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7 Reasons Why Travel Can Give you More Inner Peace by Joe Metcalfe

travel feel peace

Do you feel stressed at your day job?  Do you feel this sense of “tolerable anxiety” sometimes?  Maybe it’s because you know deep down you’re not following the desire to travel the world, not following that fire inside your heart and soul that’s telling you to buy that one-way ticket.

Or maybe, you’ve already made the leap of faith.  You’ve taken the time off to do some long-term traveling.  You’re feeling excited, but also a little nervous and stressed out about traveling abroad in foreign, unknown lands.

For many people, this is a reality, whether traveling or not (as it applies to the fears and challenges of everyday life).

It doesn’t have to be!!

I’m here today to show you how budget travel can give you more inner peace and less stress in your life.

I’ve been in your shoes, in both of those scenarios.  I was stuck in a job that wasn’t fulfilling and yearning for something more in my life.  I also understand what it’s like to be the nervous traveler, afraid of the uncertainty that comes along with living on a budget and long term traveling.

My name is Joe Metcalfe.  I’ve been backpacking and traveling around the world for the last 18 months.  I quit my job of 11 years in real estate back in October of 2015.  I sold most of my worldly possessions, and bought a one-way ticket to South America, and haven’t looked back since.

I went from stressed out business guy always chasing “material success” to a traveling author, but more importantly someone who started prioritizing inner peace in life.  And travel was big reason why I moved into this direction.

Let’s get into how traveling has given me more inner peace and less stress:

1.Travel gives you the ability to unplug and can alleviate burnout. 

Burnout occurs when we put so much pressure on ourselves to produce results, whether that’s for work, or it could even be within relationships.

Traveling is introspection.  It gave me space to look at my work and life priorities.  It slowed me down.  I thought about my potential doing other things (which was writing for me).  Travel allowed me to reflect in a deeper, real way that I couldn’t have done in my busy, “material success” driven lifestyle.

Even if you are just traveling short-term (a couple weeks to a couple months) and returning back to the same job, it’s an amazing way to recharge the batteries.  You will gain many new perspectives to bring back to your job and life at home.

2. You learn to keep things simple and live with less.  

Life is peaceful when it’s simple.

Even if you are coming back home after few weeks or a few months, you learn to live with less in your everyday life.  You might find that you don’t need as many household items.  You might realize you don’t need to own two cars.

It might translate into what I like to call a “career minimalist.”  Not in a sense of lacking work ethic, but by simplifying things at work.  Through the travel mentality of living with less, you start to eliminate all the unnecessary gossip at work, or figure out ways to ask your boss to eliminate the responsibilities that aren’t your highest and best use.

3. You realize you don’t need all the luxuries anymore.  

When you’re traveling on a budget, you have to sacrifice some luxuries.  I’ve lived in hostels for a good portion of the last 18 months.  I was hesitant at first, but I quickly learned it’s not as bad as it seems.

For one, you appreciate the luxuries much more when you do treat yourself.  Also, I’ve made amazing connections and relationships with people from all over the world by staying in hostels.

Things might not always go your way.  If you’ve trained yourself to be uncomfortable sometimes you have a higher tolerance for “tough luck.”  When external events don’t go your way you don’t seem to mind, and you’re off on the next adventure.

4. It will ingrain a stronger sense of gratitude.  

You may see some countries that are beautiful, but also have a lot of poverty.  This will keep you humble and keep you grateful for the things you do have.  Gratitude equals peace of mind.

5. It will promote no complaining in your life.  

This is closely related to #4.  If I am seeing what other people are going through in poorer countries, and I come back home to the United States, I shouldn’t be complaining about the traffic, or another petty problem.

I try to be aware of this and catch myself complaining.  I’ve heard the phrase, complaining is draining.  It’s so true.  I have more peace in my life when I’m not complaining.

6. Traveling to a new country and seeing a new culture is like learning a new philosophy.

  Each country has its own customs and philosophies.  If you become aware of these philosophies, they can benefit you.  While I was living in Vietnam (a predominantly Buddhist country) for 6 months, I noticed Vietnam to be a “yielding culture.”

They were very friendly and I didn’t get the sense of confrontation among the people.  In fact, I witnessed a minor motorcycle accident between two people, and there was no hostility or fault finding, but a general concern for one another.

If you have an open mind, these cultures/philosophies become a part of your inner being.  I am working to adopt a more accepting, yielding and nonreactive sense of self, which is emphasized in the Vietnamese culture.

7. Traveling helps you live with fear.

Notice I didn’t say overcome ?  That’s because fear doesn’t go away.  I realized this, but I also realized I don’t go away either.  I can live with fear.  You can too.

I was so afraid to quit my job before traveling.  I felt guilty leaving a good boss and good company behind.  I was uncertain about the safety of traveling in “third world” countries.  I brooded, I toiled.  It was agony.  Indecision and fear followed me around like my shadow on a sunny day.

When I finally made the decision to quit my job, I realized all those fears were laughable.  They were illusions.  My boss supported and even embraced my decision.   Traveling overseas has been nothing but pleasant experiences with people from many different countries.

Learning to live with fear, and experiencing that fear is just an illusion will give you more inner peace and less stress in your life.

So remember when you are making that decision to travel, you are actually making a decision to invest in your own inner peace, which is the best investment you can ever make in your life.

Joe Metcalfe is the author of The Inner Peace Experiment . He’s been traveling around the world for the last 18 months. He’s traveled through South America and Vietnam, and he plans to explore Italy and India for the rest of the year.

Joe was in real estate investing and sales for 11 years before quitting his job to travel. He’s been writing on his personal blog, joemetcalfe.net for over five years where he strives to help others through his writing. He writes about his adventures not only in travel, but also self-improvement, mindfulness, and ways to overcome stress to find more inner peace.

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  • Healthy Mind

Travel For Inner Peace: Simple but Complete Guide

Travel for  Inner peace and Happiness . Our day-to-day life, job, and responsibilities become very tiresome with time. That time meditation or yoga also might not help us properly. That time we feel like running away from the mundane, noisy, and hectic life. Travelling introduces us to new cultures. We experience their lifestyle and perspectives. It helps build quality of acceptance and the ability to see positivity and goodness in a different situation or fellow travellers.

Travelling builds Self Confidence.

It builds self-confidence and creates a positive vibe of freedom, which makes a positive mind. Our social nature improves along with bonding with people of different backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicity. This helps to understand and appreciate others’ cultures and our culture, the differences between the two, and how united and diversified we are. Thus, travelling provides us with a top-notch learning experience.

Travel for Inner Peace

travel for inner peace

Travelling  gives us peace and calmness. It provides us with whole new experiences and different perspectives on life. When we step out of our comfort zone, our journey toward the unknown allows our minds to grow and gain knowledge. Someone rightly said, “The more you travel this world, the more you see within you.”

Changes you and challenges you- travel for inner peace.

We are introduced to different cultures, traditions, ways of life, and different lives of other people. It changes you and challenges you at the same time. Your perspective towards life is altered, freeing you from the chains that bind you from behind.

Unwinding ourselves – travel for inner peace

Travelling unwinds us. It separates us from everyday chaos. It clears clear our minds and allows us to be ourselves again. We can go to places such as hill stations and beaches wherever we like, making us peaceful. Travel for inner peace.

Change of Perspective – travel for inner peace

It fills you with positive energy, which is not just physical but mental as well. It gives us a sense of freedom and joy. Travelling lets us try something new that we might not have imagined doing. It brings novelty to our life, and we start to look at things and understand them differently.

Moving On in the life – travel for inner peace

travel for inner peace

Depression comes from our past events. Like a memory card travelling formats the old data and allows us to add new memories. It helps to combat depression. It makes us feel refreshed. Travelling opens up our minds and brings us peace. We realise how petty our problems are when we meet local people and get to know their lifestyles and hardship. We feel empowered and move on quickly.

Accepting ourselves – travel for inner peace

Travelling helps us to explore our strengths and weaknesses. We find our creative self, which allows us to boost our self-confidence and makes us stronger. We start accepting ourselves the way we are and the others. Our self-oriented lifestyle makes us aloof and ungrateful for what we have. Travelling, meeting people, and sharing, teach us the importance of other people in our lives and bring gratitude to us.

Finding Our True Self

When we travel, we meet strangers we don’t know and might never meet again. It helps you to open up and be yourself. We can remove the mask (not the covid N95 mask) we carry to be someone else. We can be our true selves and open up fully as we might not see them again, and as they don’t know us, they won’t judge us.

travel for inner peace

Meditate with Nature

We meditate at home or meditation centre. But travelling helps us to meditate in the lap of nature. It gives us inner strength and immense peace of mind.

Beautiful Memories Bring Happiness – travel for inner peace

Beautiful memories bring happiness , and travelling helps us make many beautiful memories. Even a long time after returning from travel, looking back on those memories through photos or videos or just remembering them makes us happy.

Spreading Joy and Happiness

People who travel a lot tend to be more satisfied with their well-being. The new things we discover make us feel excited, and we become happy. It gives us a sense of accomplishment. As told earlier, it refreshes us and provides us joy and happiness. 

Boosts Creativity- travel for inner peace

Travelling provides us with innovative ideas. After returning home, these creative ideas boost our creativity. Scientific studies and social experiments show us that travelling is connected to levels of creativity and cognition.

So, whenever possible, travel. Travel for inner peace, travel to spread joy, travel to discover yourself, travel to combat depression and anxiety, and travel for happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions about Travelling for Inner Peace

Can travelling give you peace and happiness.

Travelling boosts your mental well-being. Travelling can make you happier as it builds self-confidence and provides new experiences and memories.

Why does travelling make us happy?

As per neuroscientists, travelling rewires our brains. New experiences during travelling build new neural pathways in the brain. It makes you more creative and able to accept new ideas. This is the reason behind travelling makes us happy.

travel for inner peace

Does travelling bring happiness?

Yes, it does. Frequent travel makes people happier. Not only actual travelling but talking about past travel experiences and planning for future trips also brings happiness.

Why is it so important to travel?

Travelling helps you get to know new people, their cultures, their values etc. These experiences help to make mutual understanding among people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

What is good about travelling?

Travelling takes you out of your daily monotonous routine. It gives new surroundings and experiences and resets your body and mind.

How does travelling affect your life?

Travelling improves your health, both mental and physical. Studies have found people who regularly travel generally suffer less from mental health illnesses. Also, physical activity based on the type of travelling improves your heart, lungs, and other bodily functions.

How does travelling affect your life and personality?

During your travel, you embark on a journey where you meet new people, experience their cultures, get to know new things and find adventures, good and bad. These will help you to redefine your meaning of life. Travelling thus reshapes you and makes you a well-rounded and better person.

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, June 29).  Travel . Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Travel&oldid=1095598647

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Five Ways that Travel Makes You More Empathetic

Posted by Candice Gaukel Andrews | May 25, 2021 | Travel Tips

Pixabay

By exposing us to different ways of living and navigating the world, travel has the potential to help us build empathy.

Empathy seems to be in short supply, lately. And it’s no surprise after all we’ve dealt with in the past two years: the coronavirus pandemic, economic insecurity, misinformation and racial injustice, to name just a few of the recent challenges we’ve all faced. Those stressors have led to soaring anxiety, depression and other psychological problems. It’s no wonder that many of us feel that no one cares about us anymore.

It’s natural that when we’re hurting or troubled that we’d like to feel that other people understand and are concerned about what we’re going through. But opportunities to give and receive empathy in the past several months have seemed almost nonexistent: preoccupation with struggles of their own makes other people seem indifferent. And decreased social interaction and online-only get-togethers aren’t the panaceas we’re craving.

Empathy is clearly on people’s minds more than in times past. Google searches for the word empathy reached an all-time high in September 2020.

travel feel peace

The world is slowly opening up, which means that we’ll be able to travel again soon—and benefit from the personal growth that travel inspires. ©Court Whelan

Now, the world is slowly opening up, which means that we’ll all be able to travel again soon. Why is that important? Because travel is one sure way to make us more empathetic.

How the word “empathy” is defined

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines empathy as “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts and experience of another.”

Being empathetic, then, is about openness; creating an opening in oneself to receive the feelings of another. Empathy requires suspending your judgment of others and leaving your assumptions, fears and stereotypes at the door.

travel feel peace

Experience is indispensable for developing empathy for others and their cultures. ©Sara Higgins

According to researchers, empathy is a trait that  can’t be taught. But it can be facilitated. And travel, it turns out, is one of the best ways to do it.

How travel encourages empathy

The way I see it, travel encourages empathy to take root in the following ways:

1. Travel takes you out of your everyday comfort zone and allows new experiences to stream in.

True understanding comes only through experience. Imagination is a powerful tool, but experience is essential. And travel is about having new experiences.

travel feel peace

When we travel, we make a pact with ourselves to be open. By doing that, we expose ourselves to impressions and sensory input that we might not otherwise register. ©Alek Komarnitsky

Travel forces us to escape the insulation of our comfort zones and to face new people and new situations in the real world, strengthening our ability to empathize with a broader range of people. When you agree to open yourself up to new experiences by making the decision to travel, you actively pursue understanding of the cultures and people in a new place.

While traveling, a heightened sense of observation and sensory registering allows new experiences and impressions to flow into your consciousness more freely.

2. Travel helps you see other points of view and feel them on a visceral level.

Being able to slip into another person’s shoes becomes a lot easier once you start traveling. When you start to interact with people who do things quite differently than you do, you’ve got two choices: assume that these people are wrong and that your way is right, or try and imagine their points of view and develop some empathy as to why they do what they do.

travel feel peace

Stepping into another person’s shoes becomes a lot easier once you start traveling—and shows you that there are alternative ways of doing things. ©Tricia Brennan/Sara Raby

When you travel and experience other cultures, the fact that different doesn’t mean wrong becomes much clearer. Typically, when you travel, you’re on a vacation with the intent to enjoy yourself. Under that circumstance, it seems easier to have appreciation for different viewpoints, rather than the typical hostile arguments that might develop back home over trivial differences of opinion.

Empathy is tied to travel in another way: learning a new language and becoming bilingual—particularly early in life—has been shown to  increase our ability to empathize  by making it normal for our brain to switch between languages and, therefore, perspectives.

