Life is all about growth and experimenting; if you are not growing, you are dying. And the same applies to this blog too. It is something I am very invested in and is a medium of self-expression. So, I am expanding the blog with a new segment, along with the regular travel blogs.
This new segment will come under the information part of the blog. Here, I will be focussing on travel tips, travelling gear reviews and a wide assortment of travel hacks. Travelling and exploration is a lot more than just going and visiting new places.
On our first post in this segment of the blog we will be looking at some practical tips/tricks that can make your next travel experience even more memorable and convenient. As you all know, travelling is a dynamic process.
A wise man said, it is not an adventure unless something goes wrong. This is precisely the core of what make travelling such an addictive endeavour. You can plan right down to the minute details, but it takes just a single moment to throw the game-plan upside down.
Over the years, I have travelled to a fare few places and along the way, I have picked up some practical insights that can make the experience more hassle free. So, without further ado let us get into it.
Pack light
This is kind of a no brainer, but you will be surprised at how non minimalistic people can get while ramming their suitcases (by people, I include myself too 🤣!). You are going on a fancy vacation and you want your self-portraits to be popping with fancy attires, kick ass sneakers and cool shades.
🤦♂️
For enthusiastic photographers like myself, it is a tough call, not to take every single bit of camera equipment with me. I mean, I surely cannot leave the huge telephoto lens!! What if I spot a Pokémon!? 🤷♀️.
Eventually, what ends up happening is you and I hauling a luggage set that outweighs a dumbbell rack at the Gold’s Gym.
So, packing light is the only practical option. You are going to a place to experience something new, rather than participating in a fashion contest. Be minimalistic, choose the most comfortable clothes, the most practical camera equipment and trust me your experience will live the test of time.
Do not shy away from trying out the local cuisine!
It is of paramount importance that you try out regional delicacies of the place you are visiting. Travelling is not just getting yourself physically there; its about experiencing the essence and societal diversity too. And food is the best icebreaker for a foreigner dipping her feet into a new culture.
You can learn a lot about someone by eating the food that they offer and receiving every platter with an open mind (and not just an open mouth!). Yes, there is an inherent risk of eating something too wacky, especially with a pandemic raging.
But if its clean and well cooked, you will be fine, …hopefully 🤞.
Do not take your office along for the ride.
This is a new addition to the list; one of the many gifts birthed from this COVID pandemic. Due to social distancing, there has been a boom in the work from home department. As a result, there has been a dilution of the already negligible line separating work and life.
When you are going on a trip, do not carry that office laptop with you. People give auto responders with “Out of Office” signs while they are actually being “Out with Office”. The entire idea of travelling is to break the mundane routine of daily life.
Treat your travels like a hard reset for your mental software; it is a change of perspective not a change of work location.
Distribute your money across your luggage.
Whether you are going on an exotic vacation or a backpacking trip, managing your finances is critical. Travelling is a cumbersome activity, there is a lot of things happening at the same time. And this is especially true in the logistics department.
Your rucksack, suitcase, bags are constantly being loaded, unloaded, shipped, packed, stolen etc. Its highly tempting to stash all your crisp notes, debit cards under a thick layer of clothes at the bottom of your impenetrable suitcase. But you and your loyal steed might get separated at some point of the journey.
So, its better to distribute your finance evenly across your bags (and keep some on you, always). Nowadays, almost everything can be dealt online, but on those rare occasions when you find yourself in a remote corner of the globe, having liquid cash can be a lifesaver, literally.
Document your experience across both digital and Analog formats.
This is an opinion of mine, so bear with me for a second. I believe that life is nothing but a string of experiences; the more memorable/ varied they are, the richer life is. Travelling, exploring new cultures are a way of gaining such rich experiences.
Documenting these microcosms of existential bliss serves as a time machine when you look back on your adventures on a nostalgic rainy evening, in the far distant future. Use any form that suits you, journaling, video logs, photography; the format is irrelevant, capturing the moment is key.
And do not capture your moments just for the sake of your online presence. Put the digital away, head out and explore a new town on foot. Maybe sit down somewhere quit and write down your experience in real time or sketch the landscape that you see on a notebook with a pencil.
Tips for travelling is a never-ending list, I just barely scratched the surface. They are countless more well curated posts on this topic on the Interweb; I just put a splash of my take on this fascinating phenomenon called travel.
Hope you enjoyed it and would implement these, once this god forsaken pandemic is over for good.
Very well written