My Way to Travel

My way to travel - I know my travel habits all too well:

I let travel take over my life through its charms and momentum. I let it sooth me and replace my anxieties with new ideas and ways.
It's the movement that allows me to work out all the little problems in my subconscious.
I heal myself, while my conscious mind is infinitely entertained with travel's here and now: ancient castles, fish dinners in the moonlight, museums and narrow alley ways.
I work out my troubles quite easily through viewing crisp vistas and really scary driving situations (which are almost always easy to handle.)
Time slows down as I do more and feel more. I learn to like myself as I am and find people who agree with me.

You should learn to like yourself, too. Really...
The results are that I completely forget my troubles. (Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff.)
I realize there is a happier life in slowing down, being with people, and enjoying the cheap thrills of travel.
I'm even looking forward to retiring on the road and living in less expensive and very interesting places.

One's travel objectives should not only include running away from problems (always a good idea), but also running toward solutions that are constantly revealing themselves through travel.

It natural to feel nervous about getting on the road.
Sometimes travel can be scary.
KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. In fact, learn to lighten up and forgive yourself for doing a few stupid things.
Learn the power of the Open Question by asking the Locals or even an unbusy police officer.
Learn to listen. It's an Important Skill in Travel
Try to contrast the Old and the New in your surroundings.
I even come up with some unusual travel insights that are a little over the top.
In any case, find your own way to travel.

Here are some more travel tips and things to do while on the road.

Be a good guest when traveling abroad. A foreign country is someone else's home and we should respect it.
Relax and explore everything by taking a walk. It's cheap, exciting and prone to high adventure with little risk.
Try getting lost on a bus. I dare you! You can't get lost too much, you just return on the same bus.
Try changing course - Follow someone else's idea of a good trip.
Be sure to get enough exercise. The whole world is nothing but stairs and long, windy streets and sandy beaches.
Find new friendship on the road. It's the best gift you can give yourself.
Try interacting with children, especially if you're in a foreign land.
Americans are treated quite well in most places. Sometimes there are ugly incidents with a few people that insist on their and everyone's unhappiness. But that's actually rare.
What about Terrorism? What should you do?
Remember, after all, it's your vacation. Do things your way!
Find your own way to travel.

Swedish Mask Decoration on a Public Building.

I like to start adventures on the slimmest of pretenses, the slimmer the better. It's a great way to travel. This allows me to explore new vistas that I never knew existed.

I watch "Star Wars" then Monty Python's "Life of Brian," and I'm off to Tunisia where they were both filmed.
I get taken with "The French Lieutenant's Woman," and I'm hiking the seaside cliffs near Lime Regis, in southern England.
I see the Indiana Jones movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and I'm at the pyramids of Egypt.
I view Michael Palin's travel series "Pole to Pole," and I'm climbing the Torre Del Paine Mountains in Chili.
I rent "Crocodile Dundee," and I'm marching through the Australia's outback.
I watch "Lord of the Rings," and I'm sailing through the air in Queensland, New Zealand.

You get the point.

Take a chance. Find your own way to travel and go.

One's travel objectives should lead the way to travel. Note: the objectives will change as one relaxes and get into things.

For example, I go very fast in the first part of my trip to get rid of old psychological baggage and to calm down. It takes care of my need to do something.
Then I realize that it really doesn't matter what I do, it's all small stuff. So I slow down to stop on some forgotten beach, say in Portugal.
Then when I get bored and if I have time, I go on some big adventure, such as visiting Tunisia.

One objective for me is to visit more places. Emerging destinations create better opportunities for exposure to new ideas, cultures and people.

Old destinations can also be rediscovered. This leads to a genuine adventure and can be a whole lot of fun. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to Germany and been amazed. Each visit is new and different.

Rafting down the Dragon River near Yangshou, China.

Here are the some of the best budget national and international destinations:

North America: Go to any place in the US other than New York, LA or San Francisco. Canada and Mexico are great destinations. Try Quebec City or Montreal instead of Europe.
Western Europe Visit any country. Try to learn the language before you go. It will be expensive, but worth it.
South America: Argentina, Equator, Bolivia, and Peru are all inexpensive. Brazil is fantastic.
Central America: Panama, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua are great travel destinations. I can't wait to go.
Eastern Europe: Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, or Poland. I've been to all these places with lots of travel adventures.
Arab Destinations: Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, or Morocco. Have your life changed through the beauty of theses land and their generous people.
More Asia: For the truly exotic, visit Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, or Nepal. All takes time to understand and enjoy, but it's worth it.