Have a great vacation
The recipe for a great vacation is fond memories that contribute to making you happy. A great vacation can be a source of happiness. But as psychologists discover more about how the human brain works, we're gaining insight into exactly how to crank up the pleasure factor - and why you should do it. Here are some strategies to experience a great vacation get bliss from your precious vacation days and come back without needing a vacation from your vacation.
The recipe for a great vacation is to experience more, experience new situations on vacation
Anticipation is a big part of human happiness. One study of vacationers found (no surprise) that they were happier than people who didn't go, but almost all of that increase in happiness came before the vacation itself. When you think about the fun you're going to have, you feel the same joy that the mere experience of experiencing more on vacation will bring. The difference is that it can last much longer. So choose your vacation dates well in advance and relish thinking about what you will be doing.
The recipe for a great vacation is many, different trips instead of "once in a lifetime" trips
A once in a lifetime trip, like a month in Kenya, would be amazing. But the "once in a lifetime" aspect of such vacations limits their overall contribution to happiness. Research increasingly shows that we return to our previous level of happiness (we spend our lives on the "hedonic treadmill") fairly quickly. Smaller pleasures experienced frequently contribute more to overall well-being than larger but less frequent ones.
Another study found that the health and well-being benefits of a great vacation peak after about eight days. So look for shortened work weeks for getaways today so you can plan several multi-day vacations (weekend plus work week plus weekend) a year for the cost of three to four vacation days.
The recipe for a great vacation is to get out of your comfort zone
When you were 8 years old, summer seemed to last forever. More days and weeks went by, and you had a vacation. Now, not so much. So how do you make time slow down? For an 8-year-old, everything is new and time moves slowly as the brain processes all these new adventures. Adults stick to a routine. Vacations are a great opportunity to consciously plan new experiences. Get out of your comfort zone, experience more. Whether it's kayaking, riding a train through the rainforest, learning to make cheese, whatever.
The recipe for a great vacation is not just doing things and not doing nothing
Researchers who asked people to report their mood throughout the day found that they are happiest when they are relaxing, meeting people, exercising, doing spiritual activities, and eating (oh, and when they are engaged in "intimate relationships" as well). Around their adventures, have time for meals, some, reading, contemplation and connecting with people who are traveling.
The recipe for a great vacation focus on activities that make you happy
Do activities you enjoy, pay others to do the rest. It's funny because it's true, and unfortunately, it's a recipe for feeling good during the vacations. House cleaning and babysitting are inevitable if you have young children. Bring your grandmother along to ensure she has time to spend with your grandchildren, or budget for a babysitter at a hotel while you take care of yourself.
If you're vacationing in a group and sharing a house, you can raise money to hire someone to cook and wash dishes for a few nights. Even if it is just a small family. You can make arrangements to order food from caterers. So that everyone has time to do it. What they like, what makes them happy.
Recipe for a great vacation manage activities
Some people believe that happiness comes from not doing any work during the vacations. The key is how much control you have over the situation. If you're taking calls because your boss is forcing you to, this will be a source of tension. But if you work for yourself or otherwise have autonomy in your schedule, and want to do a half hour of work each morning before the rest of your family wakes up, there's nothing wrong with that.
Just do it, and then don't use your inbox until the next morning. The vacations are a great way to think about career issues in a broad context. Consider what projects would be good for you to tackle in the future when you return home.
The recipe for a great vacation is good, meaningful memories
The human brain attaches more importance to things that happened last in a series. This so-called "recovery effect" means that the end of the vacation is easier to recall than the beginning. Use this effect to consciously end the vacations with a bang. An event that will live long in the memory. If you're only going to upgrade once, opt for a business class seat on the way home, not on the way to your vacation. Plan your big dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant for the last night, not the first.
The recipe for a great vacation is to manage your return from vacation
In an effort to squeeze every last drop of vacation time, you return late on Sunday night. This can make Monday morning feel even more tired than usual. If you hate that hectic feeling, then come back on Saturday or in the middle of the day on Sunday so you can check on what urgent things happened while you were away, buy groceries and do laundry.
Indulge yourself by planning something fun for Monday night. A quick drink with a friend after work gives you something to look forward to during what can be a tough first day back at work after the vacations.
The recipe for a great vacation is to make history
Memories take shape over time when you decide to tell them. To make sure you remember your vacation as something positive, tell your friends your fun and enjoyable anecdotes.
