A year out to travel is no longer just the preserve of young people in between leaving college and moving into a job. Taking time out to traverse the globe is an activity that is increasingly appealing to all ages and demographics, whether it be the solo travel, the couple or even an entire family deciding to throw their lives into a suitcase and buy a one-way ticket to see the world.
That means there is plenty of advice out there about how to make the most of a year traveling. Really, it boils down to what sort of person you and what you hope to get out of your trip when it comes to deciding how to approach traveling – but here are five of the most basic tips to help you make the most out of your year away.
Wake up early
The best time to experience a new place is before it wakes up. Getting up early allows you to see the real beauty of a town or city before it springs to life. It also means you can avoid crowds, beat queues and see sights like Niagara Falls, largely uninhibited by the 21,000 people a day who visit.
Stay positive and laugh at everything
One guarantee with traveling is that things will go wrong. If you take yourself too seriously, you’ll end up stressed and not enjoying the experience. Don’t worry about making a fool of yourself, that happens to everyone in countries and cultures we’re not used to and when things do go south, try and find the positives in the situation. A missed bus just means more time to explore the city you are in, an ATM not working just means an adventure to the next village to find one that is.
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Meet the locals
Traveling is great for the chance to meet fellow travelers and make friends for life. Yet you shouldn’t just surround yourself by fellow backpackers – get out and meet the locals. 20 percent of the world’s population speak English so conversing won’t be a problem and you can learn much more about a country and its people by going out and engaging with them. Whether it be hanging out with locals in South Africa or going to a Bier Hall in Germany, the best way to experience the world is by seeing it through the eyes of other people.
Record everything
Memories can fade but photos and words never do. Take pictures of everything and anything as chances are you’ll only be meeting the people you do and seeing the places you visit once in your lifetime. A travel journal can help you preserve your thoughts and feelings about places forever and ensure moments that may otherwise be forgotten through the passing of time never are. If you’ve got friends and family back home who are interested in the ride, you could even build a travel website to keep them updated by using a web hosting company recommended by Hostingkingdom.Com.
Say yes
Most important of all when traveling – say yes. There’ll be plenty of situations which will take you out of your comfort zone, whether it be throwing yourself out of a plane or taking a raft down some white-water rapids. By saying yes to everything that comes your way within reason, you’ll be creating memories to last a lifetime.
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