Many of us understand and enjoy the health benefits of travelling, we feel calmer, happier and more relaxed. But in what other ways does travel impact on our lives?
The benefits of travelling are instant. As soon as you start planning and booking a trip, you feel excited.
Travel means different things to each of us, however the benefits gained through travel are far-reaching and last long after we return from a trip. Here, I outline why travel can have such a positive effect on your life and discuss some of the main benefits to a traveller.
14 INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING
1. BRINGS A SENSE OF CALM TO AN OVERLOADED MIND
Let’s face it, life can be hectic, hurried and packed with mundane and stressful times. We can be left feeling as though we are riding a rollercoaster of emotions, with no way of stopping and getting off.
While some stress can be good for us, allowing our minds to find peace is also important. Travel can have an enormous positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing. Without any commitments, we can change our outlook and reduce our stress levels.
Away from the normal daily life worries, concerns and thoughts, we are able to switch off and find a sense of calmness.
2. ALLOWS YOU TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF
Travel takes us out of our normal routine and sometimes our comfort zone. When faced with new situations that we don’t normally face, it is surprising how easy we find it, to make immediate decisions. You discover that you can indeed deal with different scenarios.
We can discover different aspects to our character when travelling, that we hadn’t appreciated before. It can be something as simple as chatting to a local when you never considered yourself as a sociable person. This new found knowledge can give you confidence for similar situations back home.
3. TURNS YOU INTO A STORYTELLER
Travel provides us with a wealth of stories to share with people, whether friends and family, or new people we meet. You can become a conservationist, sharing tales of where you have been and what you have seen.
I personally love hearing about people’s travels. It is inspiring, travelling a journey alongside the storyteller.
4. YOU LEARN HOW TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE
The more people we meet from every walk of life, the more we learn how to communicate better with each other. Travel isn’t always an uneventful experience and at times we have to show great tolerance towards each other! We tend to go out of our way more when we travel, to communicate with people.
We once spent a couple of hours on a train, seated with an elderly French couple. They spoke only a few words of English, and we were trading on our French learnt at school!! Did we spend the entire meal just talking to our partners?
No, we found a way to communicate with hand gestures and one word sentences, and when we parted, the lovely couple left us their business card!
5. GETS YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING
When we travel, everything that is familiar is cast aside and we see new things for the first time. We make different decisions, meet new people, try new experiences and it can be a refreshing change for our brains.
We are no longer running on auto pilot or in a rut, and this brings new creativity to the fore. Suddenly after months of trying to come up with new ideas, fresh takes on situations, our minds are brimming with possibilities. Our thoughts are sharper and clearer and it feels like a breath of fresh air!
6. EDUCATES YOU IN LIFE OUTSIDE OF BOOKS
I love reading about a new destination and hearing about other traveller’s stories. Reading about a country gives you a broad spectrum of understanding.
However, with all things in life, it is only when you experience them, that you gain true insight. You have to be there, to really take in the beauty of an architectural building. You have to be there, to witness things through your own eyes.
7. MANY TRAVEL MYTHS ARE DISPELLED
There are many reasons why people don’t travel, and these are often down to myths and misconceptions. It is only when we do travel, these these myths are shown up for the scare mongering that they are.
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. Travel isn’t dangerous. You won’t be surrounded by strangers that you cannot communicate with.
8. YOU ENCOUNTER AND LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES
Just one aspect of travelling, is discovering how other people live, work, eat, pray and play. It is exciting, walking around temples, hearing how locals beliefs, impact on their lives. What their faith and culture means to them.
This knowledge can add a different dimension to your own life. It broadens your perspective and understanding.
9. YOU COME TO THE REALISATION THAT WE ARE ALL BASICALLY THE SAME
Travelling helps you realise that we all essentially have the same needs. We all eat, drink, work, play and move around. We may do these things differently, but ultimately have the same basic needs as each other.
Travel shows us that it is narrow-minded to make assumptions about people, just because they may eat different food and live in a different culture. But that for me, is part of the excitement of travel.
10. A SHIFT TAKES PLACE WITHIN US
Travel exposes us to so many new and different things and experiences. Your awareness alters and you begin to question what is important to you as an individual. Visiting poorer countries, those who have suffered tragedies, oppression or genocide cannot fail to have an impact on you psychologically.
You begin to question your own values, your feelings and even the purpose of your life. With this new sense, you may decide you want to live differently or for your life to take a new direction.
11. WE GAIN A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF WHAT WE HAVE
With a shift in our values and understanding, hopefully comes a deepened sense of appreciation. For what we already have in our lives, for our families and loved ones and for our own country and our freedom.
It is so easy for all of us to just focus on the negative things we perceive to have in our lives back home. Suddenly, we are handed a stark reminder of how good our lives actually are, in comparison to other peoples.
12. IT BRINGS OUT THE ADVENTURER WITHIN YOU
Life can become mundane and steady when we work full-time. There doesn’t seem time or opportunity to experience new activities when you feel in a rut.
Come holiday time though, and the adventurer within us seems to be unleashed. We are not tied down to keeping up appearances, and the sense of freedom means we are happy to try new things and conjure up our own mini adventures.
