Traveling is one of life’s greatest joys, but it’s also one of the most significant sources of stress, especially when you’re traveling far from home or for a long time. In fact, many people complain that by the time they get home from vacation, they need another one to recover from the first! So, what can you do to leave the stress at home?
With these 5 tips from pro travelers, you can take the strain off your adventures and just enjoy the ride.
1. Get Insurance
One of the most important things that you can do when traveling, no matter where you’re going, is to make sure you get a travel insurance policy. Hopefully, you won’t need it, but even if you end up needing partial coverage for one trip out of ten or twenty, you’ll be so relieved you have it that it will all be worth it.
2. Pack Light
Everyone always jokes that, when they pack for a trip, they pack items that they never otherwise use. Their emergency impulses kick in and suddenly they feel like they might need seven pairs of shoes for a five day trip and a dress they haven’t worn in five years. Support your efforts to pack light by choosing a small bag or backpack as your primary bag and then do your best to still leave room in that bag.
3. Choose A Multi-Purpose Bag
One of the best ways to cut back on the number of items you need to pack on your trip is to choose items that serve more than one purpose, and that starts with your bag. A leather backpack can double as your carry-on and your daily carry during your trip so that you don’t need to jam a daily carry bag into your luggage. The same applies to shoes and jackets – these bulky items should be minimized and serve multiple purposes.
4. Slow It Down
Many travelers pack their itineraries with numerous stops per day, rushing to see everything possible during their visit. This is an easy impulse to understand, but it’s one you should try to quell. You’ll enjoy your trip more if you slow down and try to do less rather than more. This allows you to prioritize the experiences you are having, going deeper into them, and really understand and appreciate your destination. If you leave and there’s still a lot more you want to see, then you’ll know it’s time to plan a return trip.
5. Be Flexible And Patient
Traveling will teach you many lessons, but if you go into your trip having already embraced the virtues of patience and flexibility, your journeys will go more smoothly and you’ll feel less stressed. This even applies to the most miserable events, like missing your connection or getting lost on the way to your accommodations. When you’re able to relax, you’ll also find it’s easier to be friendly, change plans, and enjoy yourself, even when everything goes awry. Master travelers do this better than anyone else and it’s also a lesson that will transfer over well to the rest of your life.
It takes time to learn to travel with less stress (and less stuff), but if you like seeing the world, it’s a skill you’ll want to hone. There’s so much to explore out there, and it’s yours to enjoy if you can let go and learn to let adventure come to you.