Show beautiful pictures. The more often you say: "I had the best vacation of my life", the more it will become true. Have a great vacation!
Key findings from the Tourism Analysis report
- According to a study published in Tourism Analysis, people who travel frequently have greater life satisfaction.
- Experts say the joy of a great vacation can be attributed to time off from work, new experiences and spending time with loved ones.
- People who can't afford to travel can achieve similar levels of life satisfaction through other, less expensive activities.
People who have contracted the travel virus will tell you that exploring the world leads to bliss. Now scientific evidence has emerged to support these anecdotes.
A new study published in the journal Tourism Analysis found that frequent travelers have higher life satisfaction than those who don't go on vacation very often. The results come from a study of 500 people.
This research presents some insight into the role that travel can play in some people's emotional well-being. But since going on vacation can be expensive, does that mean people who can't afford to travel may have lower life satisfaction?
Not necessarily, experts say. Here's what to know about the link between travel and happiness, as well as some ways to reap the psychological benefits of a vacation if you're on a tight budget or stuck at home.
Research findings on travel and happiness
The study was conducted at Washington State University, along with researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Texas A&M University.
For the study, researchers surveyed 500 people who were a representative sample of Taiwan's population over a two-week period in 2013. Participants were asked 17 questions about how important travel is to them, how much attention they give to plans for future travel, how often they talk about trips they would like to take, how often they travel and their overall life satisfaction.
The results showed that frequent travel had a positive impact on life satisfaction. However, the authors of the study noted that the amount of travel taken per year explained only a small percentage of higher life satisfaction. They add that life satisfaction related to travel has more to do with "frequency of satisfying travel" than how often someone takes a vacation.
This may mean that a stressful business trip to a beautiful place where you're stuck in a conference center all day may not increase life satisfaction. Even if it was technically a trip, because it doesn't meet the criteria for a satisfying travel experience.
The study also found that people who said travel was very important to them were more likely to take a trip, often because they absorbed more travel-related information and were more likely to talk about future vacations. This refutes previous tourism research that found that people only read travel information when they are actively planning a vacation.
The more people talked about and planned vacations, the more likely they were to organize and go on them. The authors were able to show a small but noticeable relationship between travel experiences and life satisfaction and quality of life.
It is important to note that the study was conducted in Taiwan in 2013. The results may be different if the same study were conducted on groups from other countries today. Activities you can do to become happy.
Why can travel increase happiness?
Experts say there are many reasons that may explain the link between travel and happiness. Some people may get more life satisfaction from having new and varied experiences. This theory is supported by a study published in the journal Nature in 2020, which found that people who see more changes in the environment, the scenery each day, tend to be happier.
Pleasant events, such as travel, improve our mood and increase our satisfaction with life. For many people, travel is an enjoyable event because of the novelty it offers.
Travel can also improve a person's life satisfaction by allowing them to step away from work and relax from the stresses of everyday life. A 2020 study from the journal Psychology & Health found that people expressed low levels of stress related to things like childcare and finances while on vacation, which can provide emotional relief.
One of the benefits of traveling is that it allows you to arrange some time for personal relaxation from your daily routine, which can lead to lower stress levels. Spending time with your partner or loved ones can also be generally fruitful in improving relationships.
It may also have to do with the sense of awe that many travelers feel when they experience the beauty of the world. In travel, we often experience awe in the face of completely unfamiliar foods, art, or landscapes Awe itself deepens our sense of purpose, of being connected to something greater than ourselves. Travel can energize us as we meet new people, enter new situations, and reconnect with the mystery of life.
Finding joy when you can't travel
Job loss and the economic consequences of a pandemic may make it difficult to travel in the near future, even if travel becomes safe again.
However, this doesn't mean that people who can't travel are doomed to lower life satisfaction.
For people who work from paycheck to paycheck or have no paid time off, there is definitely a disadvantage when it comes to taking time off. However, this does not mean that they have a happiness gap and this is the flaw in this study in my opinion.
Experts say that since travel-related happiness can come from many mechanisms, such as time spent relaxing or experiencing something new, there are alternative ways to reap similar benefits - without having to take long flights and stay in luxury resorts.