As author David Mura writes in his 2018 book A Stranger’s Journey: Race, Identity, and Narrative Craft in Writing,   “We are not all-knowing creatures. If we live in a village…we think our truth is the only truth; we think the way we see ourselves is the only way to see ourselves. But if a stranger walks into our village, or if we…walk into a village of strangers, we are suddenly aware that there are other ways of looking at the world; there are other ways of looking at ourselves, at who we are, at our place in the world, at the ways we identify ourselves.”

travel feel peace

Listening to and connecting with the feelings and stories of others—especially those different from your own—not only enriches your experience at hand but enhances your empathy. ©Natural Habitat Safaris

3. Travel makes you—and others—more authentic.

When you listen to others and then reflect back to them your best understanding of what they said, you build an emotional bond with them. You know yourself that when you feel that someone is really listening to you—attempting to understand not only what you are saying, but also the feelings behind the words you are using to convey them—you can’t help but feel kindly toward them. This attachment reinforces trust.

While traveling, this yields two great benefits. It invites people to be fully genuine, open and real with you, rather than to play roles, thereby encouraging greater individual authenticity. When others feel comfortable sharing themselves, we’re motivated to share even more in return. As a consequence, more authentic experiences—including some that will remain with you throughout your life—emerge and empathy grows.

4. Travel helps you recognize that you’re in a good situation, building empathy toward others.

Here’s a fact: if you’re lucky enough to be traveling—even if you’re on a small budget—you are one of the most privileged people in the world. On your travels, you’re likely to encounter people who will never, ever have the chance to hop on a plane and travel somewhere, and others who will never even understand that this is possible.

travel feel peace

When others feel comfortable sharing themselves with you, you feel like sharing more in return. That’s how authentic experiences emerge and empathy grows. ©Mussi Katz, flickr

Remembering that is a key component of empathy.

5. Travel facilitates altruism and philanthropy.

Travel encourages altruism, which is a sister to empathy.

Many travelers today hope that their journeys will in some way benefit the people and lands they visit. But how can you expect to help others if you don’t first seek to understand who they are and what it is that they truly need? If you expect to make some lasting impact, you must first tune into the needs of individuals and communities and ditch your assumption that you know what is best.

travel feel peace

Being empathetic means that you realize that local people are the final and true experts in their own circumstances. Listen to them. ©Eric Rock

Many international volunteer programs fail because outsiders come in, usually from countries with more privilege, assuming that they know what the local community needs, instead of listening to the people who live there and taking the time to understand without judgment the local context and perspective.

By actively listening to the beneficiaries or stakeholders in your work, however—in other words, by employing empathy—you can better deliver what the community needs and wants. You’ll also be showing the local people respect by treating them as the experts regarding their own circumstances.

How travel is a “leaving,” in more than one sense

Travel writer Anthony Bourdain once said, “The journey changes you. It should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, your consciousness, your heart and on your body. You take something with you and, hopefully, you leave something good behind.”

Pixabay

Travel pulls us out of our own “cultural bubbles” and gives us the space to feel empathy for others. After the year we’ve just had, it’s what we need now.

That “leaving” of something good may be a small connection with another human being. A moment of empathy.

After the year we had in 2020, it’s just what we need.

Here’s to finding your true places and natural habitats,

About The Author

Candice Gaukel Andrews

Candice Gaukel Andrews

A multiple award-winning author and writer specializing in nature-travel topics and environmental issues, Candice has traveled around the world, from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica, and from New Zealand to Scotland's far northern, remote regions. Her assignments have been equally diverse, from covering Alaska’s Yukon Quest dogsled race to writing a history of the Galapagos Islands to describing and photographing the national snow-sculpting competition in her former home state of Wisconsin. In addition to being a five-time book author, Candice's work has also appeared in several national and international publications, such as "The Huffington Post" and "Outside Magazine Online."

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Safe Travels: 20 TIPS for Peace of Mind As You Travel Solo or with Others

For many of you, the thought of traveling, whether it is across the country OR overseas, gives you a feeling of trepidation. Travel CAN be overwhelming—enough to keep you grounded—especially if you are traveling solo.

To ease YOUR mind (whether you are traveling solo, with your family, or in a group), discover practical advice for safe travels with tried and tested information; I include tips, research, and lessons Chris and I have learned through trial and error. Your trip should be as smooth, problem-free, and uncomplicated as possible. You can do it. Let’s get started.

My goal is to inspire YOU to live out your travel dreams, instill confidence as you begin your adventures, ensure peace of mind as you travel, and encourage you to explore the world.

Safe Travels: 20 Tips for Peace of Mind as You Travel

For years, Chris has been traveling solo for work and making it look easy. And I suppose that is part of his success—the more he does it, the better he becomes. He has streamlined his travel so that he knows exactly how much time he needs to get to an airport gate and how to have a safe travel experience. Chris has encouraged me to travel solo as well to meet up with him in destinations such as Italy , France , and London . 

My advice? Embrace life. Don’t give up on or put off your travel dreams simply because travel is unknown or that you don’t want to go alone. Many solo travelers have safe travel adventures and LOVE seeing the world on their own schedule. Discover your inner adventurer and have peace of mind while traveling.

These tips are not a guarantee of safety. Bad things sometimes do happen. Be situationally aware and use common sense. Ensure safe travels with goals to have fun and memorable experiences.

1. Be Confident

One of the amazing things about my husband, Chris, is that being a cheerleader is his superpower . When I am feeling less than confident, he always says to me, “Own it.”

As you plan the logistics to have a safe travel adventure, be confident as you embrace your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses. Confidently step out of your comfort zone. I once paraglided off of Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland and that was a huge "leap" for me!

2. Create Travel Habits for Safe Travels

Create and follow habits so you remember to gather all of your belongings, are aware of your surroundings, and make smart decisions.

When you veer from your travel habits, maybe due to exhaustion or a busy schedule, you begin to make mistakes. Like forgetting your iPad in the seat pocket of the airplane.

Pro Tip * As you sightsee throughout your vacation, create a travel habit of making sure your backpack is always in contact with your body (ie., on your back, on your chest, or between your feet when you are seated and your back needs a break).

3. Do Your Research for Stress-Free Travel

When you fly to a new destination, be prepared by doing research in advance. Know how much it should cost to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel. Determine the best place to rent a car, pick the safest plazas, and read the reviews on the most reputable tour companies.

Plan ahead to know which train or subway to take, where to get off, or how far it is to walk to get to your hotel.

Be sure to read reviews from a variety of different sources if you can for hotels, rentals, excursions, hikes and destinations. Some companies, cough "Airbnb!", do not always post negative comments on their site. We know because we gave a bad review once and it never showed up!

4. Follow Your Intuition and Practice Situational Awareness

Photo credit: rossandhelen/DepositPhotos

Whether you are enjoying the benefits of solo travel or are exploring the world with family or friends, practice situational awareness for added peace of mind while traveling. What can you do to practice situational awareness?

  • Keep your hand on your valuables in crowded areas.
  • If you are traveling in a group, learn to keep an eye on each other.
  • If you are on a subway or tram, keep your bags close to you. Turn your backpack around and wear it in front.
  • Don’t keep anything valuable in an outer pocket of your backpack, purse, or carry-on.
  • Wear your wallet in your front pocket.
  • Wear a crossbody bag or something similar to hold cash, your phone and other essentials.
  • Be discreet with your money and valuables.
  • Don't keep wallets, phones, or cash handy for the convenience.
  • Use the in-room safe in your hotel.
  • Keep a copy of your passport and itinerary in a secure app online.
  • "Mind the gap" and other traffic warnings, especially in countries where they drive on the other side of the road .
  • Carry only enough money for the day.
  • Disperse credit cards and money to more than one person if traveling with a group.
  • Keep one credit card in a separate place (store in the hotel safe when you are out and about).
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Don't be an obnoxious tourist.
  • If it doesn’t feel right, use common sense and don’t do it or simply leave. This is wise advice whether you are on your own or with a group. 

5. Stick to Public Places

You may have more flexibility with this during the daylight hours, but even then you need to use common sense. When it is dark, especially when traveling solo, you should be extra cautious. If you aren’t comfortable being out alone in the evening, book a room with a balcony so you can still enjoy the nightlife.

6. Try to Blend In

Wearing your Mickey Mouse ears, sporting a Where's Waldo outfit, or walking around with a guidebook in hand pretty much shouts "Tourist!" Whether you are traveling on your own or with a group, try to be a little more subtle. Dress modestly as the locals do and be respectful of a country's dress standards.

7. If You Are Traveling SOLO Don’t Announce that You’re Alone

When asking for directions, suggest that you are planning to meet up with a friend or travel companion.

8. Leave Your Valuables at Home

Don’t flash expensive jewelry, purses, or clothing. Again, try to blend in. Don't make yourself a target.

9. Keep in Touch with Family and Friends and Let Them Know Your Location

This is a good rule of thumb for all travelers for increased peace of mind while traveling. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends and check in regularly.

Pro Tip * Give your mom peace of mind as you travel! She wants to know that you have a safe travel experience planned.

10. Register with STEP

It is important to register with STEP ( Smart Traveler Enrollment Program ) with the State Department to receive important information about safety conditions. It will also help your family as well as the US Embassy if they need to contact you in an emergency. (Again, your mom needs the peace of mind as you travel!)

11. Plan your Arrivals and Departures During the Day

For safe travels throughout the world, plan your arrivals and departures during the day if possible.

12. Carry ID in More Than One Place

Keep a copy of your passport on your smartphone. Be sure to store it in secure app or password program. For added peace of mind as you travel, make sure you have secure electronic copies of all of your essential documents, ie., passport, driver's license, health insurance card.

Pro Tip * Travel with extra passport photos in case you ever have to replace yours.

13. Join Guided Tours

This is a fantastic way to see the world AND meet people. Tours can range from walking tours, cooking tours, wine tours, or adventures.

Search Viator for Tours

14. Meet People

A few more tips if you are enjoying the benefits of solo travel but still want to engage with others as you travel:

  • Eat at restaurants that are crowded that encourages you to meet others.
  • Go on tours.
  • Be friendly.

15. Enjoy Your Solitude

If you are traveling solo and appreciate that solitude is one of the benefits of solo travel, "Own it!" You already know that you don't want to draw undue attention to yourself; bring a book or tablet to read at mealtimes.

16. Stay on Top of Finances

Money in Tahiti, French Polynesia

Let Your Credit Card Company Know Travel Dates

Be sure to let your bank or credit card company know the dates you will be traveling. We have had our cards frozen when charges from an unusual location began to show up. To make it easier, mobile banking apps often have a section where you can easily place a travel notice on your account.

Keep Your Receipts

You never know when you might need to reference a receipt from a company that might have overcharged you. This happens somewhat regularly. For example, on a recent car rental in Germany we were charged an extra $25 for a currency conversion “fee” because Hertz elected to charge us in dollars, not euros. The receipt said we'd been given an option, which wasn’t true. Chris had to call and haggle to get that silly fee refunded. Customs may also ask you for receipts.

17. Use a VPN

You may wish to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to shield your connections from prying eyes.

Now, if you are anything like me, and someone nonchalantly says, "Use a VPN..." you're probably asking,  "A VP what?"  

To put it simply, we all use public WiFi networks when we are out and about. And while they are a huge convenience for us, they are also convenient for hackers who are looking to compromise your personal data. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection that make your internet connection look as though you’re at home. 

VPN services come for free as part of packages on some password managers. Some home internet routers also have VPN servers, which take a little technical setup but won’t require any monthly subscription to use when you’re traveling. You are basically creating a connection to home and then using your streaming services (ie., Hulu, Netflix) while abroad.

18. Avoid Theft

We have been blessed thus far to avoid theft via pickpockets. Well, that is, except for a friend who traveled to France with us in the summer of 2017. We were traveling on the Metro in Paris and she had her phone in her purse in an outer pocket. As we exited the Metro, our friend sadly noted that her phone had been stolen.

Before leaving on that trip, I purchased Flipbelts for my girls and myself to wear. They weren't always convenient and probably looked weird for us to be pulling our phones in and out. But, knock on wood, our electronic devices and valuables have been safe thus far. The waist belts have zippered slots and are worn as a band around your waist under your clothing.

I also purchased a few Columbia travel shirts that have zippered pockets in the side seams. While nothing is 100% safe , I wear them often and keep my phone and credit cards in them where I can easily hold my hand over a pocket as needed.

One of my favorite purchases is my Travelon Crossbody bag. The Travelon Crossbody Bag is my best piece of travel gear for travel in Europe, travel close to home, and for cruise travel . I even convinced my husband that he would love one too!

19. Invest in Peace of Mind as You Travel with Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is affordable and offers peace of mind and stress-free travel. World Nomads and Safety Wing are two companies that I am familiar with (also check your credit card coverage). Their policies may cover the following:

  • Trip cancellation
  • Delayed, damaged, or stolen gear and baggage
  • Needing to see a doctor when you are sick
  • Emergency evacuation via helicopter out of a danger zone
  • Needing to be sent home (as well as from death overseas)
  • Assaults or terrorist attacks

Travel insurance is easy to obtain (and is renewable online if you extend your stay). It can save you thousands if something happens to go wrong.

20. Leave Your Home in Good Order

While you are away, plan to have a safe travel adventure by leaving everything in order at home. Make arrangements for some essentials to be taken care of before you leave your house . For example:

  • Put a hold on your mail and newspaper.
  • Have a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member check your front door for packages.
  • Make arrangements for someone to mow your lawn and check on your yard (ensure that sprinklers are working properly). Mow right before you leave.
  • Arrange for someone to water your houseplants. Also, water plants right before you leave.

The goal is to put your mind at ease while giving your home and yard a lived-in look so you can enjoy your time away.

Frequently Asked Question

What are some of the benefits of solo travel.

  • You can be independent.
  • You are in control of your schedule.
  • You can travel at your own pace.
  • You can do and see what interests you.
  • You get to see the world.

What are some disadvantages of solo travel?

  • Eating alone isn’t always fun.
  • There is no one to bounce ideas off.
  • You have to figure out bus, train, and airplane schedules on your own.
  • It is more expensive when you pay for taxis, hotels, storage, and groceries for one.

Where is the best place to exchange or withdraw money while on vacation?

Try to use ATMs attached to banks and avoid exchanging money at the airport.

How do I avoid popular scams and have safe travel experiences?

Be sure to research your destination in advance to learn about local scams. Be aware of scams using RFID scanners, ploys using teen girls and children to play on your sympathy, or pickpocketing schemes.

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Final thoughts on safe travels: 20 tips for peace of mind as you travel solo or with others.

Have a safe travel adventure!

If you are new to travel, be prepared for an exciting and educational experience. You will explore beautiful locations and create unforgettable memories. To prioritize safe travels and adventures, focus on your safety and well-being—it can be the difference between a delightful vacation and regrettable experience.

