Over the years, I’ve always loved travelling, something about new places, people, food, ideas, things, languages, etc has always drawn me to want to explore every single area of earth where people live and exist. As I’ve gotten older, I came to realize that the memories I created during my travels have become some of my most cherished, and even some of the more challenging and even terrifying experiences have shaped me in ways that make me smile when I think about them. Here are some tips for practicing mindfulness and deep appreciation while traveling:
Slow Down
Make time to slow down and take in your surroundings, rather than rushing from place to place.
When I am traveling, I like to have some days that are packed, because I do know that I may never make it back to that city to see everything I’ve always wanted to see there. However, I also make it a point to have one to three days in a week-long trip be minimally scheduled. Maybe I only schedule my meals (so I don’t go over budget on food) or maybe I schedule “time for a walk” or “time by the pool,” but I ensure that I leave abundant time for pure leisure so that I can be more open to discovery and appreciate my surroundings rather than clock-watching and rushing to catch the next bus or train to my next attraction. I find that because I have done this in the past, it leaves me open to trying new things I hadn’t thought of before arriving and I also tend to meet new people during this time. For example, last time I was in Las Vegas, I decided to go for a long walk up the strip. I got caught in the rain (yes, actual rain- in the dessert- and it was pouring!) so I stopped by Caesar’s and I ended up having a great time because I met someone else who was really into fitness and tech, so we ended up chatting for nearly an hour as the rain fell and people rushed around seeking shelter and transportation. We both preferred to wait it out rather than wait in line for a taxi.
Notice
Take time to notice and appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of your destination, and try to be fully present in the moment.
This is something I can definitely do better with, but one thing I do often enough is stand and smell the air. Every place smells different. It’s kind of beautiful. (Unless it’s not, and even then, at least it’s memorable- lookin at you, Matanza River, in Buenos Aires. Honestly, the irony of it being in “buenos aires“)
One of my favorite things to do when I spend time in a new place is to wake up with the sun and see what the sunrise looks like wherever I am. So far, Argentina is the winner. I was on the roof of my ex’s aunt’s house in Banfeld (a neighborhood in Buenos Aires) near the corner of Roma and Coronel Lynch street. And I could see its beauty. 5:30am. Of course, maybe I shouldn’t spend so much time staring at the sun, but we’re all gonna get cataracts eventually anyhow, so I might as well enjoy my life.
Use Your Senses
Use your senses to engage with the environment, such as by touching the bark of a tree or tasting a local delicacy.
This is a given. One of the greatest pleasures of traveling, and indeed of life is the tastes of different foods. My favorite food of all time was actually discovered while traveling. When I was in China, I discovered lotus root. It is delicious, sort of tastes like a water chestnut, but better. The lotus root is only in season for a short time every year, and the variety I had is actually an early harvest of the plant called “Ou Dai,” which translates to lotus belt and is a specialty of the province of Hubei, which makes complete sense because that is where I had it. Nearly every single day, since the day I first discovered it while I was there, I at least tried to order it. Sometimes it was available, sometimes it was sold out, but I always tried. I loved it. Had it as often as I could. It was about 8 kuai, which was a little over a dollar at the time. I know you didn’t ask, but my favorite beer was “Snow Beer,” and it was the most common one sold there. I wish I could have brought some home- same with the lotus root, I suppose, but at least you can find lotus root here. It’s impossible to find Snow Beer.
When I was in Argentina the first time, I was staying with my (now ex) boyfriend’s family and they went up the street to the carniceria to buy “meats” which was literally a bag of random meat from a cow. Every type of meat that wasn’t a specific cut was in there. Mostly things you wouldn’t think to eat necessarily like tongue, heart, and intestines. I had the intestines, they were actually pretty good! And I appreciated the new experience for what it was- plus it was cooked in the asado tradition (I hope I’m saying that right) and it was interesting to watch. It was a big stone barbecue and it looked a lot like these ones.