If you need the stress-relieving benefits of a vacation when travel is not an option, you can enjoy spending time in nature or hanging out in the woods. Those who want to spend a lot of time with loved ones can try setting aside a day to play board games together, prepare home-cooked meals, and reminisce about happy memories and photos.
The key to reaping the benefits of pleasurable experiences, whether it's taking a vacation or putting together a puzzle with your kids, is to do it with commitment and forethought.
Remember to be mindful of enjoyable experiences as you go along. Going on a trip or engaging in an enjoyable activity does us little good if we are not paying attention. This means that it is important to focus on the enjoyable event while it is happening. Turn off social media, put away your phone and other distractions, and allow yourself to fully immerse yourself in the experience.
Taking a vacation to relieve stress and overall health
What does this mean for you?
While it may seem like people who can't afford a vacation can't benefit from traveling, the truth is that you can achieve these benefits in other ways - which is especially important when many people are still stuck at home during a pandemic.
A virtual tour of a foreign country can satisfy your wanderlust for free. You can also reduce stress by spending time in nature close to home when travel is not an option. If you feel like spending time with loved ones that you might otherwise spend on vacation, consider spending the day playing together at home without the distractions of everyday life.
Traveling appears on many to-do lists for a variety of reasons. For some, it's simply a time to recharge their batteries, while for others it's a time to experience things firsthand or disconnect from the stresses at home.
For many others who choose to go one step further and travel deeper, it's because travel has the ability to enrich your life in some other indescribable way.
After traveling, you return a different person than when you arrived.
Ways to experience more during the vacations - Have more positive travel experiences
While many people associate having meaningful travel experiences strictly with volunteering, there are many ways to travel more deeply, explore the world purposefully, and make your endeavors more meaningful. You are the only one who can determine what type of travel experience will be meaningful in your life, but here are 9 ways that can help make your travels more meaningful:
Experience more on vacation, open yourself up to a different culture
When many people arrive in a foreign place, they make the mistake of visiting without leaving their own world. They decide the route of being a tourist looking in from the outside, basically observing from the sidelines, taking in everything going on around them, but never really participating.
On the other side of the coin, others gain a better understanding, live more and have a deeper experience through cultural immersion, which is really just a matter of leaving the comfort of a hotel room and being absorbed by the world around you. The deepest journeys happen when you integrate yourself into the community through active participation, opening yourself up to interacting with locals and understanding the way others live. This can be as simple as actively participating in their rituals, eating the traditional foods of a region, or learning about the history that makes a city what it is today.
Tips on how to open yourself up to another culture:
- Learn some basic phrases in a foreign language and look for opportunities to interact with locals.
- Get off the beaten path, drink at local pubs and visit local establishments.
- Stay away from the tourist traps, but if you are there, ask the right questions of the souvenir stand staff. Ask real questions about what it's like to live, work and eat in their city. Where are their favorite places to visit?
- Be patient if you are traveling to a foreign country, as English is probably their second language. Act with curiosity, love and a willingness to learn.
Experience more on vacation, plan to commune with nature and animals
Many encounters with nature are brief escapes from a stressful day; you may stop for a moment to look out your office window at an afternoon rainbow or spot a deer in the fields on your way home from the city. For a moment, this chance encounter energizes and calms you at the same time, but you may not be sure why. Connecting with nature is more than just getting some fresh air. Rather, it has the potential to make us aware of something bigger than the new product we bought, or maybe even ourselves.
Traveling gives you many opportunities to be among nature and consciously connect with it in its natural habitat, rather than in a zoo or animal park. Look for places that allow you to interact with dolphins in the wild, participate in turtle conservation programs or watch birds in natural habitats; visit national parks, UNESCO world heritage sites.
Experience more during the vacations, be generous
As the old saying goes, "it is better to give than to receive." While giving should be a selfless experience, it benefits both ourselves and the recipient. Studies have shown that humanitarianism has incredible benefits: it builds relationships, benefits people who are less fortunate, strengthens communities, and provides a different perspective on the world. Simply put, giving makes you feel good.
Whether you focus your entire trip on helping others or add a few aspects of volunteering to your itinerary, there are many opportunities around the world to be generous. There are many organizations that create tour itineraries where you can join development projects. You can also try organizations that organize trips that are the perfect combination of learning about local culture, food, and community service.
There are also simpler, less time-consuming projects where you leave some space in your suitcase to pack the things you need for community projects or to lend money to a future entrepreneur.
