My Travel Inspiration
I’ve been traveling with my family for as long as I can
remember. It started out with our yearly ski trip when I was about 4 or 5 years
old, and later we also started to go on city trips around Europe. Ever since
then, I have taken every opportunity to go traveling, be it with family,
friends, or alone.
I continue to travel because it’s the thing that gives me
the most energy and it makes me feel alive. I love the person I am on the road,
and I will continue to hop on a plane or train whenever I can.
How Often I Travel
And Activities I Enjoy
I travel as often as I
can. Usually, this amounts to about 3 to 4 trips a year.
The activities I do when I travel truly depend on the people
I am with. When I’m traveling solo, I go out of my way to find the activities
that will lead to the best travel stories - things a typical ‘tourist’ won’t
do. I use websites like Atlas Obscura for this.
When I’m traveling with
friends or family, I usually do things that are a bit more easy-going: walking
through the city center, finding hidden restaurants, visiting a museum, or
exploring nature.
How I Pick Travel
Destinations And Prepare For It
I have a long list of destinations I haven’t visited yet, so
all I have to do is check flight prices to each of these destinations and
figure out which trip will be the cheapest at that time.
My trips vary wildly in length. I’ve been on trips that took
two days, but I’ve also been on the road for nearly a month. I would say the
average trip is somewhere between four days and a week.
Once I know where I’m going, I try to figure out what there
is to do there. I make an overview in Google Docs, so I can easily access it
from all my devices, and I gradually add information about restaurants,
activities, and other practical things to that document.
How I Pack From My
Trips
I actually wrote an article about packing light, and I often go back
to the information in that article myself. My biggest tip is this: when you’re
packing your bags, consider each item carefully and ask yourself whether you’re
really going to use it on the road. Doing this simple thing can have a great
impact on the amount of luggage you’ll be carrying around.
I always try to have some way of taking pictures with me
when I travel. Whether it’s a DSLR camera, a smartphone, an action camera, or
even a disposable camera, I love to immortalize my memories through photos.
Favorite Memory Of
Meeting New People
When I was traveling solo in Malta, I met an American
family in St. Paul’s Catacombs. We were exploring separately at the same time,
and I struck up a conversation with them. We eventually ended up going to the
same museum afterward, and we decided to explore the museum together. I
haven’t seen or heard from them since that day, but it’s a great memory I still
cherish.
My Travel Experiences
And Bucket Lists
I’ve mostly traveled in Europe, but I’ve also been to
Morocco, Japan, Bali, Singapore, and India. As you can see, there are still
plenty of places I haven’t discovered yet, so yes - I do have a bucket list!
And, like every other travel blogger I know, my bucket list only keeps getting bigger
instead of smaller.
Some things on the list are Rottnest Island (Australia),
Zhangjiajie Forest (China), Taroko Gorge (Taiwan), Banff and Jasper National
Park (Canada), and Fingal’s Cave (Scotland).
Apps, Websites, And
Resources I Use While On The Go
I use several resources to plan, organize and execute my
trips. Some of
my favorite travel resources are Atlas Obscura, Airbnb, Google Flights,
Hostelworld, Skyscanner, and Tripcoin.
I actually started my blog in 2017 as a way to keep my loved
ones up to date about my first solo trip to Dublin. Over time, it grew into
something much bigger than that, and now, my purpose is to help aspiring solo
travelers reach their travel goals by sharing what I know about travel and how
to avoid the mistakes I made.
Traveling On A Budget
And Managing Costs
I try to travel on a budget. It’s a fun challenge for me
to see how I can get the best possible trip with the least amount of money.
During my travels, I manage my costs by making small savings everywhere. I book
a bed in a hostel dorm room instead of a private hotel room, I cook in the
communal kitchen instead of eating out, etc.
Cool Stories To Share
I have a few cool travel stories I love sharing with people.
The first one is from my solo trip to Malta. I ended up sleeping in Wardija Punic Temple; a
temple on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, at a 40-minute walk from the
Azure Window.
I also explored an abandoned children’s hospital on my
solo trip to Berlin, and I got my first tattoo when I was in Dublin by myself.
The Travel Repellents
At the moment, of course, the pandemic. I had seven trips
planned for 2020 - it was supposed to be my big travel year - and then COVID
hit the world, and travel restrictions were put into place nearly everywhere.
Other than that, the same things everybody struggles with:
time and money. No matter what people say, travel is expensive, and - though
you can find ways to save money on the road - your destination and activities are
still largely going to depend on the state of your bank account.
Lessons Learnt From
Traveling
Travel has taught me that anything is possible and that
having unique experiences can completely change your outlook on life. If it
hadn’t been for the things I did during my solo trips to Dublin, Malta, and
Berlin, I would not be the person I am today. I would be less independent and
more introverted, for one.
Traveling is something that can open your eyes to the
beauty of the world and the oneness of its inhabitants. It’s something I would
recommend to everyone because there’s simply nothing like it.
Other cool travel stories you might enjoy!
