Travel Fever Strikes Again
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Have you been suffering from travel fever?
Travel fever can strike at any time. Does this describe you?
Do you find yourself staring out the window and dreaming of a much different scene in front of you? Are you gazing across at your coworkers and your mind escapes to another place and time? They start to blur and transform into characters in your dream. Do you imagine the people around you as merchants at an exotic bazaar selling their goods? Maybe they become fishermen at the port or tourists wandering down a cobblestone street.
Wishing you were someplace different and surrounded by interesting people is constantly on your mind when you suffer with the urge to travel.
- Your coworkers become different people. in a far-away place
- During meetings you are searching travel on your phone
- Watching TV or movies gets your mind wondering how a place would be to visit
- You get jealous when you hear about somebody’s trip
- Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube is filled with travel materials
If travel is the only thing on your mind, you might have a serious case of travel fever.
The diagnosis for travel fever is when you constantly dream of exotic locations, cosmopolitan cities, or just open countryside. You wish you were there. Everyday actions can’t hold your attention and your soul cries out to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. You need to experience new things and explore.
Here are some ways to fuel those wanderlust fantasies of far-away travel, while not driving away those that love you. These simple tips might help you keep your job, your sanity, and settle the travel fever building within you. And some of them can even be done for free from the comfort of your home.
Visit Somewhere Nearby
Go on a mini getaway, even if it is just a weekend away in the next town. Stop and make a list of places you always thought looked interesting or intriguing as you drove by. Then go online and choose a bed and breakfast in the countryside or a swank upscale hotel in the city. Twenty-four hours away may be all you need to recharge and recuperate. Act as if you’re a wide-eyed explorer and see this place for the first time with excitement.
Get Away for the Day
Perhaps you can’t get a babysitter or don’t have the time or the budget for even a weekend away. If you can’t manage to stay overnight right now, then take off for the day on your own. Think of places you’ve been telling yourself you’ll visit soon. Then you must actually visit them.
That cute antique shop downtown next to the French-style cafe? Check it out. The farmer’s market set up in a renovated mill with artisan shops and food trucks on a Saturday morning? Bring your bags and explore. Thrift stores with vintage clothes you love or a flea market with treasures galore? Plan on taking your time looking at the things you love and enjoy your me time. Really feel present and have fun!
Just a change of scenery and a new place to visit can be the boost you need right now. Create new memories and explore on your own schedule doing what YOU want to do. If you have a friend or family member that loves the same kinds of adventures as you, then feel free to invite them along. It’s always great to have a companion and someone to take those pictures for social media.
Escape for a Few Hours
If all other options are not possible for you with your current schedule, then plan a morning or afternoon get-away. Go to a local beach or park for some quiet time. This is the perfect place to read and dream about your actual trip.
Or use this time for a nice relaxing meal and then a visit to a travel agent. Check out the travel section at your local discount store like TJ Maxx or Home Goods. If you don’t have these stores close to you, then off to Google to see what is available in your area.
Don’t let the blocks you may be faced with now stop you from dreaming. Keep working on your plans so you can escape for a quick weekend trip in the near future, and a longer one after that.
Plan Your Next Vacation
Plan a longer, more involved adventure a bit further away from home. Sometimes we have to cure that travel fever with a bit of research and letting our next trip start to become a reality. As we plan, the reality of the vacation is getting closer each step of the way.
Do your research online or talk to friends. Decide if you’re planning to travel alone or with your best friend. Find those hidden gems that most tourists don’t know about and truly get to understand the place you visit. Talk about it, discuss your itinerary, and begin to make it real.
Another tip is to speak to a travel expert. Most travel agents are well-traveled themselves and can share inside-market details and special offers. Their resources are amazing! Let them help you create your next adventure.
You do the dreaming and deciding what you wish to do, and they can handle the logistics for you. If you would like to chat with me, then here is a link to reach out. As an independent travel agent, I’d love to help you plan your vacation within your expectations and budget.
Learn all you can about your destination and make it become real for you. Write it all down for reference so you don’t forget any of those golden nuggets you found. I suggest keeping a special notebook or travel journal handy for easy reference. This is also very helpful if you’re thinking about several different places and researching them all at the same time. You won’t confuse your places or activities if you write it down.
Feed Your Travel Fever
Food and culture are tied so closely together. Explore a bit of the place you’d like to visit by experiencing a meal in an ethnic restaurant. Try to find an authentic establishment where the owners or chefs are from the place you want to learn more about.
