Have you been bitten by the travel bug lately? Noticed how it’s slowly changing your life? 2018 saw me making frequent trips throughout the year, mostly over the weekends, and here’s what I learned when you make travelling a big part of your lifestyle. I’m so glad to be bringing these new habits/skills into the new decade!
Your luggage becomes a permanent fixture on your bedroom floor
If you’re anything like me and take forever to fully unpack when you’re back from a trip, you’ll soon find that sometimes it’s just easier to leave your luggage there until it’s time to travel again. Why waste the time storing it away when you’re only going to need it again soon?
You become a packing expert
On the same vein, you’re now less stressed out about packing for a trip, and you know which outfits work best for you when you travel. You also instinctively know the essentials you need for certain locations. That, however, doesn’t mean that you won’t forget to bring something. It happens to the best of us.
You gain prediction powers
Your status as a seasoned traveller makes you quick to notice less frequent travellers who might need more time to go through the procedures; you can mentally estimate how long it’ll take to get through security at the airport or cross the land border based on the line in front of you.
You stop buying souvenirs
When travelling becomes less of a novelty than it used to be, I found that I no longer feel the need to hunt for generic trinkets and t-shirts as keepsakes. When I do find myself buying some memento (for myself or others), I prefer to do so by supporting local brands and artisans. You should too.
You’re not worried that you won’t get to see it again
Part of the reason why I don’t feel like I need to immortalise my travel memories in souvenirs is that the more I travel, the more I’m confident that I’ll get a chance to revisit the place. Maybe not in the near future, but in the years or decades to come. Who knows?
You’ll literally see the world changing
And when you do visit the destination again after some time, you’ll be quick to notice what’s new and different from your last visit. We know the world is constantly evolving, but as a traveller, you’re more likely to spot these changes right away compared to someone who lives there.
Here’s what you need to know to travel like a pro in the era of wanderlusters:
10 Travel Tips Frequent Travellers Swear By
You get comfortable with your travel preferences
Everyone has a different travelling style and you’ll discover what yours is after travelling regularly. It’s totally okay if you want to spend months in one city or cram as many countries as possible into that month. It’s also okay to say that dormitories and shared bathrooms are just not your thing. You don’t owe anyone an explanation on how you choose to travel.
You’ll get all sorts of questions
You’ll get your hometown friends asking, “Are you in town?” or comments on your social media posts wondering, “When was this photo taken?” You’ll hear people say “You’re not always here” either as an excuse for not connecting with you or as a genuinely concerned comment on how they think you move around too much.
You might forget where you actually are
I once stood in line for some McFlurry only to realise the seasonal flavour I wanted wasn’t being offered in my city. It was like I momentarily lost my bearings over ice cream. This is bound to happen if you regularly travel to the same location over a short period of time.
Still, I’m not complaining. The privilege of getting to travel, frequently or occasionally, is not lost on me. And it’s something I will always treasure.
