Whether you are a road warrior or more of the stay at home type, there are a few tips that everyone can use when preparing to hit the road. Travel is different than just taking a holiday or vacation. Often they get put in the same category, which is why some of the finer details of traveling get lost.
Traveling implies you are going on a trip to have a journey. More than vacationing, which is more to rest and rejuvenate, traveling is more of a seekers sport. Although you might travel overseas to a new place, there is a sense when traveling to try and make everywhere feel a bit like home. If you are making plans for a traveling adventure, here are three things you need to know.
- Have a Home Base
While choosing where you want to go, try to select a couple of home base spots where you can travel from. Some might think that this ties you down to one area, but it can easily do the opposite. It frees you to put down the logistical brain of continually planning and preparing, and allows you to venture as far or close as you want. A home base will enable you to put down your luggage, unpack a little, and spend your time and energy getting to know a place.
Instead of moving around daily or every few days, you know you will have to return to each day and relax. It also helps to get to know one place well, so there is an opportunity to get to know locals, get a feel for local haunts, and generally create more of an intimate connection with where you are traveling to.
Often when we are traveling for more significant swathes of time, it can be helpful to set up a place to receive and send mail. Any local post office will offer PO boxes where you can temporarily take and receive mail. You can visit the downtown New Castle post office and set up a PO Box or have your mail forwarded there temporarily.
While you travel, you might want to send postcards as you traverse the world. Sending a postcard from the new places you visit allows you to document your trip and share the memories with your friends and family. Make sure you look up local post offices as well as the cost of stamps when you visit new locations.
- Be Flexible with Transportation and Plans
Unlike your typical day to day life, traveling will have you on a new routine. Each day will bring a new adventure as you explore the city you are visiting.
Traveling is your time to let life and logistics flow and be spontaneous. Becoming flexible with plans and transportation can be just the ticket. If you know you want to make it to another region to explore, give yourself an open window of time to arrive there. Familiarize yourself with the transportation system so that you feel confident leaving whenever you desire.
- Respect for the Unknown
Another aspect of traveling is the risk of not knowing what you might encounter. In our day to day lives, this might be detrimental to the day to day success, but when traveling, it is best to hold an attitude of respect for the unknown. If you are gracious in every moment that appears not to go right, you will soon realize the gifts in the unknown.
