Joy and happiness is found in simple things and in experiences, where you forget your worries and you enjoy the moment. Travel is the perfect time to do that and also step outside your comfort zone, explore new approaches and form new habits. Below are some tips to push your limits and cultivate more joy during your trip.
1. Get familiar with the food story of each place
Food reflects the culinary culture of its civilisation, and it is also a great delight. Learn the ingredients, products, recipes, techniques and traditions that make a cuisine special, and taste all dishes in traditional, local restaurants.
2. Add new experiences in your calendar
Having new experiences is the ultimate goal of each trip. Each destination has many things to offer to you, and you should take the most out of it, if you want to feel happy and complete, when you return back home.
3. Be flexible
Flexibility is everything, when travelling alone or with company. Don't waste your energy trying to convince the others to follow your program or trying to find a solution for every problem because you want things to be exactly as you have imagined. Feel free, reschedule the program and do things you have not thought about.
4. Don't take too many photos
We understand you. You want to take as many photos as you can in order to catch the moment and have every detail of your trip in your camera and your computer. But the thing is that the camera can't see better than your eyes and can't feel deeper than your heart. By trying to photograph everything, you miss the magic of the moment that can easily be imprinted in your mind.
5. Connect with other people
The best way to know the culture and the mentality of each country is to speak with local people and make friends, if possible. If you travel solo, it may be easy to meet new people, but if you travel with your friends, your other-half or your family, you can also have the opportunity to get a little closer to local people. Introduce yourself to an elderly person, speak with the other tenants of your hotel or hostel, or just discuss with a cute guy you have met on a bar.
6. Lose yourself in the music
Music is, together with food, another essential part of each place's culture. Turn on the radio and find local stations, visit a bar or a live stage with local music, and try to understand how the music is connected to the mentality of the country.