The travel itch never stops, not even during a pandemic. If you can’t travel, then how do you scratch the itch? While it’s not as good as the actual vacation, thinking about future trips and how to become a better traveler while stuck at home can make you feel like you’re making progress towards your travel goals. Each trip in your planner might require different preparation and planning, so let’s take a look at some of the best ways for you to better your travel skills.
Fill Out a Planner
Though you may not want to purchase any attraction tickets right now—because who knows when you’d be able to use it?—you can still write down all the things that you plan to do during your future trip. If it makes you excited, get artsy with the schedule. Write in the style of a bullet journal for the days that you plan on being away. If you don’t excel at arts and crafts, a plain, easy-to-read, organized journal will do. Write out how you want to spend each day, with free time written into the schedule as well. Resting while on vacation is important if you don’t want to burn yourself out!
You may prefer detailing exactly how much time you want to spend at attractions or activities, but if not, then having a rough idea of what you want to do each day will work just as fine. Research each activity to see if it requires extra travel distance or additional fees, and be sure to add that into your notes.
Start Learning a New Language
If you have plans to travel abroad, you may need to know the basics of the national language of the country you’ll be visiting. If there are several popular languages, do some digging to figure out the most common one. Often, especially if you are going to a tourist-reliant city, you will only need to know the basics to stay afloat when abroad. Many popular tourist destinations will have signs and documents that include translations in several languages, often including English. Knowing the local language, or at least the basics, will make you seem less like a tourist and more like a resident, which can improve the level of service you receive or even get you into more hidden attractions.
There are plenty of phone apps that allow you to learn a new word a day, so it’s never too late to try to pick up a new language. Learning the basics of a destination’s language through an app is a great way to become a better traveler while stuck at home.
Make a List of Future Trips
Even if they seem like distant dreams, keeping a list of the places you’d like to go will help motivate you. Keeping a travel bucket list can give you ideas for what to plan for in the future and what skills you may need to learn before you go—like languages or local etiquette and customs. This list may change over time, and that’s okay!