Whether you are traveling to Instagrammable places around the world , planning solo travel, or going on a family vacation , be aware of potential risks as you take the necessary precautions. These 20 tips for your safe travels are mentioned to help you stay safe and enjoy peace of mind as you travel.

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Peace While Traveling? Not Impossible.

By Rachel Lee Harris

  • Dec. 15, 2011

AS founder and guiding teacher of the Community Meditation Center in New York, Allan Lokos has an arsenal of tools for coping with stressful situations. When it comes to travel, he said, acceptance and awareness are key. “Accept that you can’t make the plane take off,” he advised; and when dealing with other travelers, “give yourself time to be gracious.”

Here, Mr. Lokos, a frequent sojourner, shares his methods for achieving peace in a hectic world.

Q. Why is it so hard to keep calm while traveling?

A. Travel is stressful, period. Even if you are heading for the most fabulous vacation in the most blissful place, the body doesn’t know how to differentiate between positive stress and negative stress.

I have seen people in very poor countries who generally seem to be calmer and more patient than my more affluent countrymen. Our society is geared up to be in a hurry, to get more, and to be more. That is the ground for impatience.

Q. Can patience actually be learned? And if so, can it be learned before Dec. 23?

A. The real work of change takes time, but initial progress can be experienced fairly quickly when one is well motivated.

Think about whether you want your spouse or partner to be terrified while you rant and rave. Do you want your children to fear you? Do you want people to feel they cannot be completely comfortable around you? You will need that motivation to help you when you slip up.

Q. Which situations tend to send people over the edge?

A. What I hear about most is time spent with family. While some of it is treasured and joyful, being patient while all the same old ugliness is being brought up can leave one feeling emotionally shredded.

If there is one person in particular this holiday season who causes turmoil, see if you can politely minimize your time with that person. This is not cowardly but rather wise.

travel feel peace

Q. Are there any airlines or hotels that in your opinion go above and beyond to promote peace of mind?

A. I can’t say that I have found one particular domestic airline or hotel to be consistently any more or less stress-free than the others. Of course, one can usually buy a more comfortable flight if one wants to, and can afford to pay for it.

With regard to hotels, I used to want to stay in the very best until I realized how little time I actually spend in the room. Now I opt for good, clean hotels that are well located, have fairly spacious rooms, comfortable beds and perhaps a good restaurant, all of which I find reduce stress.

Q. What are five things travelers can do to self soothe while en route?

A. 1. Accept the reality that most of what causes stress in travel is out of your control. In fact, you have much less control of things in general than you might like to believe.

2. Feeling rushed is one of the leading causes of stress. Go to airports and bus and train stations extra early. While others may be rushing frantically, you can be strolling leisurely.

3. Check in with yourself. Notice what you are feeling in a particular moment. If it’s annoyance, frustration or fatigue, don’t get all caught up in it. Don’t cling to the sensations.

4. Travel lightly. When I arrive at my destination for the holidays I announce to everyone, “I hope you like this sweater I’m wearing because you’re going to see it a lot.” And mail rather than carry gifts. Even one shopping bag is a nuisance.

5. Those around you are doing their best. Offer a smile that says, “Yes, I know it’s difficult, but we’ll all get there.” Perhaps a little later than scheduled, but you’ll get there. Let someone go ahead of you; it’s part of the holiday spirit.

Allan Lokos is the author of “Pocket Peace” (Tarcher) and “Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living” (Tarcher, January 2012) .

Managing Anxiety and Stress

Stay balanced in the face of stress and anxiety with our collection of tools and advice..

How are you, really? This self-guided check-in will help you take stock of your emotional well-being — and learn how to make changes .

These simple and proven strategies will help you manage stress , support your mental health and find meaning in the new year.

First, bring calm and clarity into your life with these 10 tips . Next, identify what you are dealing with: Is it worry, anxiety or stress ?

Persistent depressive disorder is underdiagnosed, and many who suffer from it have never heard of it. Here is what to know .

If you notice drastic shifts in your mood during certain times of the year, you could have seasonal affective disorder. Here are answers to your top questions about the condition .

How much anxiety is too much? Here is how to establish whether you should see a professional about it .

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yoga in Ladakh 22

10 ways travel gives inner peace

With all the hustle-bustle of this exhausting, tiring urban life, every day is a conquest with ourselves for inner peace. We try yoga, workouts or just another kind of meditation but how much can it help in these noisy polluting cities. This is where travel has proven to be a sure shot stress buster and a thread that will get you as close as you have ever gotten in this quest for inner peace. Here are 10 ways of travel that will make you a much happier, peaceful person.

1. Solitude

Peace

Stop looking for peace around you and create it within yourself. Travelling lets you unwind from your everyday routine and helps you clear your mind. It helps you clean your rusted lens and helps you breathe while you spend time with yourself on this break. People all over the world come every year only to experience peace in the beautiful monasteries of Dharamshala .

2. Attitude

travel feel peace

If frustration has been killing you all this while and you cease to see a road ahead, travelling or simply wandering can lead you to that little light spot in the dark. You will see a change in your attitude by the end of the trip as you will now be more positive, physically and spiritually.

3. No limits to finding peace

travel feel peace

One of the main reasons for stress is because you limit yourself and don’t push yourself to think beyond. Travelling is just the opposite of this feeling. Here you are not only in the existence of nature, but the landscapes bring peace to your eyes and thus your mind. They help keep you motivated and bring back your lost confidence.

4. Helps you move on

travel feel peace

Moving, exploring, wandering helps you forget the past, and make peace with it. It shows you how huge and beautiful the outside world is and how petty your problems are.

5. Teaches you to change

travel feel peace

Exploring within different cultures and within different places teaches you to change. If you are somebody who is afraid of change or stuck up to something new, Your whole perspective will change towards things, which will make you much happier.

6. Acceptance and loving yourself and others

Pfutsero shop

Travel also helps you accept yourself. It pushes your boundaries and shows you how creative and how strong you are. You will see your weakness and strengths right in front of you and you will be proud of them. You will not only start loving yourself but the people around you. You will experience positive vibes that will detox your mind.

7. Scream and cry

travel feel peace

Another advantage of travelling is you do not know everybody and maybe you will never see them again. Take this opportunity to be your real self and not the artificial ones at a conference or a board meeting. Go into the midst of nature and scream your lungs out or just cry. Kill the void inside you because you will only grow stronger than ever before.

8. Meditate with nature

travel feel peace

Instead of meditating or doing yoga in the four walls of your room, do it in the open. Try and do it alone or with people who have positive energy. Also, avoid using your cell phones as it will only distract you and hinder your journey and search for peace.

9. Gratitude

travel feel peace

They say happiness is doubled only when shared. Our urban lifestyles have made us into machines that are so artificial that we start disliking people around us. When we travel, we actually realise how important other people are to us and that we actually need them. Travelling with known people or strangers or even locals helps in adding to this joy. You’ll be amazed to see how simple things can give you so much peace and happiness.

10. Making a memory to never forget

travel feel peace

Finally, you are creating a memory for yourself. Apart from all the social media pictures, videos, this trip is completely yours and holds utmost importance to you. Years later when you feel gloomy or sad, this journey will bring a smile on your face.

So travel, not for anybody else but for yourself. Let the journey kill your inner void, forgive and accept yourself, broaden your horizon and finally move on. Let it make you a happier person from within and make you stronger in mind and body and finally let it help you conquer your inner peace.

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Where The Road Forks

22 Benefits of Traveling

By: Author Zachary Friedman

Posted on Last updated: February 22, 2024

Categories Travel

Home » Travel » 22 Benefits of Traveling

Whether you’re taking a quick weekend getaway or a multi-month sabbatical around the world, travel offers a wide range of benefits. From making you happier to reducing stress to teaching you about the world, this guide outlines 25 benefits of traveling.

Over the past 12 years, I’ve traveled to over 60 countries on 6 continents. I feel that travel has greatly improved my life. In this guide, I’ll share some of the biggest benefits that I have noticed.

Zac on the summit of Mt. Sinai

1. Travel Makes You Happier

According to a recent study in the Journal of Tourism Analysis, people who travel frequently report being 7% happier than those who rarely or never travel. Interestingly, you don’t have to travel far to benefit. Participants of the study reported greater levels of happiness when they traveled 75 miles or more from home.

Spending money on experiences provides longer-lasting happiness than spending money on material items. This may be because people experience more happiness from anticipating experiences rather than from waiting to obtain material possessions. You’ll be happier if you spend your money on a plane ticket to Thailand rather than a new iPhone.

There other ways travel can make you happier. For example, travel allows you to experience new and exciting things. Travel also allows you to get away from the daily grind of work and other responsibilities. In addition, travel gives you the opportunity to create memories with your friends or family. Alternatively, it can also give you some time for yourself away from your parents, kids, boss, or co-workers. All of this can improve your happiness.

Personally, I feel the most happy when I’m on the road. Most of my best memories were made while traveling.

2. Traveling Improves Your Communication Skills

If you’re traveling somewhere completely foreign, you might face a language barrier. In this case, you will have to learn how to communicate in nonverbal ways using hand gestures and body language. This can improve your overall communication skills.

Travel also forces you to speak with people who are different from you. You’ll talk to people from different religions, social classes, cultures, political affiliations, and ethnic backgrounds. This will help you learn how to communicate with people with different beliefs, values, and life philosophies. Being able to talk to anyone is a great skill to have.

Travel also teaches you about different communication styles and how to adapt your own communication style to meet the needs of others. For example, in some cultures, people communicate more directly than in others. In some cultures, people are friendlier than in others. You’ll learn how to adapt to this during a conversation.

Finally, when you travel, you’re also forced to interact with lots of people. You’ll talk to tour guides, ticketing agents, receptionists, other travelers, and random locals. Chatting with lots of people can help you improve your social skills. This is particularly beneficial if you suffer from social anxiety.

Traveling is a great way to become a more effective communicator. Communication is an important skill that can help you in both your personal life and professional life.

I am not a good communicator. It’s something I’m constantly working on. I feel that travel has helped me improve in this department. I am way more confident when talking to people I don’t know.

A canal in Amsterdam

3. Travel Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety

In a recent study , researchers found that travel can help to reduce stress and anxiety. During the study, a group of middle managers was sent on a short vacation (4 nights) in a hotel. This had an immediate effect on their reported levels of stress levels.

In this study, researchers also found that the mode of travel didn’t matter. Participants just needed to be outside of their normal environment for a few days to benefit. The effects were also surprisingly long-lasting. 30-45 days after the vacation ended, stress and anxiety levels were still reported to be lower among those who went on vacation than those who didn’t.

Travel can be a great way to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. If you work a stressful job, a long weekend away can help you recover.

If you’re traveling to reduce chronic stress, you will need to choose a style of travel that won’t cause you more stress. For example, if you’re afraid of flying, take a train instead. If you don’t like traveling alone, take somebody with you. Don’t give yourself more stress. It doesn’t matter where you go. You just need to leave for a few days and take a break from daily life to benefit.

4. Travel Makes Your Life Feel Longer

We all want to live longer. Travel can’t make you live longer but it can make your life feel longer. Here’s how:

Travel has a major impact on the way we perceive time. According to this interesting article, experiencing new things can slow our brain’s perception of time. This is why time seems to pass slower when we’re children. We’re constantly having new experiences.

When you’re traveling, time seems to move much more slowly because you’re constantly taking in new sights, learning new things, and tasting new foods. There’s always something new to experience.

When looking back, your vacation feels like it lasted far longer than it actually did. When you’re in your normal routine at home, months can fly by without you even noticing. It’s easy to get trapped in a routine and let years slip by.

When you travel frequently, your life will feel longer and more fulfilling because time seems to move more slowly. A month on the road can feel like a year when looking back. To me, this is one of the main benefits of travel.

Hierve el Agua, Oaxaca, Mexico

5. Travel Helps You Achieve Peace of Mind

When you’re feeling stressed, burned out, or just fed up with life, sometimes, the best thing you can do is take a break and explore someplace new. Travel has a way of resetting your mind. When you return home, you can look at everything with fresh eyes. Even a short trip can help clear your head.

Being in unfamiliar surroundings makes it easier to let go of all the worries and concerns that are weighing you down at home. It takes your mind off things. When you’re exploring a new place, you don’t have time to dwell on whatever is stressing you out.

Travel is an excellent distraction. It can distract you from people in your life, your job, politics, and technology. You’re too busy taking in new sights, sounds, and experiences to think about your problems. This can bring you some inner peace.

Travel can also help you put your problems into perspective. When you view a beautiful site, you realize how great the world can be. You might also realize that your problems are minor compared to the problems of those living in other parts of the world. Someone living in poverty in a developing country might envy your life, even with all of your problems.

6. Travel Enhances Your Creativity

When you travel, you are exposed to new cultures, people, and experiences. This can open your mind to new ideas. In turn, this can lead to an increase in creativity.

Studies have shown that there is a link between travel and creativity. For example, in this article , Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky says, “Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms.”

Cognitive flexibility is the brain’s ability to switch between different ideas, tasks, or viewpoints. This is a key part of creativity. The study found that people who had spent time abroad were more likely to come up with creative solutions to problems than those who had not traveled.

If you’re a writer, photographer, designer, or artist, and you’re looking for a way to boost your creativity, consider taking a vacation. It could be just what you need to come up with your next big idea. Travel can help you think outside the box and inspire your work.

travel feel peace

I have been living as a digital nomad for the past few years. I have noticed that I am more creative and productive when I travel. Most of my work involves writing. The ideas flow better when I’m on the road. It makes me more creative.

7. Travel Allows You to Try Excellent Food

When you travel, you have the opportunity to try all sorts of different foods that you would never have the opportunity to taste at home. You get to experience new flavors and textures that you would never otherwise encounter.

For me, the food is one of the best parts of exploring a new culture. Some people travel for food alone. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. If you really love the cuisine, you can learn how to cook it by taking a cooking class. This is a great way to further immerse yourself in the culture. As an added bonus, you’ll learn how to prepare some authentic meals for your family.

Even if you end up not caring for the food, it’s still worth it for the experience. For example, while in the Philippines recently, I tried Balut. This is a fertilized duck embryo that is developing in the egg. It’s sold on the street. It’s not the most appetizing thing but eating it is an experience that I will never forget.

8. Traveling Has Physical Health Benefits

Many of us live sedentary lifestyles. We don’t get as much exercise as we should. While traveling, you will be active and you will get exercise. For example, you’ll walk more. You’ll be on your feet all day while sightseeing, walking through airports, and traveling around the city you’re visiting. You might also participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, surfing, or cycling. Also, if you’re at the beach sitting out in the sun, your body produces vitamin D.