When I was in Paris, I was 15. I was with a group of other kids in my class, typically assigned two to a room, but I was by myself. The teachers kept a pretty close eye on us, but once everyone was sent to their respective rooms to go to sleep, of course, since I was alone I did not go to sleep. Instead, I left the hotel, and walked around Paris at night for a couple of hours. I still remember the lights and the noise of the big city, the street signs, the smell of the night air, the architecture of the old buildings, the windiness of the roads, and almost getting hit by a car while crossing the street. For whatever reason, no one noticed I had left, and I am grateful for the alone time I had while everyone else slept.
The point of all these experiences are the senses and the memories that are created and can be recalled with vivid detail whenever the notion strikes. Travel bestows upon us, many gifts, and one of those is the memories we create. And one great way to create them is to take the time to notice with all our senses everything that surrounds us.
Be Grateful
Practice gratitude and appreciation for the experiences and opportunities that traveling offers.
In the previous few paragraphs, I described some experiences that I had while traveling that involved my senses. I am grateful for all of those experiences. I have had many wonderful and exciting experiences while travelling and am very grateful for all of them- even the experiences that scared me.
For example, the second time I was in Argentina, and I was traveling alone. I met many friends, but on this occasion, I may have made an error in judgement… You see, I decided to take a ride with these 4 guys in their car, and maybe they drove kind of far out of the city of Mar Del Plata, which was where I was staying at the time. Anyways, we went back to their place, and we were hanging out, but then I kind of felt like they were surrounding me, so I made an excuse and got the heck out of there, but it was about 6pm and starting to get dark and I was pretty far out of town like I said. One thing about Mar Del Plata, is that it is a coastal city. And the shoreline is forever long. Thankfully, their place was kind of higher-ish on the elevation-side of things. So, because of the higher elevation, I was able to quickly find the shoreline, which, if followed for long enough, I would eventually find myself back in town. Unfortunately, it was a 30-minute drive, which was probably a 4.5 hour or longer walk. In that time, it would have gotten dark and more dangerous for a young, single, foreign, and at the time, blonde girl to be walking along a windy, mountainside road. Fortunately, and what probably saved my life, was that, within maybe 15 minutes of walking down this road I saw, and was able to flag down a taxi cab. Honestly, very shocking, since I imagine most of the business comes from the tourists, who frankly don’t and probably shouldn’t be wanting or needing to go into the mountain-y areas where a lot of the locals live. Anyways, I spent about a month here and definitely made friends, but did not make that same mistake again and kept my social activities to groups of one or two. I know it probably doesn’t make sense, but I’m grateful for that experience.
Also, because I spent so much time in Argentina, my Spanish got really decent. On my way back, I decided to stop in Miami for another week or two of vacation time. Unfortunately, my luggage was lost and I needed to visit the Lost Luggage counter in Miami. In front of me was a family of four whose luggage (shocking) was also lost. What was actually surprising to me was that the lady employed at the Miami airport Lost Luggage counter did not speak any Spanish at all. Seeing them struggling to be understood back and forth, I appointed myself interpreter and spent about 20 minutes going back and forth between the agent and this family on how they’d like to receive their luggage which had been lost, but was on its way to Miami via another flight. I told them they could come by later to pick it up, or they could tell the airport staff where they were staying and someone would drive it out to them. They chose to leave the address of the hotel at which they were staying and the luggage, I imagine was eventually reunited with them. I was very grateful that I had gotten a chance to use my Spanish in such a way that was so helpful and the family was grateful that I could help. The airline staffer couldn’t have given two fucks, but she moved swiftly on to assist me with my lost luggage.
Be Curious
Cultivate a sense of curiosity and openness to new experiences and people.
This is a point that many of you, if you’re reading this will already be conscious of, and indeed practicing. If you already have a high level of openness to new experiences and people, then it will not be much for you to try to turn it up a notch. However, if you’re not one of those people, this might be more difficult for you. If you’re someone who enjoys going somewhere, but staying on the resort and laying by the beach, in order to create more memories and increase levels of wellbeing and improve the relative enjoyment of travel you experience, I must recommend increasing your levels of openness to new experiences and people.
