When people travel, a lot of things happen mentally. Some people are riddled with anxiety, some are so excited they can’t contain themselves, and others plan every single step to maximize their time in the new destination. It’s important to understand who you are as a traveler.
Knowing this about yourself will allow you to pack, plan, and prioritize in a way that elevates the experience.
In order to figure out what kind of traveler you are, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the act of travel (flight, train, drive, etc.) excite you, or is it just a means to get somewhere else?
- Are you a pack rat? Are you more comfortable with as many of your possessions as possible, or is travel a chance to shed your material things?
- In a new destination, do you feel upset when you don’t hit the key sites, or do you prefer a more “let’s see what happens” approach?
- Do you plan on meeting a lot of new people when you travel, or do you like to internally reflect on life when you’re out and about?
- What are your key activities? Museums? Shopping? Food?
There are no wrong answers to any of the questions above, and there are other questions that could be relevant to you. It’s important to be as honest as possible. If you’re somebody who prefers to lounge by pools, but you feel guilty and think you SHOULD see historical sites, forcing yourself to do so won’t provide you with a good trip. Maybe a balance is what you need.
Once you answer these questions, everything else falls into place. For example, I’ll answer the questions for myself.
- I love the act of travel (within reason). A new airline always excites me and I live for a road trip. This means that when I’m planning, I may look at car rentals and take my time getting somewhere. When on a new airline, I usually spend too much time reading reviews and researching plane layouts to get myself excited.
- I tend to pack efficiently, but also have un-worn clothes at the end of each trip. I know this about myself so tend to talk myself out of the extra two shirts. I also make a point of counting out the days I’ll be gone and think about what I’ll wear so I don’t overpack. It’s helped a lot.
- I used to think I needed to hit all the sites, and it would stress me out. If I didn’t get to a particular spot, I felt like I wasted the trip. This stress was annoying me, so I changed my mentality. I did that by telling myself that if I missed something it just provided an excuse to come back. Now I do a combination. I usually pick something I really must see, and then spend the rest of the time playing it by ear. This helps me feel less guilty if I spend an afternoon relaxing (which is often needed if on a long trip far away).
- I like meeting people, but I am definitely an introvert. It doesn’t come naturally, and I do love the internal dialogues I have with myself when traveling. I relish in being able to explore a new city by myself taking public transportation and feeling like I’m getting in step with my new destination. With that being said, I do try to push myself to meet people. My husband helps a lot with that as he’s a social butterfly, so it’s good to sometimes compliment yourself.
- I like so many activities, so this one is a bit harder. I love food, so that’s definitely the first thing I prioritize. Then I tend to look at city-wide tours to get a lay of the land. After that I have a good idea of what I want to do, and it usually consists of walking, modern art museums and quirky attractions. If in a tropical location, drinks on the beach are pretty key.
Now, after doing all that analysis, I feel comfortable really knowing what I want out of a trip. I pack and plan based on who I am and I don’t stress about what I should be doing or how I should be feeling.
The final thing – and maybe the most important – about this exercise is that it will also help you understand who a good travel companion will be. I can tell you from experience that there’s almost nothing worse than going on a trip and realizing you aren’t compatible with you travel partner. For instance, if they pack 3 suitcases for a weeklong trip and you don’t, you’ll have to wait for baggage and help them lug it all around. If they must see every museum and get mad at you for spending too long at a nice restaurant, it will make for a very uncomfortable trip.
Travel is incredible, and you can really maximize the experience by understanding who you are now. I specific now because travel will inevitably change you for the better. Who you are today won’t be who you are after a few trips under your belt. Know yourself, find yourself, grow and explore the world. It’s incredible.