Experience more during the vacations, change your comfort zone
Just like I mentioned that one of the benefits of setting goals with a to-do list is its ability to push you to step outside of your comfort zone. Expanding your boundaries is also another way to get the most out of a great vacation. Every time you try something for the first time you will grow, a small piece of fear of the unknown will be removed and replaced with a sense of empowerment.
You should end a great vacation by stating: I can't believe I had the courage to do this.
When traveling internationally, many things will take you out of your comfort zone; dealing with the language barrier, navigating the streets and ordering foreign food. But also do something that scares you at least a little bit. Plan something new and a little uncomfortable each day of your itinerary. Eat something quirky, try a different activity, get adventurous, and explore the secret corners of a unique city.
Experience more on vacation, travel by your own rules
Let's face it, sometimes you are the best travel companion for yourself - you can do what you want, when you want. This makes planning so much easier when you don't have other opinions on what to do. Also, you are more open to meeting new people when you are alone; most of us tend to stick with our travel companions.
Although, many people, especially women, will put off their travel dreams because they don't have the perfect companion who has the same available time, money or desire to adventure. In doing so, not only will you miss out on what the world has to offer, but more importantly, the feeling of empowerment you get by relying solely on yourself while traveling.
Experience more on vacation, share the experience with someone special
Have you ever been somewhere, seen something truly amazing, and wished someone was with you to share the experience? Just as traveling solo can be an enlightening experience, traveling with someone special can also create precious memories. A sunset spread over the water in Bora Bora, tossing tomatoes at the La Tomatina festival in Spain, or a wine dinner in Argentina set on top of a hill overlooking the city can be more magical when shared with someone else. Traveling together builds bonds.
Traveling together can strengthen your relationships by building trust and creating opportunities to learn more about your companion. A tandem bungee jump in New Zealand can cement a relationship. A trip to Las Vegas can be an unforgettable experience. A weekend getaway with your parents can be their most special memory.
Experience more on vacation, learn something new
Traveling is one of the best educations you can have, it teaches you things that no textbook could ever teach. It's not hard to learn something new because many travel situations will force you to figure some things out in a foreign place. You'd be surprised how long it takes to learn how a Japanese toilet works! But the real magic happens when you learn something new about the culture, history of the city and people of the country you're visiting, and even something new about yourself.
Look for opportunities to learn more deeply during your successful vacation; take a cooking class on a local dish, go on a historical tour of the city, or learn a local dance.
Experience more on your vacation, support the locals
Many small businesses, especially in developing countries, base their survival on tourism. Spending dollars at an international hotel and restaurant chain is only partially supporting the locals. These companies do create local jobs, but much of the profits may go to the owners of large corporations rather than to the locals in the area.
Continuing to support locals in the cities and countries you travel to means booking tours with local guides, eating at local restaurants, staying at independent hotels, shopping at street markets, or buying souvenirs directly from the artisans who make them. Have a mindset of travel globally, think locally, and it will pay you back doubly in experiences. Not only will this help the local economy, but it will also create a more authentic experience.
Experience more during the vacations, take care of your body, mind and spirit
For some, a truly successful vacation means pampering themselves with deep-fried foods and glasses of over-sweetened cocktails, and dancing all night on the bar at the hottest club. The only real physical activity is walking from the room to the pool and bar and back again. Vacationers usually come home from these types of trips needing another vacation, their bodies feeling tired and their bellies with a few extra rollers. They may have had a good time, but they will be paying for it for the next few weeks.
The opposite feeling comes when you have just spent a week nourishing your body, mind and spirit. It can be as simple as practicing meditation in India, going on a retreat in India or attending a detox retreat in the Philippines. For me, it was spending a peaceful week at a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. These types of trips nourish not only your body, but also your soul. You come home feeling refreshed and revitalized, a better version of yourself.
People travel for different reasons and there are several different ways to experience more on vacation, get more out of your trip. The most important thing is that your experience makes you happy.
Some points on how to organize a great vacation abroad and come back happy and rested.
Nothing changes perspective as well as traveling and having a great vacation. Both the smaller, local ones and the larger foreign ones are an inspiration for each of us. When organizing a vacation, wanting to spend pleasant moments, experience something interesting, it is important to plan the entire trip. The earlier you plan your vacation, the better results you will get. Not only will you pay less for many services. Above all, you will have more peace of mind. Below, you will find in a few points our advice on How to organize a great vacation abroad? To have peace of mind.