13. A WEALTH OF MEMORIES ARE CREATED
Material possessions don’t make memories, travelling does. It doesn’t matter whether it was a weekend, a week or a month. Travelling opens a door within your mind, that makes you want more of it.
Your life will be the richer for all the wonderful moments that you experience and the unforgettable memories that stay with you forever.
14. RETURNS YOU HOME CALMER AND HAPPIER
When we travel, we press the pause button on everyday life. We have the chance to give our minds and body a well earned rest. This results in us feeling less stressed, relaxed and happier. We have more energy and feel more able to cope with what life may bring.
The only downside, is that we crave more of the same and can’t wait for our next trip!
HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
For many of us, we have spent months planning and dreaming about our upcoming trip and are filled with excitement and enthusiasm in equal measure. We look forward to having a break from our jobs, home and the grind of day-to-day routines.
We want our trip to be everything we imagined and more. But how can you fully enjoy the benefits of travelling, and enhance your holiday experience so your time away is spent in the best way possible?
What if I told you that this is unbelievably easy to achieve? The best part?
It doesn’t involve you spending lots of extra money and it’s how we have enhanced our trips over the years.
18 EASY WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
1. START THE DAY EARLY
Getting up early when you are on holiday, is not the same as getting up at home to go to work. Your overall mindset is completely different, more carefree and devoid of the normal stresses that you encounter. You can fit so much into your day when you start early, and being able to witness a stunning sunrise, is worth its weight in gold.
Not only that, you will also avoid crowds, bus tour groups, queues at popular sites and often have places all to yourself.
2. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
What better way to experience life like a local, than to ride with them on public transport. In many ways, countries have similar infra-structures, but it is fun to ride local trams, tuk-tuks, ferries and underground metros.
Discovering the way tickets are purchased, how you queue for the arrival of trams/trains and the etiquette of your journey is eye-opening, interesting and a learning curve.
When we were in Darwin Australia, we used local buses, and the driver would interact with every passenger as they boarded and shout goodbye when each of us departed, often offering tips for a particular tourist sight. It made us feel like locals.
3. DON’T AVOID TOURIST SIGHTS
Tourist sites can often be crowded and noisy, but there is a reason for their popularity. They are worth seeing and impressive in their own right. Sights such as Niagara Falls, Empire State Building, Uluru and the Louvre are termed ‘unmissable’ because they are incredibly view worthy.
So don’t cross them off your list as being busy or predictable, rather visit them early morning and enjoy them before the hordes of tourists arrive.
4. KEEP A JOURNAL
It can be difficult during a trip where each day is crammed full of sightseeing, to remember the finer details. You will forget the quirky cafe that served amazing breakfasts, the hotel that had sunken baths in their rooms, the name of the lovely interesting old man you chatted to for an hour or the route that took you along amazing scenery. These are all details that you will come to treasure and still recall years later.
Take a journal or simple notepad and write down details about your day, before you go to bed. I personally like to record cafes/restaurants we have eaten in, sites we have seen, walks we have taken, places we have stayed and people we have met. Trust me, you will be thankful for this journal when you want to recall details and memories.
5. ATTEND A LOCAL EVENT
Whether you are attending a special yearly festival or simply joining in with a pub quiz, you can embrace local life and gain an insight to what it feels like to live in a certain place.
Local events have a real community feel about them and often involve experiences you would never consider participating in at home. If you have the opportunity, attend that local quiz, fair or concert and you will be glad that you did.
We have enjoyed local events such as open air cinema nights, beach markets and craft fairs where we struck up conversations with local people, enjoyed local fare and purchased handcrafted souvenirs. These events have definitely enhanced our holiday experience.
6. EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED
Even with the best laid plans, things can sometimes go awry. If you can, it is easier and more comfortable to try to attempt to embrace these unexpected events rather than fight them and get stressed.
Years ago when I was a frightened flyer, we were flying from Melbourne to Cairns, via Sydney. I suffered a major panic attack on the first flight so we decided to get off the plane in Sydney and hired a car to drive all the way to Cairns. The rental dealer thought we were mad!
Yes, at the time it was stressful, incurred additional expense and resulted in 2 lost days in Cairns. But, we embraced this unexpected change and followed the coast road where we witnessed incredible scenery and beautiful beaches, ate in local cafes and when we finally arrived in Kewarra Beach, discovered that our room had been given away and we had been upgraded.
Twenty years later and we still talk about the amazing drive and the fond memories it gave us.
7. LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO STATIONS
If you are on a road trip, tune into the local radio station and you will be kept up to date with any traffic holdups, road closures and local weather. It is also fun to listen to the music the station plays and you might even spot a new favourite artist to listen to back home. It is interesting to hear the local lingo and be entertained on your journey.
8. SMILE OFTEN
I am a great believer in the power of a smile, especially when you are in a foreign country. It costs nothing, helps form a bond that surpasses language barriers and makes you feel more cheerful.
A smile conveys so much between people,that words cannot always express. You never know what a stranger is going through, but a smile lifts spirits and makes a huge difference. So, smile at fellow walkers, at passengers you sit next to and people who catch your eye because it will improve your day.