To do this, choose the country or city and enter that name into your Google search for restaurants near you. Locations you never knew existed may pop up and allow you to try new dishes. From large fancy restaurants to tiny hole-in-the-wall family run diners, there is something out there to expand your culinary horizons while still staying close to home.
If you live in an area far from cities or larger towns, you may have to travel a bit farther to get to these restaurants. In this instance, perhaps plan an afternoon in the area near the restaurant and add in some places on your local explore list.
Ask what is recommended, or the house specialty if you are not sure what to choose on the menu. Have fun, be brave and try new things. Make sure to write it all down in your travel journal.
Read About Your Destination
Read a story about the place you wish to visit. Get comfortable on a sofa or a chaise lounge in the shade and let yourself be swept away. Relax by the pool with a book and imagine you are soothing that travel fever with a cool Pina colada by the sea. Put yourself in the character’s shoes and truly “see” yourself there.
To help create that image, look up the destination and choose a few photos that make you feel inspired. Save them as your screensaver while reading the book. Or you can print one out and use as a bookmark. Anything to anchor the feeling of the place and make it feel more real.
You can also find travel reference books about your dream destinations at the library or your local bookstore. Learn the facts, a bit of history, and maybe a few vocabulary words to help make your dream come closer. Make sure to study maps and check out transportation in the area. If you’re more prepared at the beginning of your vacation, you’ll have more time to truly enjoy your trip.
Get Some Screen Time In
Watch a movie or television series filmed in your dream setting. This allows you to see, imagine, and feel the place. It can also help you to decide if this is actually the best place for you to visit next. Just remember this is a movie, video, or TV show and not real life. Although it may not be real, experiencing the location through the lens of a video camera may calm your travel fever down for a little while.
This is also an excellent way to visually learn about the location and decide if it’s the place you want to visit. Oftentimes our expectations do not meet up with reality. Pay close attention to the seasons and weather to be sure you visit at the best time.
There’s a reason why cruises during the peak hurricane season may be slightly cheaper. The weather is less predictable and therefore not a premium time to travel there. You may decide a tropical island is the perfect place for you but you decide to visit during their rainy season. Watch for weather clues to help make your decision easier when it’s time to actually travel.
Be aware and you’re instantly more prepared.
Learn a New Language
Use your waiting time to learn a foreign language spoken in the place you’ve always wanted to visit. There are numerous language learning apps and online courses available that can help you get started. Just do a quick app search and find a free one to begin. If you feel this is fun and is making you more excited to visit “your place”, then keep going or look for a more intense language program.
Learning a language not only expands your knowledge but also enhances your travel experiences in the future. Plus, it makes locals feel you truly appreciate their culture and homeland if you take the effort to speak a few words in their language. This can make all the difference in the world while you travel.
Practice Your Travel Photography
Grab your camera or smartphone and practice your photography skills. Capture the beauty of your surroundings, whether it’s nature, architecture, or street scenes. Use the subjects around you now to practice improving your skills. Then you’ll be ready for amazing, creative shots when you get to ease your travel fever.
By focusing on photography, you can develop a keen eye for detail and find inspiration in everyday moments. Appreciate and enjoy where you are now and more wonderful opportunities will present themselves to you.
And your social media posts will be gorgeous!
Follow a Travel Influencer Online
You know which specific place calls your name and makes you sigh with delight when you hear about it. So find somebody who is an expert in “your place” and follow them. There’s lots of ways to absorb information and stories about your dream destination.
- follow a travel blogger
- choose a podcast to listen to
- search the hashtag on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook
- join a travel group on Facebook
- check out YouTube videos that interest you
These are just a few suggestions to get you started. Once you begin finding which way you love to learn more about “your place”, your travel fever may be soothed a bit. Following people online will introduce you to many more ways to get that travel fever temporarily calmed until you can truly get there.
Just Go On That Adventure to Cure Your Travel Fever
And if all of these little trips or experiences don’t cool down the flames of your travel fever, then it’s time for drastic measures. Actually travel, explore, and wander somewhere new and unexpected. Pack your bags, buy a ticket and just go! You never know what will greet you along the way. Sometimes the best medicine for travel fever can only be more travel.
Check that travel bucket list and choose the one you feel most ready for.
If you have done your research, read about the destination, and absorbed as much as you can about the place beforehand, you are ready. You should have an amazing experience you prepared for with great enthusiasm.
Remember, travel fever is a sign of your curiosity and thirst for exploration. While you may not be able to satisfy it immediately, there are numerous ways to channel that energy and keep your travel spirit alive until the time is right to hit the road again.
Contact me for help planning your next trip.
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