My Favorite Way to Travel (HINT: See All of the Things)
My Favorite Way to Travel (HINT: See All of the Things)
Recently, I came across a quote by Nikki Rowe that read:
“There's only one place I want to go and it's to all the places I've never been.”
In an instant, I identified with this in my travel plans. There are SO many places I want to visit and when I finally decide on a location and start to map out my itinerary, the list of places to explore accumulates. This is the main reason I have a hard time taking trips that last only a week; I want to see ALL of the things.
When I set out to research a location that I have my heart set on, I typically learn about another location that’s somewhat nearby. This sort of snowball effect happens and by the time I’m done researching the area (and the surrounding area x100), I have no choice but to fly into one location and out of another. This is not a big deal at all and now my preferred method of travel.
Normally, my trips are anywhere from 7-14 days and a few hours of driving is required on approximately half of them. I love national parks and any place that’s scenic usually translates to remote locations, so some extra driving is required. I don’t want the itinerary to be too busy to allow any leisure or downtime because I do believe slowing down and checking in should be a top priority for a getaway. However, exploring is my favorite way to relax. Being outside with nature or spending an afternoon discovering a new city feeds my adventurous soul while also taking my mind away from all of the things that are currently stressing me out. I also enjoy being humbled by the reminder that I’m a small part of an incredibly large world. It puts things into perspective and takes some of the self-inflicted pressure off.
Before I start creating my itinerary, I set a budget for time and money. The time budget is my least favorite. It’s normally restricted to work commitments and responsibilities and as you know, adulting can be hard ;) Isn’t it the worst to have to tell yourself “no”? When my itinerary starts to go over my time budget, I make the (very hard) decision to cut some areas and excursions. Usually I call in reinforcements (meaning my husband.) I basically give a sales pitch about why we need more time and when he shoots me down, I dramatically explain, “ok then you decide where we’re not going.” He normally has zero problems with this task and when I’m left with a new draft of my itinerary, I make the final decision of either postponing the trip until I have more time to see all of the things or living without exploring some of my previously mapped out plans.
Totally a first world problem, am I right? I always remind myself of this and how grateful I should be to even have the means to travel in the first place. Then I simply move on with my life.
Am I the only one that wants to see all of the things when travelling? Crossing my fingers that I’m not alone and I love helping you plan your dream vacations!
Images by Personal Branding Maven Elise Kutt at Mod Bettie Portraits
My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.
I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things. Though we desire adventure and authentic experiences, naturally our fear holds us back.
My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.
Anna VanAgtmael | Yoga Enthusiast | Travel Designer