Easier said than done. If you’re not especially open to new people and experiences, you may not even realize that this can affect your enjoyment of travel. Even if you can only make it from not wanting to try a local delicacy to trying it and disliking it, that can impact your holistic experience of that trip, increase your confidence levels and improve your connection with others present.
Another way you can slowly improve your openness to experience is by attempting to learn a few key sentences from the language that is spoken natively where you’re headed. “Where is the bathroom?” is honestly so useful. Even though you’ll have a very thick accent, I’ve never visited a country where it wasn’t at least somewhat appreciated that I tried to speak their language. In many cases, not only was it appreciated, people were genuinely impressed. I experienced this once in France, and a few times in China. Having these types of experiences though, requires a small amount of cultural interest and time investment.
Openness and curiosity are intertwined. I promise you’ll enjoy your trips more if you attempt to cultivate a little more of both.
Practice Self Care
Take care of your physical and emotional well-being, such as by eating well, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.
What’s so funny about vacations is that while they’re supposed to be relaxing, calming, and fun, but often times, they can end up adding stress to our lives and we return from our time away with added stress instead of less.
I remember travelling back to Canada last February and after the added stress of having my rental car get a flat tire on the highway, I’ll never go back to Canada in the winter again unless I am able to drive there with my own car. It basically ruined my plans and I went back home with less energy than I had started my vacation with originally.
In order to prevent this lapse in energy, it would have helped me to use better stress management. I could have spent time talking to friends, instead of sitting in the car worrying that the tow would not arrive before I ran out of gas. I could have done a quick meditation- or even a long one- while I waited for the tow truck. Sometimes, flat tires can’t be prevented. But how you react to a situation can affect your mood and your energy levels for the rest of the trip. What else can you think of that I could have done to have a better reaction and better managed my stress levels during this difficult situation?
Of course, a vacation is not a vacation without some “fun foods.” And I think it’s necessary to indulge! You’re on vacation, afterall! But taking care to eat some healthy meals will keep your energy levels high and help you enjoy other aspects of your vacation. Same with sleep: We love to stay out late and enjoy the local nightlife, but getting adequate sleep is important to our general well-being and our ability to enjoy the trip as a whole. I can’t imagine being on vacation and being exhausted the entire time just because I thought it would be fun to stay out all night- every night.
Final thoughts on this are all about balance. Sometimes, stressful things will happen, but we need to manage our reactions to those stressors in order to move past them quickly and enjoy the rest of our vacation. Yes, sometimes we need to stay up all night and other times we need to try the double deep fried oreo, but we also need to take care of ourselves in all the usual ways even in unusual situations. Balance in all things.
Set aside time for quiet reflection or meditation, such as by sitting in a park or by the ocean.
This is something I could do better on, honestly. I made sure to make time for it on my last vacation when I went to Vegas and I spent time just reflecting, sitting alone, thinking, but I actually want to make it a daily or at least an alternate day practice. I took about 2 and a half hours, a sat alone, thinking at the spa, relaxing on the heated stone lounge chairs.
I think it’s important to make a point of slowing down- especially when things can seem so hurried rushing from place to place trying to make every reservation when on vacation in a new- and probably expensive- city.
Connect with others, such as by striking up a conversation with a local or sharing a meal with a fellow traveler.
This is seriously my favorite thing to do. In China, I tried to do it everywhere I went, although it could be difficult at times due to the language barrier. My Chinese was good, decent even, especially as the time in immersion grew longer, but I could still not have any in-depth conversations about any complex topics. Probably for the best, as much small talk is surface level, but it was a little overwhelming at times when I wasn’t able to express myself using the words I wanted to as I quickly thought in English and hastily translated to spoken Chinese. Regardless, some of the best memories I have from China include the locals I met and the interesting situations that came about from having met and gotten to know them. For example, there was this one restaurant/ bar called K798. Here are some photos we took in that bar.
Be Present
Enjoy the present moment and let go of any expectations or preconceived notions of what your trip should be like
Sometimes, we have this picture in our head of what our vacation is supposed to look like or feel like. This can cause cognitive dissonance when things don’t go our way- which happens all the time when travelling- and that causes stress, which can severely hamper our feelings of gratitude. Comparing what we thought our vacation would or should look like to what actually ends up happening can be disappointing and cause feelings of sadness and regret.
