We are 4 days into the New Year; some of us are still recovering from the mayhem that was 31st night. A lot of people have made resolutions regarding their personal and professional lives, where Travel seems to be gaining importance. There are 3 Travel Resolutions every traveller should follow this year.
1. Travel Solo
A lot of people I know want to travel, have adequate finances and time to do so but yet never end up taking that dream trip to Europe or Machhu Pichu. For lack of a travel companion(s). Year after year, they defer their travel plans in the hope that they will find someone to go with. If you are one of those people, I urge you to drop the fear and book yourself a ticket to your dream destination. It can be nerve wrecking, wondering about what to expect and how to get around a new place. Make preparations in advance and you will be fine. You will meet people there who will be happy to guide you; whether it’s your hotel, a café or a shop owner, or a fellow traveler you come across on a busy street. Who knows it might also be the start of a great friendship or a love affair!
I was very nervous myself on my first solo trip, but it just lasted for the first hour or so, after which I was busy exploring the city, with a map in hand.
2. Go to little known places
There is nothing more charming than staying at a quaint little cottage by the river in a remote New Zealand town or watching the sunrise over majestic Himalayas in a little known village, away from the crowds. There are way too many places that are waiting to be discovered, the world over. Websites like awayfromthecrowds.com in Spain, theroadlesstraveled.com in USA or indiauntravelled.com in India offer custom made packages to discover lesser known domestic and international destinations, helping you embrace and discover the vibrant culture of places you visit. So, bunk the crowds, make your own path and take the roads less travelled by.
3. Plan and check
Make sure to book flights, trains in advance as you are likely to get a much lower fare and guarantees your place, especially useful during the busy tourist season. Check with the airline at least a week in advance about any change in flight schedule. There are too many stories of people who have missed flights and had to dish out a huge sum for an alternative flight because they were unaware of the change in flight timings. Recently, a family of ten had a miraculous escape from the ill fated crash of Flight 8501 as they had missed the airline’s communication about change in flight schedule.
Travel Insurance is very important for international trips. All Schengen countries in Europe have a mandatory requirement for valid Travel Insurance, whenever applying for a visa. Make sure to get into the habit of purchasing adequate travel insurance for your trips as a lapse on your part can cost you a fortune in medical expenses abroad, should the need arise.
― Rumi
