Have you ever felt torn between how things are ‘supposed’ to be done and your lived experience? The traditions of travel have evolved; today, people choose to travel in a way that reflects their personalities, dreams and values instead of more traditional routes or short term travel. More young people are choosing to spend their early adulthood money and time on travel, delaying decisions such as buying homes, getting married, or waiting for a family.
The comfort of the familiar
Often when people travel, they try to pack lightly, knowing they’ll have to carry everything, but usually certain home comforts find their way into your bags. Many travellers take some personal objects to maintain a routine like that which they are used to, rather than just creating new ones from scratch. Laptops, pillows, water filters and even gym items like resistance bands are all becoming ‘essential’ in travellers’ bags to give them the benefit of feeling at home while in a completely different location.
Blending Lifestyle to New Locations & People
When you meet or travel with people from different cultural backgrounds, you face the creative challenge of merging two sets of experiences. This can be as simple as eating at different times or approaching days differently; some people love to be active, and others enjoy taking each day at a slower pace. Because you are already in a new environment, these situations can feel unsettling, and knowing your own routine or comforts can be especially valuable for your comfort.
You might try mixing a local traditional recipe with your own family’s traditional eating on the beach picnic. Or it could be that you’re from the country and travelling has taken you to a city which throws up some homesickness, so you plan a day trip out of the city or cut the city part of your trip short.
But if you are travelling with a long-term partner, then you likely are used to making some compromises and have found a rhythm that works for you as a pair; having someone from home with you will always make keeping to routines easier. If the travel is long term or once in a lifetime, it could even be the trip you both dreamed of as a couple; you’ll need to find a routine which keeps you feeling your best. Therefore, you’ll naturally fall into routines similar to those at home. Trips like these allow for opportunities to propose, marking a moment in which shared routine or habits take on a greater meaning.
These moments often reflect how well you and your partner know each other and see how you reflect your partner. When you look for wedding bands, for example, someone with an active lifestyle would prefer to choose durable, low-profile settings that won’t snag during a weekend hike. Matching metals or engraving a private joke inside the band reflects your shared journey.
Creating Habits that Fit with Regular Travel
A key factor in an ability to maintain routines while travelling is to already have habits in place. Focus on small, easy habit moments rather than grand habits which require equipment or planning ahead. A regular Sunday morning walk to a local café, for instance, is a simple habit that can be recreated no matter the location; a wander around to find a café will also help you settle into the local area. You will find that if you have easily repeated habits, you’ll be able to ease any travel tension.
Choose activities and habits that genuinely match your enjoyments or interests so you don’t end up spending time on attempting to keep up with habits which make you feel bored or are hard to sustain in a new environment.
Allowing Flexibility Dependant on Location
Another factor in building routines is to remember that what worked when you were younger (and probably had endless energy) may not quite work for you as you get older and find yourself needing a little more rest and recovery. For instance, a 2-week tour around Italy with nonstop plans might have been great in your early 20s, but you may find that now that just makes you desperate for home. Having some days where you just go with how you feel and at a slower pace will allow you to relax and feel more comfortable.
Embracing this flexibility prevents your travels from becoming chores, ensuring they remain a source of connection. You and your travel partner, if you have one, will thrive when you create a life and travel plan that fits your reality rather than one that follows other people’s expectations. By being authentic and being clear about what you want from the trip, you ensure you can have a sustainable trip which is enjoyable, rather than counting down the days until you can return to routine.