Additionally, travel has been linked with a reduction in heart disease. According to this article , “A nine-year study from the State University of New York at Oswego found that vacationing every year reduced the overall risk of death by about 20 percent, and the risk of death from heart disease by as much as 30 percent.” This means travel can reduce your risk of one of the leading causes of death.

Zac on top of Mt. Fuji

9. International Travel Makes You More Tolerant and Understanding of Different People and Cultures

Before you travel, you might have some biases about certain groups of people. You may not even notice this. Travel challenges our beliefs.

While traveling, you’ll meet and interact with people from different backgrounds. Traveling also gives you a chance to learn about different customs, religions, and beliefs.

Travel allows you to see that people from all walks of life can be interesting, kind, and valuable members of society. You learn to accept others despite their differences. You become more tolerant towards people from different backgrounds.

In addition, people who are different from you learn to accept you. During your travels, you may encounter people who’ve never met a foreigner before. By meeting you and having a positive interaction, they may become a bit more tolerant and understanding of different people. Tolerance and acceptance can spread. This can make the world a little more peaceful.

10. Get Real-World Experience and Real-Life Education

When you travel, you gain real-world experience that can’t be replicated in a classroom. You learn how to plan ahead, problem-solve on the fly, improvise, navigate new surroundings, and deal with different types of people. It’s an education that you can’t get from a book. In other words, travel can help you become street-smart.

For example, before your trip, you need to learn how to book accommodation, transportation, tours, etc. When you arrive in a new city, you have to learn how to use the public transportation system. If you miss your bus, you have to find an alternative mode of transport. If there is a language barrier, you need to figure out how to communicate with body language. These real-world experiences teach you life lessons that come in handy in your day-to-day life.

Traveling also gives you a chance to learn about new cultures and customs. You can try new foods and experience new traditions. It’s an opportunity to learn about the world in a way that you can’t in a classroom. You learn through experience.

Travel also educates you. While traveling, you’ll learn about the history, geography, politics, art, and religion, of the places you’re visiting. You become more worldly and knowledgeable. I’ve picked up loads of interesting facts and bits of information in my travels that I otherwise would never have learned.

You also gain life experience when you travel. You might fall in love, make friends, and view the most beautiful artwork and landscapes the world has to offer. At the same time, you might fall victim to a crime, have your heart broken, get into an argument, or get in trouble with the law. All of these life experiences, both positive and negative, help you grow as a person.

Great wall of China

11. You’ll Understand Yourself More When You Travel

When you travel, you’ll find yourself in unfamiliar situations. This is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself. You’ll see how you interact with people who are different. You’ll see how you respond to problems and setbacks. In addition, you’ll see how you react in various situations.

How do you react under pressure? How do you deal with unfamiliar situations? What kind of person are you? These are the kinds of questions that you can only answer by putting yourself in new and challenging situations. Travel forces you to grow and adapt in ways that you never would at home.

You will come back from your travels with a greater understanding of who you are and what you want out of life. Travel also helps you identify your shortcomings. After returning home, you can reevaluate yourself based on what you observed while traveling. You can work on improving yourself.

When you travel alone , you also have the opportunity to think about your emotions and thoughts. You can practice introspection. Long bus and train journeys are a great time to reflect. You have hours to yourself to just think. For some people, this is incredibly valuable.

Travel also allows you to compare your culture to other cultures. When you travel, you’ll see how others think and behave. This can help you better understand why you think, behave, or feel a certain way.

12. Travel Boosts Your Self Confidence

While some people are born confident, others have to work a little harder to find it. For those of us who struggle with self-confidence, traveling can be a great confidence booster.

If you can navigate your way around a new country or culture, you can pretty much get around anywhere. This is a great skill to have in life. It allows you to be more independent. Knowing you can get around anywhere can inspire confidence.

In addition, when you travel you learn how to talk to anybody. You might have to interact with a shopkeeper in Delhi, a flight attendant from Singapore, or a security guard from London. Being able to talk to anybody is extremely beneficial in social situations. It makes it easier to approach people, ask questions, and strike up conversations. This makes you feel more confident.

Traveling can also help you feel more comfortable in unique or challenging situations. For example, maybe you have to deal with a language barrier. Maybe you get lost. Maybe you just get confused.When you’re constantly exposed to new situations, you become desensitized. You can deal with these situations more confidently without feeling fear.

When you step out of your comfort zone, you realize that you’re more capable than you thought. You’ll overcome obstacles and take risks. Suddenly, anything feels possible and your life is no longer limited by your fears. When you’re confident, you can pursue your passions and goals without anything holding you back.

I have always struggled with self-confidence and self-doubt. Travel has helped me realize that I am more than capable of anything I set my mind to. This has been incredibly inspiring.

Ipanema Beach

13. Travel Helps You Get Out of the Rut of Everyday Life

Travel can be a great way to get out of a rut. It allows you to free yourself from your daily routine and have time to yourself to relax or explore.

It can be a break from the mundane and repetitive day-to-day life of a 9-5. It’s easy to get caught up in a routine. You wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV and then go to bed.

When you travel, you have the opportunity to shake things up. You can try new activities, meet new people, and see new places. You escape the routine of staying in the same place.

Travel also gives you an opportunity to focus on yourself for a change. It can be a time to reflect on your life and what you want from it. While you’re traveling, you can also work on your physical health, mental health, or emotional health. Maybe you realize that you want to make some changes in your life.

14. Travel Expands Your Social Network

Making friends is one of the best parts of travel. When you travel, you meet people from all walks of life. You’ll have friends with different backgrounds. You’ll have friends from different countries and cultures.

These friends can come in handy when you visit their home countries. They can show you around, introduce you to new people, and help you get the most out of your trip.

As your social network grows, new opportunities open up. During your travels, you might meet someone who can help you get a job in a new city. A friend might connect you with other travelers. Maybe you meet your future spouse through a travel buddy.

I have made a number of lifelong friends while traveling. Some of them I still keep in contact with over a decade after meeting. Whenever we meet up, we pick up right where we left off.

15. Personal Development

Travel can make you a better person. Travel can make you a better communicator, more independent, more adaptable, more confident, more accepting, and more patient.

When you leave your comfort zone to travel, you’re forced to develop social skills. You’ll talk to people at hostels, on tours, and on public transport. Sometimes people will approach you to chat because you’re a foreigner. This can teach you better communication skills.

You also have to learn how to be independent. There is nobody there to hold your hand if you make a mistake or get lost. You will also spend a great deal of time alone while traveling. You have to learn how to live with your own thoughts.

When you travel, you also have to learn to adapt to the local culture. The locals won’t change to accommodate you. You have to change. Travel will make you more adaptable.

You also become more accepting of others. The locals may have different religious beliefs, morals, diets, languages, political beliefs, cultures, ways of life, or behaviors. You’ll learn to accept these differences and look past them. 

And as you navigate new surroundings and meet new people, you’ll become more confident. You may become more courageous after facing scary, uncomfortable, or dangerous situations.

Travel can also help you develop personality and character. This happens when you face hardships. Travel isn’t always easy. You might fall victim to a crime. People might discriminate against you. You might have to deal with a language barrier. These may seem like negative experiences when they happen but they can help build character.

You’ll also develop patience when you travel. Things don’t always go as planned. Maybe your flight gets delayed 12 hours. Maybe you have to gather a stack of documents and deal with a bunch of red tape to apply for a visa. The internet might go down or the power might go out. You learn to just roll with the punches.

16. Travel Teaches Us to Appreciate Nature and the Earth

When we travel, we get to see some of the most amazing natural wonders that the earth has to offer. For some of us, travel is the first time that we see mountains, deserts, jungles, or oceans. Travel allows us to view different types of plant life and wildlife in their natural habitats. It’s also our first experience with different types of climates and landscapes.

One of my greatest travel experiences was going on a safari in the Serengeti . Seeing the Milky Way for the first time while camping in the desert in Namibia was also unforgettable. If I stayed in my hometown and didn’t travel, I would have never seen an elephant, an ocean, or a desert.

While traveling, you’ll also witness the destruction of natural environments through pollution, deforestation, and other human activities. You’ll realize how fragile the planet is. This can be heartbreaking but educational.

Through travel, we learn to appreciate the Earth. We learn how fortunate we are to have such a diverse and beautiful planet. We start to realize that it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the Earth for future generations.

Dead Vlei, Namibia

17. World Travel Makes you Appreciate Your Home Even More

Traveling can be an amazing experience. It can also be exhausting, overwhelming, and uncomfortable.

After a long vacation, there is nothing like coming home and sleeping in your own bed. While traveling, all of the little things that you took for granted, like a soft bed, a hot shower, and your own bathroom, become luxuries. During a long trip, you will miss the comforts and conveniences of home. It’s hard to get a good night of sleep while camping, sharing a room in a hostel , or simply sleeping in an unfamiliar place.

Travel can also be exhausting. Packing and unpacking. Moving from place to place. Sitting on buses, planes, and trains for hours, and walking around sightseeing takes a lot out of you. When you return home, you may actually appreciate your normal routine.

In addition, you may find a new appreciation for how things work in your home country. In some countries, nothing works. There is bureaucracy and red tape. There are long lines to withdraw cash or buy food. The power may go out frequently. The tap water might not be potable. When you return home, you may realize that most things just work. You may find a new appreciation for your country.

You may also have a feeling of relief when you return home. On your home turf, you know the local laws, customs, and culture. You know your rights and freedoms. You don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking a law or offending someone. It’s nice to feel like part of society. Like you belong. When you’re abroad, you’re always an outsider. You’re not quite sure what you can and can’t do.

You also won’t have to deal with a language barrier when you return home. It’s nice to be able to hold an in-depth conversation and talk freely with other people. Struggling to communicate gets exhausting.

All of this can help you appreciate your home country much more.

While traveling, I have gained a much greater appreciation for my home country, the United States. After traveling to 66 countries on 6 continents, I can’t think of a place I’d rather live. I think the U.S. is the greatest country, even though it has its flaws.

18. Travel Helps You Find a New Purpose

Many people find that travel can be a life-changing experience. It can help you to find a new purpose or direction in life, especially if you feel like you’re at a crossroads. Traveling can give you the time and space to reflect on your career or your life, and make decisions about what you want to do next.

Travel can also help you to see the world from a different perspective and learn new things about yourself. If you’re feeling lost or stuck, taking some time out to travel may be just what you need.

Travel certainly helped me find a purpose. When I left home on my first solo trip , I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. After returning home, One thing I knew was that I wanted to travel.

Years later, after losing my job, I felt lost I didn’t know what to do so I took a trip to Africa. After returning from that trip, I launched this website and started making a living writing about travel. These days, I live as a digital nomad . I make my living as a professional blogger. I feel happy.

Amman, Jordan

19. Expand Your Horizons and Try New Things

Traveling to a new place will help you see the world in a different way. When you travel, you’ll have the opportunity to try new things. You’ll see new sites, taste new foods, talk to new people, hear new music, smell new smells, and be introduced to new thoughts and ideas.

For example, maybe you go surfing, Scuba diving, or horseback riding for the first time. Maybe you see the pyramids, taste sushi, or talk to a local student.

All of these experiences allow you to learn and see things from a different perspective. It can also simply be a lot of fun to try new things. Travel opens the mind. It might open your eyes to something new.

20. Travel Lets Us Take a Break from the Rat Race and Recharge

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the grind. You might feel like you’re on a hamster wheel. If you’re starting to feel burned out, travel gives you an opportunity to take a break and recharge.

Travel allows you to take a step back from your normal life and just relax. Not every trip needs to be educational or challenging. You can just relax by the pool and have some drinks or take a stroll on the beach.

This can help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also give you a much-needed opportunity to simply rest and rejuvenate. An annual vacation can provide some real health benefits.

Maasai Mara, Kenya

21. You Can Learn a New Language

If you’re trying to learn a new language, traveling to a foreign country where that language is spoken will help you tremendously. Actually, the only way to truly become fluent in a language is to immerse yourself in it.

When you travel, you will constantly be exposed to new words and phrases. You’ll also have the opportunity to talk to native speakers. This gives you a chance to practice and improve your comprehension and pronunciation.

Even if you’re not actively trying to learn the language, you’ll pick up some words here and there. For example, I learned basic Portuguese while traveling in Brazil for 2.5 months this year. I probably won’t use it often but it was fun to learn.

Learning a language allows you to communicate with people who only speak that language. This opens up new opportunities to travel and experience different cultures.

In addition, learning a new language can help to sharpen cognitive skills, such as memory and critical thinking. Studies have even shown that bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia.

travel feel peace

22. You’ll Make Lifetime Memories

When you travel, you create memories that last a lifetime. Some of my most memorable life experiences have happened while traveling. I will never forget my motorcycle trip across Vietnam. I will never forget walking on the Great Wall of China .

You can tell stories about your adventures to your friends and family. My dad’s travel stories are one of the main reasons I started traveling myself. He inspired me.

If you travel with friends or family, you’ll have more stories to look back on and reminisce about when you’re older. Even though I’ve only been traveling for a decade, I still enjoy looking back at old photos and talking to travel buddies about our journeys.

How has travel benefited you? Share your experience in the comments below!

Pin it For Later !

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More from Where The Road Forks

  • 30 Free Things To Do While Traveling
  • Checked Vs Carry-On Luggage
  • How to Provide Proof of Onward Travel
  • Solo Travel Vs Group Travel
  • Dark Tourism Ethics and Criticisms
  • 35 Types of Tourism

Zachary Friedman

Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.

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Wednesday 17th of January 2024

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girls dancing in nature near Shangri-La, China

Stunning nature near Shangri-La, China, makes these travelers dance for joy.

Travel Happy: How to Be a More Joyful Traveler

Follow these expert tips to cultivate joy during your next trip—and long after returning home.

By Sean O'Connor

In my personal and professional experience as a life coach, joy is found wherever you get completely enveloped in an experience, when you’ve really lost yourself: your worries, your ego, your past, and your future. Travel is the perfect time for this reboot. It’s also an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, explore new approaches to life, and form new habits.

Below are some insights into how you push your limits to really lose yourself in the travel experience, and cultivate more joy in the process. Then take the ethos behind these joy-inducing activities back to your daily life at home.

