Every destination has something different to offer in terms of architecture, food, sites, weather and culture; and every person has their own priorities when it comes to how they spend their time in that place. However, here’s a list of things to do wherever you go, whoever you are, to make sure that you make the most of your trip!
1. Plan – but not too much. We all love to make plans and it’s hard to resist mentally compiling an itinerary but if you can afford the time to be flexible then do! You’ll hear recommendations along your route or might get somewhere and absolutely love it, wanting to extend that part of your trip (or alternatively want to move on as soon as possible).
2. Hire a bicycle. By far the best way to explore any city/region without being confined to set bus routes. Get lost uncovering the less touristy streets. Although beware of the cheap ones with a back-peddle break! (It is not your instinct when suddenly approached with oncoming traffic!) For the more adventurous of you (or when in quieter rural areas) why not try a moped?
3. Eat local food. Whilst InterRailing a friend of mine ate a margherita pizza every night for two weeks which I just couldn’t understand! Each country, and even region, has its own distinct flavours and specialities. (Sure, after a few weeks/months in Asia you just can’t stomach another bowl of rice and all you crave is a McDonalds, but generally try to avoid this habit if you can!) Some of the best food I’ve had on my travels has been from street vendors. If you have the time and money a one-day cooking course could really enhance your travel experience too and many also combine it with a trip to the local market to buy all the exotic ingredients.
4. Learn a few local phrases. You may not speak the language but learning a few key phrases (such as ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, ‘how can I get to…’, ‘please may I have…’) will help you to be understood, get along and receive more smiles in return.
5. Read up about the local culture / religion / history. This one is partly for your own benefit as a deeper understanding will mean that you’ll get more out of your visit (all those churches and temples can start to blur into one after a while otherwise). More importantly, you need to behave in accordance with local expectations and not accidentally offend anyone.
6. Explore off the beaten track. As helpful as guide books are, the locals know best so ask them where to go for dinner or what to do for the day. Doing exactly that on a recent trip to Indonesia gave me the best day I’d had: discovering a 300m long cave housing a temple which never would have been seen from the tiny entrance otherwise, and then finding a hidden waterfall and spring that opened out to a little natural pool overlooking the sea.
7. Try something new. Tick it off your bucket list. What will really make this trip memorable is doing something for the first time or doing something you wouldn’t otherwise do at home. Skydive. Go to a baseball game. Learn to surf. Go scuba diving.
8. Take photos. You’ll want to make people jealous and more than that you’ll want to remember your trip. (It was also pretty amusing comparing my photos of a recent trip with one that my parents took to the same destination 20 years ago!)
Travelling is about broadening your horizons and experiencing something new. When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Image Credits: Pinterest