Successful vacation, plan your route, book your tickets in advance
Spontaneous travel has its charm, but it is better to make plans for the future in advance. For example, by booking your flight. This is a great opportunity to save your budget right at the beginning. By booking your flight early, you can get lower ticket prices. In some cases, planning your vacation six months before you travel can save you 30-60% of the ticket price. It is worthwhile for you to keep track of the portals that offer airline tickets. It is advisable that you sign up for the newsletter of travel portals with ticket offers. Remember one thing, all portals selling airline tickets save your IP address, they know what you are looking for, when you are looking for it. They combine the data, about your login with the content you search. Websites offering flights connect different devices using the same WiFi network. In many cases, subsequent offers are getting more expensive because the portal 'knows' that you care about a particular trip. Especially if you start planning your trip very little in advance.
Remember also that you can save money by choosing another, less popular airport close to your destination. You can choose an airport near your destination and then take a bus or train to your destination. You'll lose time while gaining money. It may not be the easiest way, but with planning it can be a cheaper trip. This is not the case in Western Europe, where in many countries, ground transportation is quite expensive.
When booking a cruise ship trip by sea, you should pay special attention to choosing dates and entering passenger information. You need to be very careful when filling in these fields because a mistake can cost you a lot. The passenger details must match with the documents they have. Before they even board the cruise ship.
Successful vacation, trip insurance
Travel insurance is a legitimate necessity.
No one wants to get sick or robbed while traveling. The problem is that you can't predict it. You do not plan for these events, but they can happen.
Your luggage may get lost, your flight may be canceled. Many other things can happen during your vacation. The list of such troubles is quite long. In such situations, a great vacation becomes much more costly.
If you ignore your trip insurance, it can lead to serious financial costs while traveling. On the other hand, you can avoid these crazy costs for the nominal amount you spend for trip insurance. Count how much you will really pay for each day of your vacation abroad. Isn't the money you spend on trip insurance worth your peace of mind? Have a great vacation abroad. That's right, treat your trip insurance as an investment in your peace of mind. By the way, take pictures of your luggage and check it - this will help you identify it faster if it gets lost. And it will help you get insurance faster. Don't forget to upload the photos to the cloud so that if you lose your phone you will have access to them.
Prepare photos of your documents
To have a great vacation you need to prepare your documents:
- Driver's license.
- Insurance for the trip.
- Passport or identity card.
- Permission to use your leased car abroad.
As with your passport, make sure you have photos of these documents in the cloud. In a place you can access from anywhere in the world. You never know when photos of your documents might come in handy.
Photos of your documents, can help you in an emergency situation. It is also a good idea to have the phone number and address of the hotel where you are staying.
List of essentials for a great vacation
A few weeks before a great vacation, make a list of the things you need to take on it. If you have some of these things at home, check their condition, condition. Consider whether the list includes only the essentials, so that you unnecessarily carry things you will not use later.
The time a few weeks before the trip is very important for preparing a great vacation. This way you have several days to buy all the necessary things. Repair those that require it. Without rushing. Having time for everything.
Prepare for a great vacation:
- Hygiene products.
- Phone charger.
- Moisturizing cream with sunscreen.
- Medications you take, on a daily basis.
Store these items in a place to have them with you. If your flight is delayed or you lose your luggage, you'll feel more comfortable.
Prepare your tech equipment for a great vacation
Check the devices you are taking on vacation. Charge the batteries. Have chargers ready. If you use batteries, take extra ones for backup. You are not sure if they will be available in the place where you will spend a great vacation.
Get to know the country, the people, the place where you are going for a great vacation
Start reading books, articles, blogs about the places, your vacation! This way you will better prepare yourself for your long-awaited successful vacation. By reading before your vacation, you are able to experience more on the spot. You know what to expect, what to look forward to, what might interest you more.
Learn the main phrases in the language of the country you are going to. Learn the names of the goods and foods you would like to try.
Use the portal of local tour guides to have a great vacation
Check the internet to see if there are English local tour guides in the country you are traveling to. Guides who speak English. Guides who live in the place where you will spend your vacation. Think about whether you can experience more by using their services. You can experience more during your short stay abroad.