Lose Yourself in the Music

In Fiji last summer, I donned a sulu —a sarong-type garment both men and women wear—and danced the nights away in the village where I was staying on the southern tip of Taveuni , known as the Garden Island of Fiji. Never underestimate the power of dance. I was sweaty and a little uncomfortable, but I made friends shaking it with what seemed like absolutely everyone in the community. I danced with old women and men, too. I moved my hips enough that I had to constantly retie my sulu until a local helped me to tie it properly. Certainly I looked funny at times. My ego told me to stop. What’s really special is when you can push through any discomfort or self-consciousness to truly lose yourself in the moment.

Coaching Takeaway: Whether you are traveling or in your own environs, see where you can re-create this experience and take advantage of the smile-inducing, heart-rate rising, feel-good activity of dancing with abandon.

Connect Deeply With Others

Create real, true, deep connections. Introduce yourself to an elderly person. Make a new best friend. Get so connected with someone you will feel like their home is your home and vice versa. Learn as much as you can about who they are, and be willing to share yourself, too. When language barriers get in your way, there’s always a possibility of communicating with a translator or simply communicating deeply through other means—it doesn’t have to be spoken language. Don’t miss these kinds of opportunities; they can lead to doors opening that offer you something entirely unique, like when I attended a traditional wedding in the heart of South Africa’s Zululand at the invitation of a friend of a friend of the security guard at my residence.

Coaching Takeaway: Creating meaningful connections with people while traveling will help you deepen and expand your capacity to empathize with people in your world. This, in turn, will help you create more authentic, connected relationships in your family, your romantic life, and even in your workplace.

kayakers near Îles du Vent, French Polynesia

Happy kayakers high-five after an exhilarating swim in French Polynesia.

Help a Brother Out

On the coast of Mozambique , while my travel mates went out diving with whale sharks, my forgetfulness bit me in the butt. I had not packed my diver certification card, so I was left land-bound. With nothing else to do, I drove into town and, on the way, picked up some locals walking in from their villages. I decided to spend the day helping one run his errands. My rental car was a boon for him. We shopped for vegetables at the local market, made a visit to the clinic, negotiated on his wages with his boss at his job, and visited his young son. Using my day to explore the local scene and help this man sort out his problems helped me remove myself from my own. Whether it is a formal volunteer opportunity or something more spontaneous, help out others whenever possible to access a deeper level of joy within yourself. It gives us access to our highest selves.

Coaching Takeaway: You already provide service to your family or in the workplace while at home. See where you can go further and push your comfort zone of helping others. Look for opportunities while traveling to get this habit started.

Step Blindly Off a Cliff

Don’t do this literally. Figuratively, I am speaking about stepping out into the unknown. This must be practiced. Our natural inclination as humans is toward survival and comfort. We avoid the unknown. Find an experience on your trip that truly feels like stepping out into the unknown. This might be showing up somewhere with no itinerary or staying in a local’s home, if lucky enough to get invited. Or step off the side of a plane (parachute attached). It is going to look different for everyone. What is comfortable for one person is wildly uncomfortable to another. Personally, having no plans tends to make me a bit anxious. I have to practice being with the unknown and the unplanned. Doing so helps me expand my repertoire of how to deal with situations out of my control, quash the anxiety, and create more space for joy.

Coaching Takeaway: The landscape beyond our comfort zones is where we discover new things about ourselves, where we expand and grow. Challenge yourself while on your travels, then take the practice home. Be safe, be culturally sensitive, but be bold.

traveler sharing photos in India

Engage the Senses

You may already be a person who lives by the adage of stopping to smell the roses. But life is a busy vixen. She is full of tricks and turns to throw us off our game. Our ability to be truly present erodes over time. Travel is a great opportunity to hit the reset button, and once we’ve reset we have the luxury of engaging our senses to practice being present. This can look a lot of different ways, but a simple exercise is to practice a different sense each day. Keep a sense journal and, on day one, inventory the smells that infiltrate your olfactory receptors. Then work through the others.

Coaching Takeaway: Re-upping your skills of being present is actually a meditative exercise to clear your mind, and in a clear mind joy has room to bubble up and spread within and outside of us.

  • Nat Geo Expeditions

Unpack the Story of Food

Food is a cultural staple. Every place you will visit has a food story and things that make the geography unique from a culinary standpoint. While cooking a large meal for a group at a ski lodge in the Southern Alps of New Zealand , I made new friends and learned heaps on the sheep-farming industry, all while cooking lamb steaks on the grill. Use food as your foray into learning about the ingredients, traditions, and techniques that make a place special. Curiosity and learning stimulate the brain and underpin creativity, which in turn can lead to joy.

Coaching Takeaway: Cooking is a way to practice presence and truly be in the moment, making yourself available for learning, laughter, and creativity. Taking time to learn and enjoy the process from beginning to end will be sure to raise our joy factor a few degrees.

Start With Yourself

Here you are. Right here, right now. Your joy matters. The world needs a lot more of it, and your capacity to cultivate it within you directly translates to creating a space for happiness around you. While on the plane or train traveling to your destination, make a list of joy-blockers. Note that we are not talking simply about the things that make you smile or laugh. Joy is that deep contentment and lasting happiness that you can call upon within yourself even in the most troubling of circumstances. Take a look at what factors, beliefs, and circumstances rob you of your joy. While you are out experiencing your destination, work through your list of joy-blockers and see what action there is or what support you might need to bypass them.

Coaching Takeaway: Joy is really something you can actively cultivate, so use your next chunk of travel time to create this garden for yourself and share the bounty with others.

Life and leadership coach Sean O’Connor hosts a podcast called Joy Riders. He is based in Los Angeles. Find him on his website , Facebook , and Instagram .

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Traveling for Wellness and Inner Peace

The search for wellbeing and inner serenity has become a top priority for many people in our increasingly fast-paced environment. The idea of traveling for one’s well being has grown in favor among the daily stresses and responsibilities of life. In this essay, we’ll examine the concept of traveling for well-being and inner peace, its importance, and how it might be accomplished, especially in light of the 186 visa , which presents special chances for people looking for this life-changing experience.

The Importance of Travel for Health

The concept of travel for wellness extends beyond traditional notions of holidays or leisure travel. It symbolizes an intentional and conscientious attempt to put one’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing first. Here are some reasons it is important:

  • Stress Reduction: Travelling offers a reprieve from work-related obligations and personal commitments, allowing an escape from the difficulties of everyday life.
  • Benefits for Mental Health: Immersion in new settings, cultures, and experiences can improve mental health by reducing the signs of stress, anxiety, and depression.
  • Physical Well-Being: Yoga, hiking, and other outdoor activities that promote physical fitness and health are common components of wellness journeys.
  • Traveling for wellness frequently results in self-reflection, personal growth, and self-discovery.
  • Disconnecting from routine allows people to experience periods of calm and inner serenity, which improves emotional equilibrium.

travel feel peace

How Travel Can Help You Find Wellness and Inner Peace

Take into account the following tactics if you want to travel and actually feel wellbeing and inner peace:

Conscious Planning:

  • Set Intentions: Choose your travel objectives. Is it leisure, exploration, or self-discovery? Setting specific goals for your path aids in direction.
  • Plan a Balanced Itinerary: Include a variety of well-being-promoting activities, such as mindfulness exercises, physical activity, and leisure.

travel feel peace

Electronic Detox

  • Limit Screen Time: Although cellphones and other digital gadgets are necessary for contemporary travel, make an effort to reduce the amount of time you spend working on them or mindlessly browsing.
  • Designated Tech-Free Times: Set aside time each day to be completely present in your experiences without the use of technology.

travel feel peace

Wellness and Nature:

  • Choose vacation spots that let you get in touch with nature, whether it’s a tranquil beach, a lush forest, or a mountain hideaway.
  • Outdoor Activities: Take part in physical activities that need you to be outside, such as hiking, cycling, or even taking a leisurely stroll around the park.

travel feel peace

Involvement in a Culture:

  • Learn from the Locals: Engage with neighborhood groups to get an understanding of their customs, traditions, and practises, which may provide important insights on wellbeing.
  • Eat thoughtfully and savor each mouthful as an opportunity to nurture your body while you discover the local food.

travel feel peace

Meditation and Introspection:

  • Journaling: Keep a trip diary to record your thoughts, observations, and feelings.
  • Meditation can help you calm your mind, achieve inner peace, and improve your general wellbeing.

travel feel peace

A Gateway to Wellness Travel: The 186 Visa

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)’s Subclass 186 visa, which allows skilled people to live and work continuously in Australia. It fits in perfectly with the idea of vacationing for well-being and inner tranquility. The 186 visa helps with wellness travel in the following ways:

  • Work-Life Balance: The 186 visa programme allows for the optimal work-life balance when working in Australia. This harmony enables you to experience Australia’s breathtaking natural beauty and cultural diversity, enhancing your wellbeing.
  • Embracing Nature: Australia is known for its breathtaking and diverse natural environments, which provide a myriad of options for outdoor adventures and wellness pursuits.
  • Support for Mental Health: Australia places a strong focus on mental health and wellness, which together with the work-life balance provided by the 186 visa results in a positive environment for wellbeing.
  • Australian indigenous cultures and customs are inextricably linked to the country’s incredible natural beauty. The 186 visa enables you to fully immerse yourself in these cultural environments, fostering inner tranquility and a stronger bond with the natural world.

travel feel peace

A Lifelong Journey Towards Wellness and Inner Peace

The quest for wellbeing and inner serenity via travel is a lifelong journey rather than a one-time event. Every excursion you go on has the potential to offer special perspectives, encounters, and peaceful moments. You may experience continuing self-discovery, personal progress, and an abiding connection to your inner serenity by accepting travel as a practise of wellbeing. As you travel, you not only discover new places but also delve deeper into your own being, enhancing both your health and the inner calm that exists inside you.

travel feel peace

Choosing Wellness and Inner Tranquilly

Traveling for health and inner serenity is a metamorphosis, not just a journey. Prioritizing your well-being, taking a vacation from your routine, and looking for inner calm in the embrace of novel encounters and natural beauties is a conscious decision. Remember that seeking wellbeing and inner peace is a worthwhile and attainable objective whether you decide to go on a personal wellness trip or think about traveling for work with the 186 visa. You may return from your vacation not just rested but also with a deeper feeling of well-being and a revitalized enthusiasm for life by fully engaging in mindful travel.

travel feel peace

The Sharing of Wellness Travel Wisdom:

Consider sharing your trip with others as you go off on your own travel adventures in search of wellness and inner peace. The knowledge and understanding you receive from these excursions may inspire and uplift people around you. You may guide people towards their own road to happiness and inner peace via narrative, advice, and open dialogue. By doing this, you add to a group of wellness enthusiasts who are all seeking their own, special road to a happier, healthier life, one travel experience at a time.

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25 Beautiful Places in the World to Find Peace of Mind

Getting outside can do wonders for your mental health. this list of serene (and seriously stunning) spots around the globe may help you find clarity and inspiration..

Author Image

Stephanie Pearson

Contributing writer.

With 7.4 billion people (and counting) on this tiny blue planet, it can feel like you’re constantly fighting for space, especially in major cities where every square foot counts. The truth is there’s still plenty of room on this earth where you can escape the crowds (and your stuff) and enjoy mind-clearing solitude. You don’t have to go far to find these tranquil territories. Science says any nearby green space will do.

A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that spending time in the great outdoors may have positive effects on the brain. Researchers observed 38 healthy, adult urbanites before and after they either took a 90-minute stroll in either a quiet park or along a loud highway. Those who partook in the nature walk showed significant improvements in their mental health—they were calmer and didn’t brood as much over negative aspects of their life—compared to their counterparts who endured less soothing surroundings.

If you want to go farther, see more, and reconnect with the vast beauty of nature, we have some amazing destinations for you. While a few locations listed below may already be on your bucket list, we aimed to dig up mostly lesser-known landscapes and under-appreciated parks, plus a few wellness and yoga retreats around the globe where you can take a much-needed time-out from the hustle and bustle and find sweet silence, space, and serenity now.

Virginia Coast Reserve, Virginia

(ALL INTERAL & LIMITED EXTERNAL RIGHTS) June 2014. Landscapes at TNC Brownsville Photo credit: © Peter Frank Edwards for The Nature Conservancy

(ALL INTERAL & LIMITED EXTERNAL RIGHTS) June 2014. Landscapes at TNC Brownsville Photo credit: © Peter Frank Edwards for The Nature Conservancy

Escape to one of 10 uninhabited barrier islands that the Nature Conservancy has made accessible to the public. There is no overnight access (meaning, plan day trips only), but visitors can surf cast (fish from or near the shoreline), watch thousands of beach-nesting shorebirds, or be lulled into an afternoon nap by the crashing Atlantic waves.

Big Sur, California

#2BigSur (3)

This 90-mile-long sanctuary of Central California Coastline where the Santa Lucia Mountains dramatically plunge into the Pacific is a breathtaking sight. At Esalen Institute, practicing yoga and meditation and eating nourishing organic food have been the daily rhythm for more than half a century.

American Prairie Reserve, Montana

Take an American-style safari in this ever-expanding 353,104-acre reserve , where conservation partners are working to restore the Great Plains to pristine Lewis and Clark conditions. Camp in a luxurious yurt, which is plenty close to the elk, mule deer, and bison.

Patagonia Park, Chile

#5Pata

This private playground is a 200,000-acre former ranch in northern Patagonia’s Valle Chacabuco . It sits between massive General Carrera Lake and a range of unnamed, snow-capped peaks. In the Austral summer, from October 1 to April 30, fly-fish, kayak the turquoise Rio Baker, roam miles of hiking trails that lead to secret alpine lakes, then sink into a leather sofa in the soaring great room of the newly completed stone lodge.

Kenauk Nature, Montebello, Quebec, Canada

#9KENAUK (1)

Fishing is a meditative act. There’s no better place to practice it than on this 65,000-acre private estate . Fly cast for rainbow and speckled trout, or fish from a boat for small and largemouth bass or northern pike. Retire to a rustic, post-and-beam chalet and fall asleep in the cool, clean northern air.

Ladder Ranch, New Mexico

#1LadderRanch

From high-desert prairies to Gila Mountain wilderness, Ted Turner’s private ranch—one of four private properties that the billionaire environmentalist recently opened to the public as part of Ted Turner Expeditions , the new eco-conscious adventure tour company—offers 245 square miles where guests can hike, ride horses, or watch the sun sink below the horizon in the giant western sky. It’s the kind of Wild West where deep breathing comes naturally.

Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, Costa Rica

Cloudbridge-Reserve

A tropical haven in a remote cloud forest in the highest mountains of Central America, Cloudbridge is a private retreat on Mount Chirripo with three casitas that guests can rent for a few days or a few months. Plant trees, hike to waterfalls, or search for the reclusive Resplendent Quetzal , a beautiful, vibrantly colored bird once considered as a sacred symbol by the Maya and Aztecs.

