!-
Sabrina - In My Suitcase
Well done, it’s like when you change an entire life attitude: you can’t do all that MUST be done. So just Keep calm and do well what you ca/like ?
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Katalin
I agree with nr. 2 the most! It was the hardest for me to give up on doing everything otherwise I would be stuck in one city forever 🙂
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Stephanie
I am a Type A traveler, and have realized that many are not. I offer up my plans to travel companions and ask if there’s anything they want to join me for, and if not…see ya at dinner! It’s helped a lot feeling confident enough to go on my own to do what I want. And obviously try to make compromises when they are being reasonable, but sleep until noon is not on my travel agenda! Save that for a normal day at home.
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Roberta
I definitely agree with you Sabrina! Especially with the first one! I had that problem for Paris. SInce then I try not to have any expectations 🙂 I also love what you have written about gifts! That’s so true and I’m definitely going to use it next time! Thanks for your tips! 🙂 xx
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Bizarre Globe Hopper
Such a great post! After so many years of active traveling, I’m still struggling with too high expectations and the urge to see everything. Sometimes it’s so hard just to enjoy the world around you, although that’s what traveling should be.
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