Fortunately, we can nip these in the bud by preparing for how we will react to setbacks. When travelling, it’s important to expect setbacks, plan for them as much as we can, but expect them and then plan for how we will react. For example, I have missed my flight in the past. For whatever reason, while leaving Las Vegas in 2012, I had booked myself on a 7am flight, but in my head, it was a 7pm flight. When I got to the airport at 5pm to catch my flight, my future husband carrying my luggage behind me, I realized my mistake and took charge. I changed my flight for a couple days later, paid the fee and decided to enjoy more time in Vegas. He once told me that the way I handled the problem was one of the main things that attracted him to me. He said I approached it with poise and determination. I think I handled it like a badass. Same thing.
I could have let that little setback ruin my good time. Honestly, I could have panicked or gotten angry with my past self- or even worse, the poor ticket counter lady who was just doing her job. But I didn’t. I fixed the problem the best I could, and I moved on. Sometimes, it’s difficult to focus on having a good time when things go wrong. But it’s the best thing to do- especially when things aren’t going your way. Another thing I can recommend is making friends with locals or other tourists when things go wrong. They’ll take your mind off things and help you live presently.
Take Photos
Taking photos can help you remember your travels and allow you to share your experiences with others.
Some of my most cherished photos are photos from trips I have taken. You never know what you’ll capture, what you may have missed or how beautiful that countryside really looked if you forget to take pictures along the way. While it’s important to remain in the moment, taking photos are an important tool to remember all the beautiful places you visited and people you met.
Go Local
Engage with the local culture: Talk to the locals, try the local food, and participate in local activities to get a deeper understanding of the place you are visiting.
This is one of my favorite tips! I love, love, LOVE meeting new people!! One of the best ways to figure out what is going on locally is to meet new people! You can ask them what the best restaurants are, and where the locals go to have a great evening out. For example, I live in Memphis, and all the guides will tell you that Beale street is the place to be, and frankly, sometimes it is. But, most locals will tell you that midtown has some amazing options food-wise and it’s very popular with the college students since it is closer to the University of Memphis and Rhodes College. I’m not sure how much cheaper it is, but there’s no fee to enter Madison Ave. in Memphis, but there is on Beale on weekends after dark.
So, talking to the locals, and making friends is literally one of my favorite things to do when I travel. You never know who you’ll meet- I’ve encountered some fascinating characters on the road- and you never know what you’ll learn. I specifically remember being in Shanghai and meeting this Hongkonger who spoke immaculate English (said he’d been seriously studying since grade-school) who helped me understand why it was so tough to find a taxi in Shanghai and walked me to an area where I could easily find one to drive me back to my hotel. Definitely gained some perspective plus he was really cool to talk to. Sure did swear a lot though 😂
I definitely feel grateful for every single friend I have met on my travels. There are kind, open-minded and helpful people everywhere in the world just waiting for you to find them!
Look for the unique and unusual: Seek out the local gems and hidden corners of a place rather than just visiting the tourist attractions.
This tip is not only good for your memories, appreciation and well-being, it’s also good for your wallet! A lot like the last tip but relying mostly on yourself to find these hidden gems, this tip can help you appreciate your own sense of wonder and curiosity. Explore. Get lost (okay, maybe not too lost). Try something new, something that’s not in the books. Experience a sense of adventure. Revel in the newness of everything that’s around you. Take a trip down the road less travelled. The novelty of the situations in which you’ll find yourself are sure to create memories that you’ll cherish forever.
Conclusion
Well that’s what I got for y’all today. It was a lot but it was fun to take a trip down memory lane. Do you have any tips for practicing mindfulness while traveling? I feel like it is more than just good practice for your mental health- it’s also a great way to create memories. If you’re 100% focussed on what is going on, then you’re more likely to commit it to memory. Photos are great- and they’re very important, which is why I recommend taking as many as you can, but reflection in the moment can be powerful. I hope you find yourself slowing down more often to take everything in while you’re on the go.
Happy Trails!