Sabi Sands, South Africa

#7SABI (2)

Because it shares a 31-mile unfenced border with Kruger National Park, this 160,000-acre oasis offers unfettered sightings of the big five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhinoceros), especially in the dry season between May and September. Sleep in a rustic bush tent, on an elevated star bed, or in a high-end lodge with sundowners in hand (the reserve has 21 lodging options).

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

#10BWCA

For those who like to work for their solitude, try the one-million-acre playground of woods and pristine water in northern Minnesota. Paddle and portage all day, then pitch a tent on a granite slab under the white pines, light a fire in the grate, and listen to the haunting call of a loon, the state bird.

Mountain Trek, Ainsworth Hot Springs, British Columbia

#11MT.Trek

Wake at dawn to start the day with gentle yoga in a sunlit studio with views to massive Kootenay Lake. Further meditation here comes in the form of silent hiking through fields of lupine and Indian paintbrush in the high-alpine trails in the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges.

Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania

singita sabora tented camp

There’s nothing like staring a lion in the face to remind yourself of the preciousness of life. You can rest-assured yours won’t be in danger when you stay at the safe and serene Singita Sabora Tented Camp  located in the Grumeti Reserves, spanning over 350,000 acres along the edge of the Serengeti. Nine luxury tents make up an intimate, 1920s-century style safari camp—complete with lavish furniture, including plush Persian rugs—that will serve as your basecamp as you explore the earth’s most exotic wildlife, such as gazelles, hyenas, wildebeests, and zebras (some of which roam freely through and around the property).

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

#12GhostRanch2_BrianSpencer

Surrounded by canyons and peaks like flat-topped Cerro Pedernal, this former dude ranch is where Georgia O’Keeffe painted her most iconic landscapes in the 1930s. Today anyone can retreat from life to take a weeklong class in painting, pottery, photography, or custom design a week of silent meditation.

Kerala, India

#13INDIA (5). (2)

In India’s tropical south, Kerala is a magical state where Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists live side by side, and the landscape varies from sandy Indian ocean beaches to the wild-elephant riddled Western Ghat mountain range. Shiva Rea offers a 10-day “Living Flow Ashram” retreat here at an ocean sanctuary overlooking the Malabar Coast in October.

County Donegal, Ireland

#14Ireland (2)

Summer is the warmest and sunniest time to be in Ireland’s least-populated county . This rugged county in the Republic’s far northwest corner offers wide-open space to wander cliff tops, write a novel in a cottage by the sea, or ferry out to forgotten island villages. At the end of the road in Port, is a renovated centuries-old farmhouse with jaw-dropping views of the craggy coastline.

Related:   4 Travel Workout Tips for a Healthier Trip

Positano, Italy

#15Positino (3)

At the height of summer, the beach at the base of this chic, pastel village is covered with sun-worshipping bodies. Wait until a colder month to have the Path of the Gods, a breathtaking, ancient coastal hiking trail high along the coastline and the beach to yourself. There will be fewer open restaurants, but villa rentals, like this one , are 30 to 50 percent less expensive in the off-season.

Half Moon Caye, Belize

17-Lighthouse Reef-016

This dreamy 44-acre isle , about 55 miles off shore of mainland Belize, is a minimalist’s paradise with seaside tent wall cabanas, an open-air dining pavilion, and many ways to get on the water, like diving at the world-famous Blue Hole, a giant underwater sinkhole that may be seen from space, just a short skiff ride away. Start the day with a sunrise yoga session or a walk to see the colony red-footed boobies (colorful seabirds) on the other end of the island. Plan your trip in advance for anytime between December and April, which is when the Lighthouse Reef Adventure Basecamp on Half Moon Caye opens for the season.

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

#17Sumaya 2

The stunning shoreline of this 50-square-mile lake high in the Sierra Madre Mountains alternates between active volcanoes and Mayan villages that date back centuries. Just west of heavily toured Panajachel is Villa Sumaya , a lakeside vegetarian retreat that offers a spectrum of healing retreats, from yoga and Ayurveda immersion to Kirtan and cacao ceremonies.

Na Pali Coast, Kauai

#18NapaliCoast (1)

The crenulated green folds of this precipitous coastline rises 4,000 feet above the crashing Pacific. On the 11-mile Kalalau trail , every step is a meditation, from the 1,000-foot Hanakoa Falls to mile-long Kalalau Beach at the end. The driest time of year to hike it is mornings from May to October.

Sedona, Arizona

#19Sedona (1)

This red-rock oasis has been a center of spiritual healing since the Sinagua Indians inhabited the region 1,400 years ago. Enjoy their ancestral energy while forging your own path on the hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Start with beloved Cathedral Rock at dawn before the crowds arrive.

Trinidad, Cuba

#20Cuba1

This World Heritage site is the Cuba of Americans’ dreams—a 500-year-old pastel village lined with swaying palms, tucked into the Escambrey Mountains, and practically a stone’s throw from the azure Caribbean. Play on the beach, wander the cobblestone streets of the city, and stay in a casa particular in La Boca, a relaxed village on the beach, 10 minutes from the city.

Silver Island, Greece

#21SilverIsland

With no Internet service, shared rooms, and a vegetarian menu, this 60-acre island yoga haven arises out of the Aegean Sea like a welcome ghost from a simpler past. Owned by two sisters who are half Greek and half South African, the yoga retreat offers an amalgam of disciplines, the cuisine is locally grown, and the accommodations are chic with stunning views to the sea.

Phillipsburg, Montana

#22RockCreek (2)

Kids here are so engrossed by the horseback riding, fly-fishing, and cowboy culture that moms don’t need to feel guilty for sneaking away to the twice-weekly, one-hour outdoor yoga sessions. By the end of the week, they may even be emboldened to try “ Cowboy Yoga ,” a horseback ride to a mountaintop class.

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, California

#23Tassajara (1)

This Buddhist monastery in the heart of the Ventana Mountains in the Los Padres National Forest is a godsend for stressed urbanites. Three-day retreats—like cooking, Zen meditation, yoga, or loving kindness—offer just enough structure for learning a new skill, but also allow for unfettered hiking and soaking in the Japanese-style baths.

Ilha Grande, Brazil

#24Brazil

Until 1994, this 75-acre island off Rio de Janeiro state served as a prison for some of the worst criminals in Brazil, which is why this pristine slice of paradise still remains so undeveloped. The roadless island has 93 miles of hiking trails, a 1,000-foot peak to summit, and endless miles of white sand beach. What could possibly make it better? A yoga and detox retreat in the tiny village Angra dos Reis.

Halibut Cove, Alaska

#25Stillpoint 2

The Last Frontier conjures images of grizzlies and salmon—not so much a meditative tree pose. But the studio at Stillpoint Lodge , overlooking a spruce-laden fjord, brings a little Zen, a little Scandinavian design, and a lot of big Alaska wilderness to anyone’s practice.

Main image courtesy of Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau .

By Stephanie Pearson Published on July 20, 2016

TAGS: mindful living

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  • Life Skills

7 tips to help you keep the peace when traveling with a group

Friends stand on an observation deck on Senja Island, Norway. When traveling as a group, align your expectations ahead of time.

Going away together — as a couple or in a group — sounds exciting, but the cocktail of travel's inherent stresses and a group's personality differences can sometimes combust. There are ways, however, to have a good time and deepen your connections. We mined conflict coaches, therapists and group tour guides for their top tips on navigating the social dynamics of traveling together.

1. Align your expectations ahead of time.

Agree on the why of the trip, and then go from there. "Have a fun conversation over a meal about what you want this trip to be," says Priya Parker , a conflict counselor and the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters .

Ask yourselves, why are we going on this trip? To relax or to work? To learn about history, to reunite a family, to conquer a physical challenge? Talk about the goal and intentions.

Call it what you want — pre-trip counseling, setting up a social contract, level setting — this is all about anticipating potential issues in advance. "One of the core elements of conflict resolution is you imagine future problematic scenarios, and you ask people about them ahead of time," says Parker.

Beyond The Grind: Find Meaning In Travel — Abroad Or In Your Backyard

Beyond The Grind: Find Meaning In Travel — Abroad Or In Your Backyard

One often-overlooked issue is how the group will make decisions.

"You can decide based on consensus," Parker says. " 'We'll go with however the most tired person is feeling.' Or, 'We'll go with whoever is willing to foot the bill for everybody else.' You can be playful around these decisions." Having a template decided in advance can stave off issues while traveling.

2. Set boundaries for how you'll spend your time.

If you're an introvert, plan to carve out your me time, so the trip doesn't become overwhelming and miserable.

"I always do this," says psychotherapist and self-described introvert Lisa Kays . "I look at, like, how much group time? Where do I get my alone time? Figure out [in advance] what are the things I'd want to do alone, and if I am traveling with somebody, letting them know that. It's not personal at all. This is something I'd be doing even if I was hanging out with my favorite celebrity."

It can be easy to get caught up in people pleasing and being polite, says Kays, but if you're not getting what you need, things can start to deteriorate. You'll be a better travel companion if you're rested and recharged.

3. Have a mix of scheduled days and unscheduled days.

Some travelers like to plan every moment; others are more spontaneous and want to see where the mood takes them. Having a mix helps balance out a trip. "If you're going on a five-day trip, saying look, we're gonna have two days of downtime, or two days where it's unscheduled, but then let the planners do their thing!" Kays says.

4. Don't forget your grown-up lovey.

"I think that we can underestimate sometimes the stress that goes on when we're traveling," says Kays. "Even if you're having a great time, it is a bit of an assault on your body and your mind."

Bring something from your home routine to help you stay sane on the road — anything from a song you like to hear to a few yoga poses you always do in the morning.

Planning a trip? Here's how to pack like a pro

Planning A Trip? Pack And Plan Like A Pro

Ask yourself, "What's my transitional object that I could take with me, to make myself feel better," Kays says. "And how can you bring it with you so that you don't lose touch with your at-home self."

5. Confront any social issues that arise head-on, with honesty.

Don't avoid conflict in order to be polite, and don't let "unhealthy peace" fester.

"Unhealthy peace is peace that's not really peace," says Parker. "It's where ... if a stranger was looking at you, the stranger would think, 'oh, everything's fine here. They seem to be enjoying themselves. Everybody's kind and polite, and this looks like a really great group.' But underneath, everybody's simmering and seething."

Defuse tension by talking out any social issues honestly.

Want to make all your arguments win-win? Stop fighting and start brainstorming

Want to make all your arguments win-win? Stop fighting and start brainstorming

"The deepest element of conflict resolution is an invitation to make the implicit explicit," Parker says. When there's unhealthy peace, usually everyone in the group can recognize it's there. So be unafraid to bring it up. Maybe by cracking a joke, or just asking to do a check-in to see how everyone's feeling.

"I know that groups recover better and can deal when somebody says, like, guys, is something weird?" says Kays. "Usually everybody's like, 'Oh, thank God, somebody said it.' "

6. Couples drama doesn't get to dominate the group dynamic.

We all love love, and people fall in love while traveling. People get into cliques, too. If pairs or triads break out, maintain an inclusive group with a rule: Your romantic drama doesn't get to dominate the dynamic.

"You can certainly encourage some norms and behaviors and expectations around how it gets dealt with in the group because it can be annoying," Kays says.

If drama does arise, Kays suggests asking the people involved to discuss it with a friend who isn't on the trip over the phone so that gossip doesn't impact the group dynamics.

7. Be friends enough to forgive.

"Generally conflict tends to get more awkward the longer it goes on," says Kays. So try to address conflict when it arises. "It's a brave thing to do. It's a hard thing to do," she says.

Then you can focus on making the kind of memories you'll look back on fondly.

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Compassionate travel: How to actually go in peace

  • Michelle Villarosa

The choices we make, whether at home or elsewhere, tell a story without words. While travelling, our actions are opportunities to build relationships, or to put up walls. Sometimes we do the latter without realizing it. 

Practicing compassion for someone else’s suffering can feel like the right approach. But being empathetic when another person’s situation is misunderstood, or experienced in an unfamiliar context, can lead to misunderstandings. 

You can be a compassionate traveler on unfamiliar ground, but it takes a bit of work. I’ll be sharing some awareness tools to help you tell stories that strengthen the bonds between our human family. 

Why compassion is important now more than ever  

It’s been a tough year. We’ve seen how polarizing views pull people, communities, and nations apart. Events of colonization, genocide, and racism are complex with layers of history. All of that complexity is bubbling to the surface. And at the centre of these injustices are misunderstandings, narrow focus, and a lack of care for one another. 

Compassion asks us to surrender our rigid agendas so that we can see human connection instead of separateness. Focusing on similarities can dismantle “us versus them” thinking. And travel happens to be the perfect environment to practice the path of understanding. 

How can you become a more compassionate traveler? 

If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide, you won’t find one. Becoming a compassionate traveler comes from the heart. Although there is no exhaustive list to check off, there are key areas that can be guideposts as you reflect on the impact words or actions may have.

Do your pre-work

Pre-work can be the difference between an enriching trip or an unsettling one. How people behave in your neighbourhood can be dissimilar, even considered rude, in other places. Researching the customs lets you know how to stay, see, and eat. A simple Google search can prepare you to navigate potentially sensitive topics with a compassionate mindset. 

Include these in your trip research.

  • What do people wear normally, at the beach or pool? Just because wearing a bikini is commonplace at home it may not be elsewhere. Many locals on tropical islands around the world exercise modesty. 
  • What are the tipping customs? Tipping is generally accepted worldwide, but the amount varies country to country.
  • What are the main religions? Religion influences culture and societies. Understanding a country’s religious voice can give insight on social behaviours. 
  • What are the main language(s) spoken? Learning a few common words and phrases shows interest and care.
  • What are the country’s rules? Chewing gum in Singapore is not common because selling it is illegal. Abiding the law is a minimum standard that shows you respect the people and place.

Get equipped to navigate foreign interactions by learning the customs, traditions, and perspectives of the destination you’re visiting.

Walk a mile in their shoes

“You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” – anonymous. 

Take, for example, Tak Bat,  a longstanding alms-giving ceremony in Laos. Buddhist monks walk throughout the village in the early morning meditating and collecting carefully prepared food donations for sustenance. 

  • One may immediately think to give money as an offering. But in this ancient spiritual practice, placing money in a bowl would contaminate the food.
  • Many vendors sell packaged rice to offer as alms, however, the food is often old and not prepared free of impurities, physically and spiritually. 
  • Heavy items like water bottles seem kind, but the weight becomes a burden as the monks travel by foot for many miles. 

