Traveling is an avenue for wondrous things.
In that wonder, we can experience a lot in just one place if we know where to look and have an open outlook, and deciding where to go next is part of ensuring you experience that wonder.
“Where is this place?”
“This is really unique.”
“I am in awe of the wonders of these place.”
“I hope I can still get to experience this.”
“Wow! I have to go here.”
“How can this place be real?”
“I also wanna see and experience this.”
“I think I can take you here.”
“These photos are just magical what more if we see it in person.”
“This shall be next on my list.”
“I know where I want to go next.”
“Added to my list.” “GOALS!!!!!!”
We have all at least similarly said these lines as we browse through countless travel pictures and videos that are so inviting.
These pictures and videos have that evoking feeling that wants us to experience it firsthand. We may get to experience laughter, sadness, beauty and imperfections and all of these make the travel whole.
Now, seeing all of these can be so confusing that it just leads us to ourselves sitting on our couches and not actually near traveling to our next destination.
Choosing, booking, and planning your next destination is actually more than just a few clicks and scrolls.
It takes a driven mind and a wandering soul to go beyond and experience the depths of water, the peaks of mountains, the exotic beauty of the flora and fauna, the smiles of the people, the unique taste of their food, the reality of everyday life and a whole lot more of both usual and unusual things that make the travel all wonderful.
Each one of us has to understand that every place has its own beauty, flavor, and experience that we can get and that each one of us never experiences the same things ever.
A place offers us our own experience that we can only tell. And for this reason, that becomes the charm of traveling.
We get to hear stories from one another and hope that we too get to experience something more – may be out of the ordinary and more personal.
We all have some sort of our own travel bucket lists that we want to tick off and we know that it can be too overwhelming.
We have listed tons of places to go to, things to experience, and foods to try and that too can be overwhelming. But getting a hold of these things can happen in just one place.
Our travel bucket lists are a pot of gold that is waiting for us to be discovered.
It houses wondrous things that can take us by surprise and widen our own perspective of the world we live in. And we all know that we just have to do it step by step and one by one.
Traveling is indeed a privilege but it is never too high to experience such and all it takes is for us to get ready, set then go.
1. Find and discover places
Scroll through your social media accounts – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube and etc. Follow travel accounts or pages that offer quality content.
You can check hashtags like #travel #wander #discover #nature #trip #adventure #camping.
Take a walk in your neighborhood, go on a small road trip with your family or friends, or basically go out and keep your eyes and souls yearning.
Be open to what every place offers – cultural, arts, crafts, technological, food, activities, natural places, buildings, night and street life, charitable works, unique labor, shopping, and all the different aspects that are part of the hustle and bustle.
Finding and discovering these places can all be done at any time, any place, and in any way.
And in finding these places, it shall also be a reminder for us to be careful of what we see and how we interpret the messages in them.
It can range from people buying on the streets, the traffic of the city, the kids playing carelessly, people praying to their Gods and etc.
With that being said, we have to be mindful of what we see and how we interact with what we see.
We should all offer the same respect to every photo, video, or sight we see, for it shares the life – a story that we can all unravel if we keep our modesty and respect.
2. Know what you need and what you want.
List down what you want to experience and what you need to experience based on what you have seen and it all depends on your personal preference and the time you are in.
Differentiating what you need from what you want seems a bit confusing but it basically means that you’re needs are some of the things you want to try once in your life that can only happen in a specific place or time.
It can be the most daring or riskiest thing you ever need to do (like Skydiving, Bungee Jumping, Hiking Mt. Everest, Trekking El Caminito del Rey in Spain, driving by the Cliffside, cycling at Death Road in Bolivia, take a helicopter ride through snow caps and etc.) but it can also be the simplest thing you want to experience (like seeing the Cherry Blossoms of Japan, witnessing the art of tattoo in Banaue, Philippines, eating exotic foods in Asia and etc.).
While your wants are things you can experience anytime soon and in any place but can still offer that unique feeling (Shopping in Myeongdong and Bangkok, Eating Street foods in Bangkok, Seeing the Big Ben, Experiencing the desert and etc.).
You can ask yourself a few of these questions and create a meeting point where they all converge and tell you where to go next.
- Do you want a well planned trip or a spontaneous one?
- Do you prefer cultural trips or urban trips? Countryside or city life? Seaside or Mountain View?
- Do you prefer the seasonal/holiday trips or the usual days?
- Do you strictly follow your itinerary or are you open to such changes?
- Do you want to immerse yourself in a community like a local or be like a real tourist?
- Do you want a destination where most people have already gone?
