When you’ve had a wonderful experience travelling abroad, one of the most terrifying thoughts is that you might forget everything you’ve seen and experienced. You might think this can’t happen to you, but the truth is that if many people can forget to even take a vacation, then you could conceivably forget what’s happened on yours in the future. You want to avoid that eventuality wherever possible, so it’s important to crystallise those memories and make sure they’re with you forever. Here’s how you can do just that.
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Make an album – or display your photos elsewhere
Naturally, you’ll take lots and lots of photos while you’re on your travel journey – after all, having concrete photographic evidence is one of the best ways you can keep those memories close to your heart. Photos are nothing without somewhere to display them, though. You could opt for a conventional display frame or you could try something more interesting like a calendar. For some great ideas on how to show off all the wonderful places you’ve been around the home, visit Pixaprints. You’ll be glad you did when you’ve created a beautiful display to remind you of the good times.
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Go with the right people
Although you might love your family or friends dearly, they may not always be the best people to take with you when you go travelling. Certain temperaments match travel better than others; there are some who don’t agree with food that isn’t within their wheelhouse, while others might not enjoy the same kinds of activities that you do. If you want to make sure your journey is truly magnificent, then it helps to go with people whose company you know you’re not going to get tired of. That might be a relatively small subset of people, but narrowing it down is worth it.
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Try to meet new people
This works wonders whether you love the people you’re with or not. Travelling the world can be a great opportunity to meet people you’d never normally encounter in your everyday life, so why squander that opportunity? Make time to explore and try to find bars and clubs off the beaten path. Meeting new people can give you exciting insights into life in a different country, so it’s always worth doing. Of course, you should always make sure you’re remaining safe while you do so. Take someone you trust with you and don’t venture into places with a bad reputation.
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Catch good weather days – but don’t be afraid of rain
Good weather is the secret to great travel. This might not sound like a particularly esoteric secret; it’s no surprise to learn that sun, sand, and sea make for excellent barbecues, al fresco meals, and beach parties. What might surprise you, however, is how much fun you can have when the weather isn’t great. If you’re willing to brave a little bit of rain or even snow, you’ll find that many tourist attractions are still running and aren’t seeing the kinds of audiences they normally would, meaning you’ll get the whole thing to yourself. Not bad, eh?
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Try new things
There isn’t much point travelling if you’re just going to do the same sorts of things you would while you were at home. By all means, take some creature comforts with you; if you’re travelling for an extended period of time, having familiar things with you can help to take the edge off the homesickness a little. Still, you should be branching out and trying new things. If you see something you’d never see at home, don’t listen to that little nagging voice that tells you not to give it a try. Step up and do it. That’s how you create new memories, after all!
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Stay active
Travelling won’t be much fun if you don’t keep yourself fit and healthy. Stay active while you’re travelling and you’ll see myriad health benefits. Keeping yourself fit means you’ll be able to go for longer without stopping for a rest, so you’ll be able to cram more in at each location. It also means you’re less likely to get ill, which can put a serious dent in your travel plans. When you get back home, you won’t have a monstrously demanding gym schedule to catch up on, and – best of all – you’ll be able to enjoy all that food without feeling guilty.
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Relax
You might have an overstuffed travel itinerary, but you should still remember to relax and take regular breaks. Travelling can still take it out of you, just like a regular day job can; after all, the act of moving from place to place and making sure your schedule is synced up can be exhausting. Remember to drink in the sights, stop for a minute, and appreciate what’s around you. It’s not easy to slow down, especially if you’re used to going at full pelt, but you’ll appreciate your journey all the more if you allow yourself some moments of calm.
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Do it all again
Once you’re back from travelling, the Monday blues can very quickly set in. You might find yourself wistfully wishing you were back out there, seeing the sights and hearing the sounds of different cultures around the world. Well, you don’t need to make your journey a one-off occasion, do you? Why not start planning your next travel venture as soon as you return? Having a long-term project like this can take the sting out of coming back to what you might think of as a boring job. If you absolutely can’t start planning, then try to appreciate what’s waiting for you.