What may seem like harmless actions could make another feel uncomfortable or disrespected. 

“Walking a mile in their shoes” means you imagine or learn about different people and their circumstances; why they are doing what they are doing. Think about the purpose behind actions, how health, upbringing, culture, education, and other socio economic factors can influence unique societies. 

To try this, place yourself in the following examples. How would you feel?

Imagine yourself as:

  • An impoverished family selling food on the streets with tourists snapping photos of you 
  • A monk peacefully meditating at a quiet temple while a group of people are speaking loudly
  • A marginalized youth being filmed to portray the roughness of an area 
  • A woman who covers her body in modesty due to religious beliefs standing next to visitors wearing revealing clothes

The events may differ, but the rules of empathy remain the same anywhere in the world. It’s easy to make judgments or ignore other’s needs when self-focused. We have so much knowledge within ourselves, but when we stop and consider the experiences of another we all learn. 

“I Come in Peace”

In many sci-fi movies the visitor, whether it’s an extraterrestrial landing on Earth or a human arriving on a foreign planet, will say they come in peace. Arriving guns blazing, pointing out errors with an air to change what already exists immediately builds walls that hinder communication.

In someone else’s country, remember you are always a visitor. You wouldn’t walk into someone’s home and start bad mouthing the art on their walls. Why would it be any different traveling?

As a visitor, you experience a snapshot of the destination. Whether you spend 7 days or 7 months in a place, before you arrived there were centuries of history that shaped the people, beliefs, and landscape. The present moment you’re witnessing is only the tip of an iceberg, and even that tip is seen through your filtered lens. 

We don’t have to fully grasp all the influences that make a place unique (or uncomfortable), but we can create compassionate space for the things we may not understand.

I recall a time my husband and I rode a train in Sri Lanka. The train ride from Kandy to Ella is renowned for its picturesque views. We arrived at the station a few hours early to ensure we got tickets and good seats. As one of the first to arrive, I was pleased that our plan worked. 

Passengers continued to funnel onto the platform in droves. I was beginning to wonder how we’d all fit. When the train docked it was every person for themselves. Even with all the preparation, I honestly thought I was going to be left behind! 

Although we made it on, the first few hours riding the train was spent crammed like sardines and me standing with a view of my husband’s armpit. 

Sure, boarding trains in Canada, my first home, is more systematic and comfort-focused, but Sri Lanka operates in its own way. Seats eventually opened up,we got a seat and even shared snacks with a local family while admiring gorgeous tea plantations and mountain scapes. It was the fondest memory of our trip!

Many layers of influences and values mould a culture. There is beauty in this. Instead of imparting your knowledge, by silently observing and drawing from your own inner wisdom, you learn something new about the scenario and yourself.

Altruism sets our own desires aside, but it doesn’t mean you have to be a saint. Missteps can, and will happen from time to time. But at the heart of it, we all want to be cared for, recognized, and understood. And it takes each of us to make the effort to bring that recognition into fruition. So what story will you tell?

Michelle Villarosa

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travel feel peace

Condé Nast Traveller editors on the most peaceful places they've visited

By Olivia Morelli

Whitsundays Australia

Each  May , the  UK  dedicates a week to raising awareness about  mental health . Started by the Mental Health Foundation, the initiative is in its 22nd year of hosting discussions, campaigns and fundraisers. The charity’s vision is to create a mentally healthy society for all and to build support networks and communities for families and individuals who are struggling. To mark the occasion, we asked our travel editors to let us in on the destinations they feel most peaceful; the places they go to when they need some rest, respite and relaxation. From  London ’s green spaces to strips of golden-white sand in  Sydney  via a sacred temple in Punjab, these are the world’s most precious spots for the Condé Nast Traveller team.

Whitsundays Australia

The Whitsundays, Australia

Abbi Malbon, audience growth manager

'Being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but the  ocean  is some people's worst nightmare, but for me, it's where I feel most at peace. In 2017 I was lucky enough to travel around some of  Australia , and while the varied landscape of the country wowed me at every turn, there was nothing quite like being on a boat, exploring the Whitsundays and soaking up the feeling of seeing nothing but water for miles. I spent an evening lying in a hammock watching the stunning sunset before setting off on a three-day boat tour from a small  island . On the trip I snorkelled, sunbathed and just generally gazed around in awe – it was a few days of pure peace, and I often think back to the clear water, blue skies and incredible nature when I'm craving some calm.'

Aberystwyth Ceredigion Wales

Sarah James, deputy digital editor

‘ West Wales is where hippies escaped to in the Seventies, looking for a quiet, tumbledown patch of land where they could unplug from the world. People still go in the hope of going off-grid – seeking out craggy coastlines and small scale businesses. Nothing can be rushed or hurried here.’

Crackington Haven Cornwall

Cornwall, England

Karin Mueller, visuals editor

'Crackington Haven is a lovely cove dominated by majestic cliffs and offers a stretch of golden sand when the tide is out, along with many rock pools. I love to go for a walk around the cliffs first, arriving back at the beach to grill a few sausages on a  barbecue  while watching the waves and sipping a cold drink. The Coombe Barton Inn, a fabulous pub right on the beach, serves drinks in takeaway cups so you can sit and drink on the sand. They do a great Sunday lunch too.'

Muckle Flugga Shetland

Muckle Flugga, Shetland, Scotland

Toby Skinner, Features director

'I always find end-places oddly comforting. I'm deeply happy in one of the rudimentary hot baths at Grettislaug, dug out by a local farmer at the end of a gravel road on the far north of Iceland’s Troll Peninsula – with views of a glacial mountainside and the folkloric Drangey island. But my favourite has to be the lonely walk across the Hermaness headland to Muckle Flugga, the northern edge of Shetland and the UK (John O’Groats is for wimps). It’s a place of Middle Earth cliffs, ominously circling great skuas, swooping gannets, gormless sheep and the low rumble of the sea below. It makes me feel tiny and transient, but also euphoric. From the little sign at the end of the headland, looking out to a lonely lighthouse on a buffeted stack, there’s nowhere else to go – and there’s a certain finality and peace to that.' 

Golden Temple in Amritsar India

Amritsar, Punjab, India

Divia Thani, global editorial director

‘The Golden Temple in Amritsar, in Punjab is a sacred place for Sikhs. But regardless of your religious beliefs, the energy here is undeniable. It brings so much calm, peace and pure gratitude for the abundance of life. And if you get the chance to partake in a langar – where food is prepared and distributed by volunteers for thousands of people for free, every day, regardless of your religion – your faith in the goodness of humanity is truly restored.’

St James Park LondonUnited Kingdom

London, England

Lauren Burvill, commerce writer

'In  London , I love just walking around one of the big  parks . My favourites are Battersea Park and St James' Park, but it could just be anywhere in the city where there's greenery and water. Abroad, it’s anywhere you can swim in the ocean. My favourite would have to be the  Maldives . Nothing brings more peace than staying right by – or above – the ocean, where you can jump in from your balcony and be surrounded by schools of tropical fish, and listen to the waves as you go to sleep at night.' 

Pittwater Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Louisa Parker Bowles, global operations director  

'My favourite place for peace is my mother’s beach house in Pittwater, along the beautiful strip of northern beaches in  Sydney , before the more famous and more populated ones like Palm Beach. I grew up paddling in the little bay just before Church Point and now I love taking my daughters there, particularly on a summer evening when hundreds of soldier crabs scuttle along the sand to avoid the gently lapping waves. Colourful rainbow lorikeets fly overhead and there's often a lone kookaburra on the lookout for a dropped ice cream cone. There’s something comforting about the familiar and never-changing rhythm of the scene.'

Iceland

Becky Lucas, digital editorial project lead

'Iceland has repeatedly been found to be the safest country in the world , and with safety and security comes an overwhelming sense of peace. The landscape – hours of dramatic mountains, shrubbery, black sands and a surprising lack of trees – also encourages a sense of one's insignificance amid nature, while the incredibly laidback and humorous people help to dispel any overly worrisome thoughts straight to the very back of your mind.'

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Norfolk broads UK

Norfolk, England

Sarah Allard, digital editor

‘Coming from Norfolk with a father who spent years working for the Broads Authority, I was lucky enough to spend many summers during my childhood in and around boats on the Norfolk Broads. There is something remarkably peaceful about a warm sunny afternoon winding along the narrow rivers, with the water sparkling back at you and nothing but the sounds of rustling reeds, the chatter from a group of nearby ducks and my mother’s announcement that we can finally dig into the picnic.’

Tuscany Italy

Tuscany, Italy

Olivia Morelli, social media editor

‘When I close my eyes and picture the most peaceful place I can, Tuscany immediately fills my mind. I spent most of my childhood summers with my family in the region, devouring as many books as plates of pasta to the soundtrack of whispering leaves in cypress trees, humming crickets, and the occasional tidal wave splash as my siblings dive bomb into the swimming pool .’

Naoshima Island Kagawa Japan

Naoshima, Japan

Lily Bonesso, Acting video producer

‘Only a short ferry-ride away from Tamano, West Japan, you can find Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima; also known as the ‘Art Islands’. In the 80s billionaire businessman Soichiro Fukutak saw an opportunity to regenerate the land, which had housed metal refineries and illegal waste. His vision was to build a creative utopia, where you can experience a slow pace of life surrounded by some of the world’s most striking art. The main gallery spaces are minimal masterpieces of polished concrete, in perfect harmony with the surrounding scenery. What was most striking about the visit for me was an overwhelming sense of peace. Surrounded by so much beauty, you couldn’t help but be still.’

The Eastern Townships of Quebec

Quebec, Canada

Tamara Southward, junior digital writer, CNX Britain

'The Eastern Townships of  Quebec  is an area dotted with picturesque villages, connected by the region's rolling hills, meandering country roads and mountain-framed lakes, where sailboats bob unhurriedly amongst the singing loons. Lake Memphremagog, where I have spent my summers since childhood, begins in Quebec and ends in Vermont, so bringing your passport on a hike or boat ride is always a good idea. I am most at peace sitting at the end of my rickety cedar dock with a book, alongside my family, looking out at Mont Owl's Head and eating freshly-picked blueberries. With the knowledge that come wintertime, the lake will freeze and the road leading down to our summer cottage will be inaccessible, the fact that this place comes to life every year at the start of May makes it even more special.' 

Robert Puff Ph.D.

The Journey Toward Inner Peace

At our core, we are beautiful, calm, and centered individuals..

Posted February 8, 2021

dustin-dagamac-56CTY3SxXrQ-unsplash

Achieving your inner peace in today’s world is something that many strive for, but few achieve. We tell ourselves that if we practice yoga daily, we’ll achieve inner peace. Or if we do breathwork and meditation before bed, we’ll achieve inner peace.

Activating our inner peace is more complicated than that. Some believe that inner peace is achieved only through external work and effort. For example, if you wake up in a good mood, eat well, participate in things you love throughout the day, and go to bed thinking about what you are grateful for, it’s easy to believe that you have achieved inner peace. But that is not reality. Our days are not always full of positive thinking and productivity . We encounter mishaps and inconveniences that set us off, even if we started our day off with a 30-minute yoga class.

In an effort to increase our inner peace, we book a weekend retreat to center ourselves. This helps us feel at peace again, maybe for longer this time, but life inevitably happens and our inner peace is rocked once again. We may get stuck in traffic one day and our anger and frustration disrupt the peace we’ve worked so hard to cultivate.

Perhaps we’ll take it one step further and join a spiritual community where they engage with their inner peace all day long. But, people from these communities aren’t immune to inner turmoil either.

The path to inner peace is not a one size fits all approach. You may choose not to embark on the spiritual route at all, and instead, try to do everything perfectly according to society’s standards. You focus on working hard, paying your bills, sending your kids to college, and retiring early. Life seems great and you’re able to travel for the first time in your life. But perfectionism is also not immune to life’s inconveniences. Even though you’ve done everything you should, you may still experience heartbreak, a medical scare, or lose a loved one.

So how do we achieve inner peace when life is so uncertain?

Let’s use an example to explore this further. Have you ever visited a lake on a very still day, and the water is so calm and crystal clear that you’re able to see the bottom? Humans are similar. At our core, we are beautiful, calm, and centered individuals. But like wind disrupting the still lake, external forces disrupt the inner peace that we have inside each of us. It’s during these times of disruption where it’s easy to forget that our inner peace is always present inside of us.

When we meditate, we sit with ourselves in silence and stillness. As a result, we feel peaceful because our thoughts that label what’s right or wrong all day long, are quiet. What we are left with is the silence of the inner self and the inner self is peaceful.

We conjure up a similar feeling when we go on vacation somewhere relaxing. It may take us a couple of days to adapt and appreciate our surroundings, but eventually, we grow more present and mindful. It’s during these times in life where we’re able to completely let go and rest that we realize inner peace is always with us. And once we return from vacation, we’re reminded how quickly our thoughts and external forces disrupt that peace we experienced not too long ago.

Let’s explore how we can maintain and encourage our inner peace throughout the day, even when it’s disrupted by outside forces.

Observe vs. commentate

Inner peace is with us at all times. The problem is, inner peace gets disturbed when we interact with the world. As humans, we form opinions and commentary about the things that happen to us during the day. When we are still and quiet and we observe instead of commentate on everything, we are able to achieve inner peace. When we constantly comment on the world, good or bad, we disturb our efforts to maintain our inner peace. These thoughts keep the water murky.

To keep the water clear and our inner peace present, we must choose to be the participant of life instead of the commentator of life. We feel at peace when we meditate or when we’re on vacation because our mind takes a break from providing constant commentary and is able to just exist. We stop labeling things as “positive” or “negative,” they just are.

We can practice this by noticing next time something disturbs us. This may happen from an external force (i.e. watching a show, participating in an activity, overhearing something uncomfortable, etc.) or our own inner thoughts that critique the world around us. Once we notice this disturbance, we can then take a deep breath and look without the commentary, without labeling something as right or wrong, and simply observe.

For example, we go to the store and the checkout line is longer than normal. We may first notice our inner peace is disturbed, and our inner thoughts begin to say, “Why aren’t more people working today?” Instead of continuing with these judgments, we can take a deep breath and notice other things. We can focus on our breath, the trees outside, or the happy couple holding hands in front of us. Instead of using this time to be stressed or upset, you’ve used the time to notice and engage with your inner peace. You’ve kept your water clear.

travel feel peace

Control the external

Our inner peace is not only affected by our inner dialogue but how we engage with the external world. We make thousands of decisions throughout the day based on external forces and all of these choices strengthen or weaken our inner peace.