Remember that local tourist guides know more. They live in another country, they know the local customs. They can show you places that are not described in the guidebook, places that only people living in that city know.
A good way to have a great vacation is to plan and book a guided tour in advance. A good way to have a great vacation is to plan and book your guided tour in advance so that you can enjoy it during your stay in the city.
By using a local tourist guide, you will receive unique knowledge, learn about local customs, discover unknown places. You will experience new, interesting experiences. You will get answers to all your questions about the locals, the city, customs, cuisine and much more. Here you will find local guides from over 50 countries.
If a local guide doesn't know something, he knows how to get that information quickly and efficiently. Check it out for you. He will certainly do it faster and more accurately than you.
Buy several, different credit cards to have a great vacation
You can very easily imagine a situation where you do not have a gap to your money. Just as you would have insurance for your trip, it's a good idea to make sure you have credit cards for your vacation to protect yourself against the unpredictable.
By having two, different credit cards you greatly increase the security of a great vacation. It is important that you keep them in two, different places. So that in case of loss or theft, you will not lose both.
Get credit cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees. Buy a credit card in the currency of the country you are traveling to. Or buy a credit card with low, favorable currency conversion fees.
Remember that more and more countries are moving away from cash. In many places around the world, you can only pay with a credit or debit card.
Stock up on cash for a great vacation
Cash can often come in handy in a variety of ways. This is especially true during a great vacation. There are countries where the credit card network is very limited. The number of ATMs you can use is also limited. You may encounter a situation in which you will not be able to pay for goods or services with your card.
A few hundred euros or dollars, well hidden, should properly secure your successful vacation. The place where you store your cash is important. It must be different from the credit cards. Certainly the safe places do not include: backpack, purse, wallet, mobile case. For added security, you can divide the amount into two parts and hide them in two different places.
Make sure that your suitcase is not too big and heavy so that you have a great vacation
When you have a large suitcase you try to fill it fully with things. This causes the big suitcase to allow you to take more stuff. Don't go this route. Choose a suitcase for a great vacation that is appropriate for the amount of things you want to take.
Remember that most of the cheaper suitcases on the market are made of hard, inflexible plastic. When choosing such a suitcase, any salesperson should inform you that it should be full of things when traveling. So that the things stiffen it from the inside. Do not allow them to form dents due to impacts.
Remember that there are stores wherever you are. When packing, take care first of all about those things that you definitely cannot buy locally. Or the purchase of which is associated with much higher expenses than in Poland.
Remember also, especially if you like buying things, to leave 10-20% free space in your suitcases. Think that you will have to bring your new things back to Poland somehow.
Take care of your vaccinations in order to have a good vacation
Learn more about the country you are traveling to. Check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consult a doctor. Find out what vaccinations you need and what you should have before departure.
Take care of your health a few months before a great vacation. There are vaccinations that you need to take two or three times to be effective for your vacation.
Take care of your reservations to have a great vacation
When planning a private trip, take care to make reservations. Sometimes making reservations in advance will save you a lot of money. There are other situations where booking accommodation at the last minute, literally overnight will save you money. It all depends on what you are booking and the situation in the city where you intend to spend the night.
When going on an individual trip, check out what holidays are celebrated in the city you will be in. Big, important events in the city where you will be spending your vacation can contribute to the unavailability of accommodation and consequently a significant increase in prices.
Be careful when choosing a place to have lunch in order to have a great vacation
Avoid places located in the heart of the city, close to the most famous tourist attractions. Prices in such well-known places located on tourist routes are usually higher. Higher than places located on local, side streets.
When looking for a place for lunch, look for places where there are local people. Where most of the seats are occupied. These are visible signs of good food.
If you are traveling by ferry, don't panic to have a great vacation
Ferry, ship or sailboat, they each have one thing in common, limited space. A space in which all travelers must be accommodated. If you want to have a great vacation, make sure that the coexistence on the ship is appropriate.
When traveling by boat, relax. Focus on the scenery. Focus on yourself, your own thoughts. So as not to be a burden to others on the ship.
Be flexible when planning a great vacation
There are many things you need to get right. This is especially true if you are traveling with small children. You need to arrange accommodation, provide food and drink for them.
