Top Ways to Improve Your Travel Experience
1. ENCOURAGE YOUR CURIOSITY
Do you remember when you were a kid and would get totally absorbed in something? Reclaim that curiosity, that joy, and that attitude towards life.
Being curious means, first of all, asking questions, and being eager to know what you don’t know; seeing things with wonder and possibility; embracing the unknown, and being open to trusting the outcome.
Overall, it means enjoying each trip as a unique chance to grow.
2. BE RESPECTFUL
Don’t forget that all the cities you visit around the world are not your personal theme park, and have other interests than satisfy your needs or preferences. Get to know the people, listen to them, don’t judge, be respectful, and leave whatever attitude you have at home.
Not only you’ll improve your travel experience, but you’ll become a better person.
3. START A TRAVEL JOURNAL
Make your trips extra memorable by starting a travel journal. I firmly believe that writing down your thoughts while on the road is the best way to enjoy and remember your adventures. Moreover, having your personal creative outlet is not only fun, but it will somehow help you to get new ideas for your everyday life or to reframe some problems that you may have at home.
To get started right away, you could get yourself something cute like this Lamare travel journal or a classic notebook like the Paperage one, my personal favorite.
4. LEARN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE
Learning the local language (even just a few sentences) will definitely help you get around places, but most importantly it will help you to communicate and integrate with the local community. Try to learn basic words and sentences like ‘hello’, ‘thank you‘, ‘please’, ‘nice to meet you’, or ‘how are you?’: with just a few minutes of studying, your travel experience will improve tremendously!
5. TRY LOCAL CUISINE
Taste something new every day. Even if you end up hating it, at least you tried and put yourself out there! Remember that trying out local dishes is one of the best ways to get a ‘taste’ of a new culture. Besides, it’s not only an essential part of your travel experience but also a great way of supporting the local community.
And if you enjoy cooking, learning some local recipes through dedicated cooking classes is perhaps the best souvenir to take home!