TRAVEL! Yessssss… that experience to a destination your heart has been longing for so long!
Oh dear! Did I just get you dreaming again of the most beautiful landscapes, far-flung beaches, voices that sound different , people that look different, the smell of unfamiliar soil ]and delicious aroma of food that makes you salivate as you walk the streets that leave you in awe of all the culture, tradition and sweet madness of that new place?
Or did I just see you smile and pat yourself on the back for your courage to climb that mountain despite the pain of hiking up there?
Emmm back to reality!
Only that you currently may be on your way to work and already thinking about the workload waiting for you on your desk that you forget all that travel euphoria we just re-ignited.
If you are anything like me, you went or are going through the 18 years of education to graduate uni, get a job, buy a house, buy a car, meet the love of your life , get married, have kids and start settling down into what the rest of your life might look like, or at least what is expected of you by everyone! All that is wonderful!! Really for the most part,
Only, you’re quite sure that is not all you want, you have itchy feet, your heart yearns for adventure and new discoveries in off the beaten paths. You want more!
Travel today is becoming one of the world’s most desirable experiences for many people young and old. Although considered a luxury by many; millennials today are discovering new ways to travel more, spend less, impact the communities they visit more and create experiences of a lifetime, read more here all thanks to the growing consciousness on financial literacy and the co-sharing ecosystem.
So 2019 is almost over and you’ve been traveling in your dreams! Thanks to the breathtaking images of experience your friends on Instagram are sharing daily that is not helping any matters but expanding your daydreams.
I am here to get you started small or inspire you to take a big leap(you decide) from wishing and daydreaming of traveling to day living in the life at your dream travel destination.
1st things 1st, GET CLEAR ON YOUR WHY
Travel like everything cannot happen until you make the conscious decision to justify what makes it so important and worthy of your time and resources. You need to identify clearly why you want to travel,what is the motivation that will make you work smarter to earn more and save more into your travel account rather than buy that newest Gucci or go for happy hours every fortnight?
Do you want to discover new cultures and traditions? Do you want to learn a new language? Do you want to go on a self-discovery journey? Do you want to go to live or work abroad?
Are you hurting and wanting to go away? Are you trying to overcome your fear of the unknown? Are you seeking a healing or soul searching experience?
Or do you simply want to go away every 3 months to relax and recharge so you can do better at work or on your business?
Do you want to go take a pretty picture and post on your Social media? (lol)
Whatever it is! You need to figure out why travel is a priority to you, it will help you stay accountable and motivated even when conditions are tough. Knowing your why will also help determine where to go, for how long, what activities to do, where to stay and how much you’ll need.
2. IDENTIFY WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK
You can either make Excuses or take that trip –you decide!
I am sure you want to make progress with your Travel plans, else you won’t be reading this, thus it’s essential to identify what is holding you back from realizing your goals; dig deeper
Is Time a constraint? Look at your calendar; what public holiday exists? You don’t have to quit your job or take a 6-month break to get started traveling. You can simply start by utilizing the weekends and holidays that exist and start traveling instead of attending other events.
Is it friends or a partner? Waiting on others to join your travel may be time-wasting, I suggest you go solo you’d be surprised how many amazing people you’ll meet or will decide to join in the last minute. Believe you me, I remember 3 years when I was yearning to Visit Ivory Coast; two friends were excited to join me on the trip, however several months pass by with no commitments; so in December 2018 I packed my bags and was heading to buy my ticket when my little brother jumped in and asked if we could go together as he had some savings and sure we did not only travel together but also had another friend from college who happened to be in Abidjan host us.
Is Money the problem? Most at times, we have more money than we think we do; yea! I know you may be saying you don’t earn enough, but before you conclude on that cut out unnecessary expenses like impulse buying a shoe every time you go pass by a boutique or sea an ad online, or that daily soda at lunchtime, or that snack you buy in traffic and save those coins in your travel fund account. Also be sure to swap that weekly Friday night out with perhaps hosting your friends over at yours saving money, eating healthier and have more meaningful conversations.
You can also increase your income by freelancing, start a side hustle or buy more income-producing assets like stocks, real estate or invest in common funds that support local businesses.
Or is it that you’re afraid? Breath and relax my friend! Go discover that place, it will be the most liberating feeling. P.S: don’t take my word for it. Just goooooo
3. GET A PASSPORT & Know its power!
A passport confirms your identity and grants you the bearer safe passage and protection in a foreign land you will be traveling abroad.
Go to your country’s immigration office or website and fulfill the procedure to get an International Passport. Typically the requirements and costs vary from country to country: but its typically less than $200 worldwide, with an average minimum validity of 5 years and the process is simple.
As you prepare to Travel, I encourage you to get a Passport even if you are not going international yet, you never know when an opportunity will arise!
Also, be sure to find out how powerful your passport is here, you’d be surprised to discover some interesting facts to help you get started exploring the world!
4.START PLANNING
Your wish won’t take you there, adequate planning and execution will. Do some research about the city, country or region you want to visit and set some goals; find out the activities to engage in to satisfy your reason for travel, find out the best way to commute, the place to stay, the best food to eat and do leave some room for flexibility. The plan will serve as a guide you but don’t be too rigid; there is a lot that you will discover there that google won’t tell you.
To get you started:
WikiVoyage is helpful for planning for a trip. It’s simply the Wikipedia For travel! Compiled by travelers and frequently updated, you’ll find everything from where to go, what to do, how to get around and several other useful information.
I like using Tripadvisor to pull suggestions and see reviews of the places I have on my list. Also search for your destination and see what comes up from other travelers for first-hand experience.
Use social media as a guide and watch out for the hype! Because a popular somebody is talking about how amazing a place doesn’t mean you will equally love it: go back to your why, be true to yourself and set your expectations reasonable, you will find real gems here if you dip deep enough!
5. ADOPT THE TRAVELERS MINDSET
You don’t become a traveler by simply going abroad ticking off the bucket list; becoming a traveler is a lifelong process, you become like a student of the world. You need to be intentionally open-minded, broaden your perspective, be genuinely curious but not judgmental, allow yourself to immerse deeply, be empathic, go beyond limits yet learn to appreciate the little things.
So I suggest you start adopting this mindset locally, discover your environment, use a different route to work, talk to the person next to you on the bus, or your uber driver, travel to a new city near you, talk to locals in your hometown, participate in local events , find out why things are the way they are; change your perspective and start appreciating the little things around you – try it now, start today.
6. FIND INSPIRATION – SURROUND YOURSELF WITH TRAVELLERS & EVERYTHING TRAVEL
Get immense into the world of everything travel, see, feel, breath and talk travel; stay inspired daily by tapping into the online community of Travel Enthusiast.
Most at times, it’s not typical coming into physical contact with someone who is a world traveler and its okay! Today we can all find inspiration online, find communities to join on facebook, register on meetup.com, follow a travel blogger from you relate with, ask questions in online forums. Inspiration is everywhere tap into it.
7. NOW FIND THE COURAGE TO JUST GOOOO
There is nothing else you need to do after all this is said; you just need to find ten o
Goo out there explore that destination
Once you know where and when you’re going, and with who – your plans will start to snowball. Before you know it, you’ll be sitting in a near-empty flat with your flight out in less than six weeks’ time (like I am right now).
In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more about my trip and how you can plan yours: including money-saving tips, how to balance travel with a career, and the things you HAVE to do before you leave.
Have you been traveling or are planning a trip? Are you traveling right now? Share your tips with us!