As a quick review, below are the top 4 important factors when planning your travels.
In order of importance:
This article is about the theme of your travels, which is likely where you started. It’s your dream and what is fueling your steps of action to make your adventure real. However, I rank the theme of your adventure/travels as the fourth factor because health, weather and money are the most important factors to guarantee you survive unexpected situations. As many wise people have said through the ages.
Expect the unexpected.
Planning your travel themes
Here are some tips on how to plan your theme. It can be really fun. A lot of people, plan their travels as part of their business. Do you love wine? Well, why not travel to the world’s vineyards and write a book. Now your travels become tax deductible. I’m not recommending this, and it is NOT what I did, but it is possible.
- Frame of mind — You can find an adventure in your own backyard if you have eyes of wonder. In fact, everyone you meet is a new adventure. So, you really need not go anywhere or do anything unless you have the true passion. In other words, why are you doing it? What is your goal? Also, your adventure won’t be perfect, it’s not supposed to be. Don’t set absolute goals. Allow room for mystery. Sometimes “misfortune” will be your greatest door to a new adventure, one so great you couldn’t have possibly imagined it.
- Trip Theme — One of the most important things you could do is give your trip a theme. How do you want to frame your adventure? What is the greater purpose or goal? Do you want to discover something, like what is the world’s best beer? Prove something, like are people good or bad? Explore something, like visiting the historic monuments of Eastern Europe? The theme of my trip, which would turn into my book Falling Uphill, was essentially: What is the meaning of life and is that the secret of happiness?
- Fear Factor — The more foreign to your experience (belief system) the more difficult your travels will be in the short run, but the more rewarding you’ll find your travels in the long run. For example, what is the scariest, yet most exciting, travel destination you can imagine? I don’t recommend a war zone, but neither do I recommend something too easy, like a beach vacation.
Here a few more in-depth articles I wrote about travel themes.
Do you have any ideas? Let me know in the comments below and I will add them to the list.
