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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Lessons Learned While Traveling

As I shared in the last post, I've had the opportunity to do some traveling over the past 6 months.  I figured that with all of the teleseminars, reading and concepts I'd absorbed that traveling would be a cool gentle breeze.  That I could shift my perspective, adjust to challenges, and overall, be a fairly decent traveler.  Indeed, this was not quite the case. 

Here are some lessons that I learned while traveling:
Social
1.  When traveling, keep in mind the purpose of the trip.  If it's a family gathering, think family time.  For a more sociable trip, think "hanging out with friends" time.  In other words, if you're used to being a solo traveler, like me, shift your expectations for group oriented trips.  Yes, I'm sure this is obvious for most travelers but for some reason, I was maintaining a solo traveler mindset on instead of a group traveler one.
2.  Best to travel with friends and family members that are patient with you in case you haven't quite mastered lesson 1.

Packing
1.  Use a standard list for packing.  Instead of re-writing your packing list, create a basic one for essential travel items. 
2.  Bring clothes that are versatile.  For a 4 day trip, I prefer to pack 2 pants and 4 shirts since people rarely notice if you wear the same pants twice.
3.  Wear something comfortable while traveling. 

Getting There
1.  Booking a flight and hotel at the last minute can feel slightly exhilarating but can also be expensive and stressful for you.
2.  If you're using transit, find out in advance how to go from the airport/train station to your destination.  Google Maps proved to be a handy option for me.
3.  If you're traveling as a group, see if you all can pack your "liquids" into one bag and split the baggage cost.

Being There
1.  Enjoy eating...but at the same time aim to stay on track with your health values.  Every now and then, aim to get some fresh vegetables along with whatever local cuisine you're enjoying.
2.  Doing 15 push ups or sit ups will at least make you feel somewhat on track with fitness.  : )  Make whatever effort you can, to support your health.
3.  Be calm about your purchases.  Does your friend really need a bulky, singing key chain?

When it's over...
1.  If you can, unpack your bags within 2 days of returning.  Seeing your unpacked bags in the corner can be draining and a bit of a nuisance.
2.  Give yourself a chance to rest before you swing back into everyday living.  Sleep in, do some journaling, have "me" time.
3.  Ah, and if a trip doesn't go as planned, see if you can find something positive about the trip.  What did you learn about yourself?  How well do you manage flight delays, lost items, too much rich food?

Have I mastered all of the lessons that I've shared?  Nope, am working on some of these myself.  However, a couple of positives about my experience is that it taught me to be patient with myself and also to appreciate the humor and patience of my friends and family members. 

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