- Do you have a specific reason why you want to travel?
- Are you disciplined enough to follow specific rules especially on religious aspects? (like in the Middle East)
- Are you planning this trip for your birthday or any special event?
- Are you on a solo trip or with a group (family or friends)?
- Are you willing to spend a lot?
- Are you looking for something specific?
- Are you a foodie, wildlife enthusiast, shopper, sightseer, activity seeker, scuba diver, island hopper, bar hopper, night life enthusiast, adrenaline junkie or all of the above?
- Are you willing to go to places unheard of?
- Are you willing to go to places that are risky?
These questions are simple and easy to answer but they actually ease our planning by opening up what we need and what we want and give us a direction.
It clarifies what we want to do and experience.
3. Ask yourself these how’s
How long can you travel?
Your travel can vary from time to time. It can be a day, week, month or year long.
A trip can still happen even only on weekends and you have to make sure that within those days you can experience the near totality of the place.
Knowing how long you can travel will also let you decide what place you can go to especially in terms of your visa.
How far can you go?
In traveling even your travel time affects how much and how long you can discover places so put in mind and create a rough itinerary for you to get by.
Knowing how far you can go will protect you from any unintended problems that may slow your travel like crossing borders.
Sure enough, you have other obligations to attend to and you have to keep in mind the time spent in traveling.
How much are you willing to spend?
Different destinations have different things on which weighs more on your wallets.
Some countries or places may have cheaper food but expensive hotels or accommodations or vice versa.
Some countries have cheaper products yet a handful of transportation fees or vice versa. It all varies from place to place.
How much can you spend?
You have to create your own budget and limit yourself to avoid getting overboard but a little of going beyond won’t hurt that much.
Remind yourself that you are in a foreign land and you have to take care of yourself.
You should have an emergency fund in case things turn in a different direction.
4. Plot down your Top 3 or Top 5.
Based on the previous tips you have read, it is time for you to choose what really speaks to your wandering sole and where your feet itches to go.
It all depends on you now – what you have seen, what you want to experience, and what you have heard.
Creating a limit for your top favorites will help you choose The One so don’t worry too much when something doesn’t get in, there will always be time for that.
You have to plot down your top favorites so it is easier for you to choose where to go next. Combine all your wants and needs and from there you can point where you want to go.
Plotting your Top 3 or Top 5 may take the longest but don’t pressure yourself too much.
It will really take time. It’s fine as long as your mind is set and in peace. You’ll get there too! Only a few steps more.
Now if you really, really, really equally love your top favorites, the easiest thing you can do is choose through a random generator or have a friend choose it for you and take it from there.
5. Compare and Research
Now that you have chosen your top favorites, compare and research these destinations and see what really fits you at the moment.
Take note of the safety, accessibility (food, transportation, hotels/transients, and guides) and budget of every place that you are researching.
It is up to you what weighs more and how much you are willing to sacrifice.
These are all important to ensure that you are ready to go into a place you may or may not know yet.
When you have found The One, try to recheck again on your research to affirm yourself and start looking for activities or places you can go to in that place.
6. Book it now.
The moment that you have chosen your next destination, it is time to put it into legit plane tickets, hotel accommodations, itinerary, packing and etc.
Don’t be afraid to confirm them once you feel that IT is The One.
However, don’t instantly buy what you see, keep on searching for something that fits your budget while still be open to changes.
Then, prepare and immerse yourself on a wonderful time of your life kind of ride.
These tips may seem like a handful but you have to remind yourself that traveling is more than what meets the eye.
It can go from best to worst. It is more than just taking pictures, buying things, booking flights, and moving from place to place.
It is about making your trip wonderful and fitting.
Traveling is what we do for a lot of reasons – for our jobs or personal life but it all needs to be given time.
We travel for a lot of reasons and we often hope that we find all those reasons in one place but that is not the case.
Traveling is both simple and complex. It offers you a variety of worlds that only you can experience and create a story to tell.
It seems as though you have gotten the gist of the tips and I hope that you are at the tipping point of your decision.
I hope that soon you are about to board that plane or boat or car and take on that nerve-wracking, exciting, and fulfilling journey.
As you embark on it, never forget to thank the people and the place that you have gone to for they have made your travel all worth it.
Making your travel worthwhile is as easy as looking and feeling beyond what you can see.
Knowing and appreciating where to look is what makes your travels all beautiful.
Making a trip worthwhile is knowing how well you can see beauty despite these places being far from your expectation.
Remember your trip. Savor it. And share the world to others through your eyes.
Now, have you decided where you want to go next?
Don’t worry, it awaits you no matter how long you take.