In terms of the places you want to be, you can and even should leave yourself some slack. Some space to be able to experience more. Experience more by virtue of the fact that you can be somewhere longer. Take more time to go a few more streets away. Delving into unknown corners of the city. Discovering what interests you, what captivated and enchanted you.
Planning a great vacation with kilometer-by-kilometer precision will only contribute to creating a stressful situation. A situation in which you are limiting yourself by carrying out plans that you have imposed on yourself. Experience more, live more by walking in unknown places, experiencing unpredictable situations.
Activate roaming for a great vacation
Check if your cell phone subscription has roaming. When you are abroad, it will be more difficult for you to communicate with your mobile operator and activate roaming. You may find that you have to be present at the operator's showroom to activate roaming. This cannot be done remotely.
Plan ahead to get to the airport for a great vacation
Let your successful vacation begin in a nice, predictable way. Plan ahead to get to the airport. Consider whether you have enough time to check in. Take into account the time of day traffic jams on the roads. To some extent, prepare for the unpredictable.
Set aside enough time in case something happens. Especially during the return flight home. Take into account the fact that the plane will not be waiting for you.
Enjoy every moment you spend on a great vacation
This is probably the most valuable piece of advice. Enjoy what you experience. Rejoice in what you are experiencing. Rejoice in the fact that you are experiencing more.
Open yourself up to others. Let the moments flow. Be open and social.
'No one can discover the world for someone else. Only when we discover the world for ourselves does it become a common platform and bond that allows us to be together' - Wendell Berry, A Place in the Earth
This question usually puzzles travelers and tourists. Is it better to look for interesting places by yourself, using maps and books for each place? Places that you yourself have to find in another country, another city. In a situation where you have never been there. You know the whole description from the description on the website or book.
You can also explore differently. You can use a local guide. A professional guide who communicates in English. A person who will share his experience with you and your travel companions.
Successful vacation with a tourist guide
The key factor is time. The time you have and will spend in another city. If your plan to stay is a few weeks, you will definitely find time to visit all the exciting places. You can get acquainted with the culture, architecture. Feel the atmosphere of the place. Get to know the local community. In most cases, only a few of us have so much time to visit and get to know a place so thoroughly. In any situation, a good solution is to use a local guide. A guide who will tell you in English about the place of your vacation, town, neighborhood, country. A local guide who will share with you information that you will not find in books or on the Internet.
What does a good local tourist guide look like?
A local tourist guide has a lot of responsibilities. He is also responsible not only for himself, but also for the people he provides services to. A guide has in-depth, extensive knowledge of the history, traditions, and places he shows you. Personality is also important. A local tourist guide must be a person who likes and respects people. One who possesses great empathy? Is able to understand others, their needs, desires, but also fears and concerns. Working with people requires great interpersonal skills. The main factor that determines the success of a tour guide is the attitude towards the work he/she does. A tourist guide must like what he does. He must like to show tourists around the city, surroundings. He must be among places that are familiar to him, but new to others.
A local tourist guide can organize a great vacation for you.
Being a tourist guide is associated with many responsibilities. For example, such a person should not only have extensive knowledge of history and be ready to answer any question about all historical eras, but should also be a nice person. Working with people requires being friendly and resistant to stress. Moreover, a good tour guide should have enough empathy. It is very important in the area of attitude towards the profession so that the power to be appreciated by tourists.
What tourist information do you need to have a great vacation?
Types of tourist guides:
- Tour guide - accompanies tourists on walking tours, car trips and cruises. Their competencies include preparing the itinerary and selecting places for the tour. A good guide considers individual characteristics of group members: average age of participants, their mobility, interests, expectations, also the degree of fatigue after the trip. During the entire stay with his group, a tourist guide tells interesting stories, answers questions that arise, and tries to meet the needs of each tourist in the group. He answers questions, and if he does not know the answer, he knows how to find it quickly.
- Tourist guide, driver - not only can surprise you with interesting facts about the place of your visit. He can take you to the place of your choice. By the way, choosing a route that allows you to experience more, choose the safest and most beautiful roads. It is obvious that a car tour can greatly expand the horizons of your trip.
- Tour guide, translator - performs several functions at once: the functions of professional guidance, translator and administrator. Especially important are the skills of psychology and the ability to be with strangers in close relationships. The guide has the ability to communicate with people of different ages and nationalities. This tour guide always includes the most important tourist attractions in the tour itinerary, allowing you to experience more while visiting another country.