If you're between trips, there are things you can do to keep your focus and perhaps, make you even better prepared for your next trip. Here's how.
1. Start planning.
Create a Pinterest board dedicated to your next destination. Start thinking about your must-see locations and your must-do activities. Get inspired and stay inspired.
2. Say what?
If you're planning to travel abroad, and if you don't know the language, dabble in a bit of free online language learning. Check out Live Mocha or DuoLingo and teach yourself, at the very least, native pleasantries.
3. Save where you can.
Start or add to a savings plan. The more you can save before you go, the less you have to worry about debt while you're traveling. Plus, it's fun to see the savings grow, while you're working toward a specific goal. And, if you have a credit card that awards you travel points, consider making your purchases on that one card and bank your points. You may not end up using it on a round-the-world flight, but you may save money on hotels or car rentals. Save where you can.
4. Get in the zone
Investigate the cuisine of the region you want to explore and get cooking. Is there a Pandora channel that highlights the music of your destination? You may not be there in body, but you can visit in mind.
5. Chat it up
Find like minded folks who share your passion. There are meet-up groups all over the country that focus on travel, becoming location independent, language learning...really, anything that interests you. If you play underwater hockey and love to make your own sushi, there is a group for you. Finding others who share your passion helps keep that fire burning.
With any luck, your home stay is only temporary. Maybe you came home to share your experiences, to save up for your next trip or formalize plans for long-term travel. Regardless of why you're here, make the best of it. Someday soon, you'll be digging out your passport, packing your bags and promising to send postcards along the way.
Travelers, what do you do to keep inspired between trips? How do you keep your eye on the prize?
Love the idea of creating a Pinterest board! This way when you are out, you can go to the app & get your ideas asap! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Reesa. Having access to your pins makes it tremendously easy to store information without having to carry extra weight. It's a win-win. Thanks so much for stopping by. :-)
DeleteLove the idea of researching the food of your destination and pinning is certainly a great way to collect inspiration. Coming from #TravelTuesday
ReplyDeleteHi, Phoebe,
DeleteThanks! I do too. I love to cook, so experimenting with cuisine is so much fun. I like to pin ideas to try with friends as well. Thanks so much for your #TravelTuesday visit. Cheers!
I've been pinning away for our trip to Portugal in a few months. I have lots more researching I want to do! Great tips!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina! Portugal is beautiful! Where are you going? My husband and I live part time in Galicia, Spain...just north of Portugal. We have spent time in Porto and Póvoa de Varzim...fabulous! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your feedback! Best of luck in planning your trip. Have an amazing time!
DeleteI love the tips and about meeting up and talking with like minded about places. It is why I love the blogging world so much. x
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bonnie Rose! :-) Meeting with like minded folks helps keep you motivated and accountable to goals you set for yourself, and I'm sure that, in the process, you help others as well. It's a win-win. Thank you, again, for the Travel Tuesday feature. It truly made my day. What a wonderful surprise! xo
DeleteWe're flying out in just over a month, and everyday I'm finding myself on message boards and Tripadvisor, reading all the reviews. Going nuts, basically.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for a guest blogger in my absence, would you like to contribute? Send me an email to farinvazquez@gmail.com.
Hi Farin,
DeleteI just sent over an email about a guest post. Hope it helps. Where are you traveling?
Good post! As soon as I am back from a vacation I begin planning for my next. I need something to get me through monotony of work life till the next break and planning reading anecdotes and traveller tips always helps.
ReplyDeleteI do too, Suchandra. It's like a new project. There is always something to look forward to. Thank you for stopping by!
DeleteSome good ideas, I need to implement all of them to take me out of the doldrums until my next trip eventuates Must try the food idea and Pinterest board to keep inspired. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Lyn. Food is always a plus for me. And Pinterest may be a time suck, but it's wonderful for feeding the wanderlust. Enjoy!
DeleteI'm a grounded traveller right now and i try to think positive and enjoy the moment. if i start thinking or where i could/should be right now i might get depressed. It's paperwork and visas that are grounding me and there is nothin i can do but wait. I cope by waiting with family and enjoying time i don't usually share with them, i rediscover my native France (being away so much makes you re appreciate back home) and i participate in online expat forums to check out my next destination and plan ahead. As you said the point is to stay positive no matter what.
ReplyDeleteThe expat forums are a great idea, Jameela. Think like a proton and stay positive. :-) Thank you for stopping by.
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