9. CHAT TO LOCALS
By chatting to locals, you will learn and discover so much more and make better connections. As locals living in that particular town, they are a valuable resource to the best sights, best places to eat, hidden gems off the normal tourist track and their recommendations can really add value to your whole experience. Many locals will really appreciate you making the effort to stop and talk to them.
10. SAVOUR VIEWS FIRST HAND
It is great to take photos when you are away on a trip but with Facebook and Instagram being a part of many people’s lives, it can be the number one distraction. How many times have you reached a phenomenal sight, only to be surrounded by selfie takers, flicking their hair this way and that, posing with their backs to the camera or worse, atop the very attraction you have arrived to see.
By all means take as many photos as you want, but make the first viewing with your eyes only and not through a small screen or viewfinder. I bet you will remember how special that view is and instantly recall how it made you feel.
11. BE SPONTANEOUS
Say yes to last-minute spontaneous invitations and new experiences, this way you will meet new people, have fun and discover new things. It pays to plan your trip to a certain extent, but always leave room for accepting any offer that comes your way.
We were staying in a bed and breakfast in Kalbarri, Australia and our hosts invited us to their home for a bbq on the second night. We were so tempted to politely decline as we are reasonably reserved until we know people better, but spontaneously accepted and had a great laughter filled night.
On another occasion in Namibia, we had just arrived at our lodge and were immediately invited on a game drive leaving that minute. We so nearly said we would go on the drive the following morning but thankfully left our luggage at reception and joined 2 other couples.
We had an amazing and truly memorable time, seeing a cheetah, 3 wild dogs and a leopard. So always be spontaneous – it will certainly enhance your holiday experience.
12. WANDER OFF THE BEATEN PATH
As long as you have the address of your accommodation with you, do not be afraid to wander down side streets, cobbled paths and alleyways. You will be rewarded with meeting and conversing with locals, finding small churches, quaint houses, local parks and you will get a different perspective of the area and often find hidden gems that the hordes of tourists miss.
13. STOP AND BE MINDFUL OF THE MOMENT
It can be tempting when you are going from place to place seeing local sights, to not really enjoy the here and now.
Try and practice ‘mindful travel’ to deepen your awareness and enjoy being in the present moment. Stop every now and then, put your camera down and become really aware of your surroundings, the beautiful landscape and vistas.
Look closely at birds and flowers noticing everything about their appearance. Smell the enticing aromas around you, feel the breeze in your hair and the sun on your face. Be aware of everything around you. Use your senses to really be present in this moment right now.
Not only will you be feeling calmer but you will be fully present and notice so much more around you – a great way to enhance your holiday experience.
14. SAMPLE LOCAL FOOD
Travelling abroad provides us with the chance to try cuisine from different regions and foods that you may never have tried before. Trying traditional food is part of learning about a country’s culture and opens up a whole new world of unique cuisine. So don’t be afraid of trying local delicacies such as laksa in Singapore, dumplings in Hong Kong, arancini in Italy and sushi in Japan.
15. TRY SOMETHING NEW
Travel is the perfect opportunity to try something new, to push yourself and take you out of your comfort zone.
There are normally a wealth of different and exciting experiences to be had that will leave you with great memories. We took a cooking class in Thailand which involved buying fresh ingredients from a local market, went on a cormorant fishing trip in China and completed a famous day hike in New Zealand.
These are all things we would not have done at home and were great fun.
16. BE FLEXIBLE AND REALISTIC
Whilst it pays to be organised and have a trip planned out to make best use of your time, it is also a good idea to be flexible, as you don’t know when an opportunity may present itself that you want to take advantage of.
Sometimes a local gives you a recommendation of a place to visit or you discover a local event that you would like to attend.
It is also important to be realistic and accept that sometimes things do not pan out according to how we would like them to or indeed expect them to and it helps to be mindful of this.
Sometimes the weather throws us a curve ball and rains, flights are delayed or cancelled, places take longer to reach and we can’t see every sight we want. Life at home isn’t always plain sailing so don’t expect it to be any different on holiday.
17. RESPECT OTHER CULTURES
Part of travelling is learning about other cultures and seeing how people live in different societies. This also means that we may come across beliefs, religions and traditions that don’t sit comfortably with our own way of living.
Remain open-minded and find out more about a custom that may seem offensive or uncomfortable to you. Above all be respectful of another person’s point of view and way of living as you would expect them to be of yours.
18. END THE DAY ON A THANKFUL NOTE
I always take the time at the end of the day before going to bed, to reflect on the day and write down three things that I am thankful for. This makes me more appreciative, more positive and happier.
Even if things haven’t worked out as you had planned, maybe a flight was delayed, the hotel wasn’t as nice as expected or it constantly poured with rain, there will still be a lot of things tangible or intangible, that have been good about the day.
This practice helps with stress, makes you feel more positive and calmer and is proven to be good for your mental health and well-being.
Hopefully this post showed you the benefits of travelling and how to enhance your holiday experience. Start to immplement these easy strategies and get as much enjoyment from your trip as possible.
Which ways do you use to improve your holiday experience?
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