The purpose of travel by Fiona Scott
How do we choose holiday locations that have meaning beyond a romance novel on the beach ?
When it comes to vacation planning , sometimes relaxation in the sun and escaping deep into the pages of your book with an occasional nap is the best plan . Some travelers might prefer an adrenaline rush of mountain biking through jungle trails . Deciding on the destination is often secondary to the experience that travelers are looking for , and with so many quick fix holidays options , it can be daunting to make that final choice . Shouldn ’ t those valuable vacation days be dedicated to something meaningful in addition to relaxation and adventure ?
Finding purpose in travel is exhilarating and unique to each traveler . But it does take a little thought and research ahead of time . Having too many activities can be exhausting , too few can be boring and experiences without value to you are simply too easy to forget . Relaxation is one thing , but the experience of learning and helping others can have a more lasting impact . Gone are the days of buying a package holiday that you can ’ t customize with your own narrative . Holidays should leave you with stories and easy ways to relive them for that lasting impression . Focusing on what makes positive experiences for you can make the planning a lot more efficient . Start off with a few questions and you ’ ll be surprised at the direction your trip planning will go .
1 . Is it more important for me to stay in one location or explore multiple places ?
2 . When I imagine this holiday , I envision how many of the following ?
• Nature
• Architecture
• Food trucks
• Meeting locals
• Solitude
• Fine dining
• Shopping
• Learning
• Parties
• Sports
• Wildlife
• Pampering
• Mementos
• Spontaneous
• Adventure
3 . I will get more value from this get-away being planned as a trip of a lifetime or a yearly recharge .
4 . When I return home from this trip and I tell my friends / family all about the adventures , I ’ ll be most excited and proud of ________.
5 . What do I want to avoid or simply not do ?
In defining more of your trip needs , your travel purpose will become a little clearer and you ’ ll be able to answer the most important question : why are you traveling ? Often this answer leads us to more life answers as we discover characteristics about ourselves . “ I travel because I learn about interesting people and unique places , the added bonus is that I learn about my own chosen needs of appreciating nature and having mementos at home that make me smile .”
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