When you ask people to describe their most enriching experiences, a lot of what they’d tell you has to do with the life-changing moments and insight they gained while traveling. There’s a reason why travel is so sought after. But, what happens when you get somewhere and cross off all the big sights and to-do’s from your list? What isn’t nearly as highlighted when it comes to traveling, is that you can actually run into a lot of downtime.
Outside of capturing some really great photos to post onto your social feeds, what else can you do to either productively fill the hours from this adventure until your next, or kill off any boredom you might be surprised to have? Leave the answer to us. Here are six ideal ways to make the most of your downtime while traveling.
Work Out With the Scenery
While exercising might not top most people’s list of things they want to do when they travel, it’s actually a great way to more closely appreciate the scenery, while feeling productive to boot. Take a nice, relaxing jog in the city or town you’re in, the mountains if you’re in a more rural locale, or alongside the beach. Jogging allows you to see the sights in an up-close and personal way.
If jogging isn’t for you, find a nearby hike to go on. A hike offers time to reflect and take in your experience. It can also grant you an incredible vantage point of your location that you wouldn’t get elsewhere. If you’re a person that requires equipment to workout, here’s a simple solution: bring a jump rope with you. It’s light and easy to fit in a carry-on. If where you’re staying has a balcony, it’s a great place to pull it out and get moving.
Journal Your Experience
Traveling brings all of our senses into play, making it quite an overloading experience. While creating a photo diary is an awesome way to document and keep the memories of your trip alive long after you’ve returned home, there a lot of little moments that we can forget if we don’t document them. That’s when you should turn to travel journals. Try this: After a long day filled with the many different sights you’ve seen, inspiring conversations had with locals or other tourists alike, take a pen to paper and reflect on all that happened.
It’s a chance to really engage your innermost feelings, the gratitude felt in being able to experience a new culture, and what you’ve learned most from the place you’re in. These journaled thoughts can be purely for you, but they can also be an amazing reference point when friends and family ask about your trip weeks later. So sometimes you’ll see, that a thousand words are actually worth more than a picture.
Enjoy All Things Local
What would you say is the best way to get a true feel for the place you’re in? I’d say it’s in living life like the locals do. There are many ways to immerse yourself in the culture. A big one is trying the local foods. More often than not, there are delicacies central to a country or specific location that you can’t get the same anywhere else in the world.
Besides food, explore the local art. Through art, you’ll discover what the locals place value in and are even fighting for if it’s politically driven art. Along with art, check out the local crafts. See what the people there are known for as far as their talents and skillsets go. Check out the live local music scene to understand the beat that lives within the heart of the locals. Also, try to pick up some words in the local language and use them in your interactions with the people there. It’s a fun way to feel like you belong!
Dive into the History
Taking the time to get an in-depth understanding of the historical intrigue or signification of a place allows us as travelers to gain a deeper, more appreciative cultural understanding. If you’re going to be visiting a landmark or historical site, put some downtime aside one evening to thoroughly research a place’s past, and present standing for that matter.
When you finally get to visit that landmark destination, it’ll come to life in even bigger ways because you took the time to truly study the background information. Places you visit and sights you see will carry more substance, and you’ll naturally be more intrigued. It’s also a great idea to take some time to read up on your next destination before you arrive, at your current trip’s end.
Play Casino Games Online
While it’s natural to want to fit in all you can into one visit, especially if you don’t think you’ll be able to come back any time soon, it can also lead to activity burnout if you’re not careful. When that happens, nothing sounds as nice as heading back to your room where you can relax after a long day. But what if you want to keep productive when you get back to capitalize on the momentum? A great way to do this is by keeping your brain busy and doing something that you find enjoyable.
That’s where playing casino games online comes in. It’s a nice release from the constant movement and here-and-there of the day while being able to sit still in your room and have an enjoyable, familiar form of entertainment to indulge yourself in. BestUSCasinos.org has a list of the best real money online casinos you’ll want to check out during your hotel downtime.
Stay Connected
Sometimes the best way to relay your travel experience to family and friends back home, in the most authentic way, is giving them the play-by-play as it happens. While traveling is a socially nourishing experience, where you meet interesting people and form new bonds through exciting adventures, it’s important to remember to nourish your connection with loved ones back home. Doing this also allows them to be in on the experience with you, through spirit. Plus, it puts their mind at ease knowing that you’re happy, safe and living it up.
A useful way to engage loved ones is through a video call. They’ll get to see what you see and be where you are. Elder relatives will especially appreciate this because having someone they love in a far-flung, exotic location, somehow makes them feel like they’re along for the ride with you.
Categories: Travel
