When I first started traveling, I’d pick a destination and then read every single thing I possibly could find about it. Where to eat, what to see, hidden spots, pictures galore, reviews, guide books, travel blogs, etc. All this research got me excited about my upcoming trip and definitely made a few things smoother while traveling, but it also dulled that ‘wow’ factor of discovering a new place. ..that newness and wonderment of exploring.
While everyone has a right to their own travel style, I’d like to suggest an alternative. Pick a destination, read a little about it, definitely read the accommodation reviews, and perhaps take a small guidebook or map. Other than that, why don’t you just show up and explore? I’ve found this way of travel to be the most rewarding. It allows me to be more spontaneous and have a richer experience.
Just because someone has already taken a hot air balloon ride over the Pyrenees doesn’t make it any less of an amazing experience for you. Own it, revel in your experience, and don’t compare it to others.
A famous author (whose name is escaping me but trust me, he was smart) once said that watching television dulls the value and experience of ordinary, every day life. I would argue the same can be true for reading too many travel blogs and information about your destination before arriving. Just pack your bags and go. And when you run across that amazing local restaurant by the sea, you’ll be high all day simply because you discovered it yourself. So what if it’s listed as a hidden hot spot by Lonely Planet? You’ll never know and your individual experience will make for a great story.
Being a true explorer sometimes means not knowing anything and taking all new experiences as they come. Travel itself becomes more enjoyable and the wonderment of your journey remains intact.
Do you have ideas or experiences with this? I’d love to hear them.
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I have to agree with you. When we look up all these fantastic things to do and “must sees” that others recommend, we have to keep in mind that 1) these people get PAID to do/see these things and they are likely doing it for free in return for advertisement, and 2) they are likely doing all these things because they all the TIME in the world to do so. Well, most of us don’t fall under either of those two categories. We often have a budget both with time and money. If you make an enormous checklist, it will likely cause more disappointment than pleasure.
I completely agree. I am guilty of over-researching and over-planning many a trip. The pre-trip portion can be exhausting and then once you begin your trip, sometimes you exhaust yourself trying to pack in all of the activities and sights you read about. The worst part is that you often miss the true experience and enjoyment of exploring a new destination.
Excellent post! I am conciously avoiding over planning for our upcoming RTW trip. I am skimming guidebooks to get a general sense of direction in our itinerary and I read blogs to hear about travel experiences, not to read about specific journey points. I specifically avoid photo galleries of places we plan on visiting – I want to see them with fresh eyes. Cheers!
Gillian’s last blog post..100 Days!!
Good idea about avoiding photo galleries Gillian. Seeing new places with fresh eyes is the best!