We have the choice when we come home after work to sit outside and read or spend time watching the news. Everything that we expose ourselves to affects how we perceive the world and ourselves. Spending hours on end on our electronic devices can negatively impact the way we see things, and as a result, affect our inner peace.

If we’re spending hours on our phones or tuned into the news, it might be helpful to intentionally separate ourselves throughout the day and find more time for turning inward. We can breathe, spend time in nature, go for a walk, or do a mindfulness exercise. It might be helpful to schedule pockets of time away from your electronic devices if this is a new practice.

As a reminder, maintaining control over our internal dialogue and thoughts also affects our inner peace. If we constantly engage with our thoughts, labeling something as positive or negative, or planning and executing, there is no time to experience that inner peace. Nature offers this time to us. Meditation and breathwork offer this time to us. Quiet moments are where we access our inner peace.

We are met with a variety of situations and outcomes throughout our lives. Sometimes we may like what life brings us and other times we might not. But we don’t need to hang on to these outcomes, or even label them as good or bad, we can allow them to just exist. Once we choose radical acceptance of what is and find intentional moments of calm and quiet through the day, we’ll always be able to find the bottom of the lake.

Robert Puff Ph.D.

Robert Puff, Ph.D. , is host and producer of the Happiness Podcast, with over 16 million downloads.

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95 Powerful Travel Affirmations for Safe, Fun Adventures

Most all of us would love to travel more and experience safe, fun adventures in our lives. However, sometimes anxiety, money, time, or other issues prevent us from experiencing adventures in the world around us. These powerful travel affirmations can help you achieve your travel dreams with ease and excitement.

Whether you are a new traveler, a regular traveler, a solo traveler, or a group traveler, these affirmations for travel can help you plan a great adventure , enjoy your travel adventures more, and create a mindset for safe, fun adventures.

a young adventurous women taking photos sits on a large boulder over looking a city on the water

Related Article : 30 Reasons Why Traveling Is Important To Your Overall Wellness

a young backpacking couple looks at a phone for directions as they travel in a foreign city

What Are Travel Affirmations?

Travel affirmations are positive statements that you speak to yourself with intention on a regular basis to help your subconscious mind create positive thoughts about travel and new experiences. Affirmations for travel can help people who have travel anxiety about new adventures, meeting new people, and seeing new places.

Affirmations for travel can help relieve you of any negative thoughts about traveling, such as those related to travel safety, costs, and health. They can also help you develop a mindset that you are worthy of adventure that supports the life of your dreams.

While most of us do not have unlimited resources for extensive travel goals, positive travel affirmations also help you develop a mindset that you can make it happen. You can plan your next trip and work hard for the good things in your life. You can become confident that travel is in your future.

a middle aged couple stands againsts a crystal blue lake at the base of mountains after using travel affirmations to plan a trip of their lifetime

Types of Travel Affirmations

There are many reasons to use travel affirmations. Below you will find affirmations for travel that will help ease your anxiety, overcome your fears, manifest more travel in your life, plan your next adventure, travel safely, and have a wonderful time!

You will also find affirmations for your health while traveling because traveling with chronic pain can be scary. Don’t let chronic pain stop you from traveling and gaining all the health benefits of seeing the world around you. Travel is an important component of staying young and healthy.

Related Article : Adventure Quotes to Inspire Your Youthful Spirit

Whether you are flying, driving, taking a train or a boat, these travel affirmations will put your mind at ease and help you fully enjoy each travel adventure in your life .

Here are solo travel affirmations, adventure affirmations, affirmations for safe travel, affirmations for travel anxiety, affirmations for a positive vacation, and so much more to help you get the most out of your travel adventures.

a small boat sits on the shoreline of a beautiful beach surrounded by tall rock formations

95 Powerful Affirmations for Travel

This list of positive affirmations about travel will help you live your best life learning about different cultures and new places in the world. You’ll have travel opportunities for great experiences and adventures without fear or anxiety.

Whether you enjoy short, simple road trips or travels to new countries, these affirmations will help you have a safe journey and travel with confidence and ease. They will help you develop a positive mindset about travel and adventures. They will help you have a comfortable journey wherever you venture into the world.

  • I deserve to live the life of my dreams without fear.
  • I look forward to the good food wherever I travel.
  • Every new destination excites me.
  • I embrace new cultures and new people with open arms.
  • I always take appropriate safety precautions on my solo travels.
  • Any day traveling is a good day.
  • The hustle bustle of busy city streets excites me.
  • Solo trips are mentally challenging and make me a stronger person.
  • I overcome the hard parts of travel because I am strong and confident.
  • I embrace the right opportunities and new ideas for travel.
  • I let go of all fear about getting on an airplane.
  • I let go of all fear about getting on a cruise ship.
  • I embrace the idea of exotic locations where I fully relax and meet new, interesting people.
  • I let go of the negative thoughts I feel about traveling.
  • My perfect trip is just around the corner.
  • I release self-limiting beliefs about travel and adventure. ]
  • With a little help, I am perfectly capable of planning the trip of my dreams.
  • I will have a smooth journey on my next adventure.
  • I thoroughly enjoy a life of adventure and travel.
  • I love a good, exciting adventure that leaves me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
  • I live my best possible life with confidence and courage.
  • I manifest a unique experience to my dream destination.
  • I confidently move forward with plans for my next destination.
  • New opportunities and adventures help me grow in mind and spirit.
  • I radiate positive energy whenever I travel.
  • I love learning new things about the world.
  • It is second nature for me to plan a new adventure.
  • I learn from my past mistakes about travel.
  • Travel is a positive thing in life that brings me great joy.
  • I am always in the right place at the right time.

five young women sit on boulders at the summit of a mountain after using travel affirmations to give them confidence

  • I am in charge of the trajectory of my adventurous spirit.
  • I am capable of planning incredible things that inspire my wanderlust.
  • I have an abundance of love for travel and adventure.
  • I love a great adventure.
  • I take all safety precautions on each trip.
  • I fully trust myself to make the ight decisions while traveling.
  • I embrace my new positive beliefs about traveling.
  • I let go of my anxiety about traveling.
  • I have no fear of meeting new people and going to new places.
  •  I am more grateful to travel now than ever before.
  •  I am open and ready to travel.
  • Only the best travel scenarios are presented to me.
  • I am grateful for the opportunity to explore the world.
  • I welcome new experiences.
  • I cherish memorable, spontaneous moments.
  • I have peace and clarity about travelling.
  • I am a confident traveler who enjoys new adventures.
  • I am happy when I have travel opportunities in my life.
  • I am determined to live life to the fullest with travel opportunities.
  • I possess the freedom to travel wherever I want.
  • I choose to be relaxed and enjoy the journey.
  • It’s healthy for me to break up my daily routine with great travel adventures.
  • Travel adventures help recharge and refresh my mind, body, and spirit.
  • I am excited about my upcoming trip.
  • Every adventure increases my confidence and courage about traveling.
  • Pondering new travel experiences increases my enthusiasm and confidence.
  • Traveling enriches my life with beauty and culture.
  • Adventure travel lifts my spirits.
  • I am a courageous traveler who loves to explore the world.
  • I am bold and excited about experiencing new adventures.

a middle aged couple swims in the crystal blue water with stingrays

  • I refuse to allow anxiety, fear, or worry prevent me from traveling experiences.
  • I love meeting new people when I travel.
  • I attract people to me with my friendly demeanor and smile when I travel.
  • I release fears, worries, and doubts about my safety while traveling.
  • I have confidence whether I travel by train, boat, plane, or car, I am protected and safe.
  • My journey to new places is always peaceful and rewarding.
  • I thoroughly enjoy the process of planning a travel adventure.
  • I can hardly wait for my next travel adventure.
  • Traveling helps me sleep better.
  • Travel adventures bring out the best in me.
  • Traveling helps keep me youthful in mind, body, and spirit.
  • I find joy and comfort in traveling.
  • I experience more self love and compassion when I travel.
  • I release all questioning of my long-held beliefs and worries about travel.
  • I am my most authentic and true self when traveling.
  • I radiate positive vibes when I am exploring the world.
  • Great things happen when I travel.
  • Any day of traveling is a beautiful day.
  • I experience an amazing journey when I travel.
  • Language barriers do not worry me because I am creative in my communication.
  • Cultural differences excite me because I build my knowledge-base about the world.
  • I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of booking hotels and flights.
  • I can plan and execute the journey of my dreams.
  • I am filled with wanderlust.
  • I am at peace with my travel plans.
  • I embrace living in the moment.
  • I cherish my time on the road.
  • Positive energy surrounds me wherever I go.
  • My soul thrives when I travel.
  • I am grateful for all opportunities to see the world.
  • Getting away from my daily routines gives me great pleasure.
  • I trust those who take me on my travels.
  • Traveling makes me an even better person.
  • Photos of exciting places motivate me to travel.
  • I feel peace and happiness at the thought of travel adventures.

a young woman stands on an overlook in South Africa in awe of the beauty

How to Use Travel Affirmations

Look at the list of travel affirmations and choose the ones that resonate with you. Modify or edit them to personalize them, if you choose. Make them meaningful and authentic to you so they are your own travel affirmations.

Always choose affirmations that are realistic, otherwise they can cause greater anxiety. Affirmations are very personal and should be selected (or written) with the clear intention of changing your negative emotions into positive emotions.

Affirmations are powerful tools to change your subconscious mind about a variety of things. They help you initiate positive change and promote confidence.

Daily affirmations should always be written and stated in the present tense. As opposed to saying, “I will enjoy all travel experiences” you should say, “I enjoy all travel experiences.”

Related Article : Off On Our Next Adventure: Travel in America

Once you have created your list, repeat your affirmations daily and with intention. You can say them to yourself in front of a mirror. Write them on sticky notes and put them in strategic place so you see them throughout the day.

You can also write your travel affirmations in your journal and read them daily. Ideally, you should spend a few minutes twice a day reading and speaking your affirmations so your brain begins to genuinely believe what you are saying.

Worried about traveling in the coming weeks? Create affirmation cards for yourself and carry them with you at all times. Then take them with you on the trip. But be sure to read them to yourself with intention several times a day.

The power of affirmations is amazing!

a beautiful orange sky surrounds mountains a large lake and beautiful ever greens

Final Thoughts About Travel Affirmations

The power of affirmations is pretty hard to ignore. There is plenty of research about positive daily affirmations that suggests they can change your life for the better.

But have patience with yourself. You are probably working on changing something negative in your brain that has persisted for a very long time. It will take time to make the shift to a positive mindset.

And don’t forget that travel adventures are important components to your overall wellness and personal growth . They help you expand your knowledge-base, stay youthful, meet new friends, and so much more. Don’t deprive yourself of these experiences.

Now go ahead and get started with these positive affirmations for travel so you can plan the trip of your dreams and have the best time of your life!

Happy travels!

You may also enjoy these related articles:

  • 93 Best Songs About Travel and Adventure for Your Playlist
  • 5 Cool Things To Do on a Weekend in Charleston, SC
  • Family Fun in Nashville – Over 50 Things to Do in 2021!

Love to ALL! ~ Susan

If you found value in my words, please consider sharing it on your socials by clicking the buttons below. Thank you for your continued support! It means so much to me!

travel feel peace

Susan Ballinger is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, PTSD survivor, and advocate for ALL who has always been passionate about supporting and inspiring others in their personal growth. In her retirement years, she became the primary caregiver of her aging parents and developed an extensive knowledge-base about the elderly. You can learn more about Susan's professional work and compassionate nature by exploring her ABOUT page and connecting through her social media platforms.

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Accessibility

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Sassy Sister Stuff Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement

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To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

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Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

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31 Travel Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

These travel safety tips will help you plan ahead, stay safe on the road, and give you peace of mind as you embark on your next adventure!

31 Travel Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Travel, whether it’s near or far, has so many benefits. It can be an eye-opening educational experience, and it’ll make you feel united with the world around you. It might even change your life—BUT only if you’re safe!

Like any new experience, travel does not come without its risks. That’s why I’ve put together these travel safety tips: to help you plan ahead, stay aware of your surroundings, and give you peace of mind as you embark on your next adventure!

Register with Your Embassy In Case of Natural Disaster or Civil Unrest

Despite all our best planning, we can never be prepared for extreme forces outside of our control. Registering with your Embassy before you travel ensures that if something truly dangerous happens in the country you’re visiting, you know your government will be actively looking out for your safety and well-being.

This includes situations like the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, or the civil uprising in Nicaragua last year. In these cases, the US Embassies actively worked to help American citizens evacuate safely. They can also help you with issues regarding your passport.

Registration is usually simple. For Americans, go online to the STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program)  web page to submit your passport information, travel dates, and destinations. This will notify Embassies in your region so that if disaster strikes they can contact you quickly and begin assisting you.

Check the State Department Website for Travel Warnings

a young woman in a brown coat walks through a busy city intersection

Researching all the exciting things you can do and see while on travel is a big part of the fun. But while you’re looking at paragliding in Colombia , or the best museums to visit in Paris (seriously, go see the D’Orsay), take some time to read the latest from the State Department’s travel safety warnings.

Now, most of the time these are worst-case scenarios, and the warnings generally list what could happen in that region–not necessarily what will happen. Still, it’s best to have a look and to keep checking for updates as you get closer to your arrival.

Travel warnings will usually be accompanied by useful travel safety tips. Things like pickpocketing are prevalent in most urban destinations, but warnings of things like violent crime should not be taken lightly.

Do your research, read carefully, and put yourself in a situation to avoid the most reported on areas. As travelers, we love the excitement of exploring new destinations and learning more about the world, but that doesn’t mean we need to put ourselves in unnecessary danger.

You can even sign up to get email updates for travel tips and warnings on the area you’ll be visiting.

Get Travel Insurance for Peace of Mind

This is one of the most important travel safety tips. This necessity is too often seen as a luxury, but in regards to safety, there is no question that the list of benefits for getting travel insurance far outweighs the cost. Trip cancellation or delay, lost baggage, and emergency medical coverage are must-haves.

At this point, the question of travel insurance should not be “ is travel insurance worth it? ” but rather “which travel insurance company is best for my next trip?” It’s no secret that there are travel insurance companies out there that may be trying to take advantage of you by charging high deductibles or making it nearly impossible to file a claim, but that shouldn’t deter you from seeking the travel insurance coverage you need.

Make sure you report your loss as soon as possible to expedite the claims process. And don’t forget to insure your electronics. Camera equipment, laptop, and cell phones can be covered depending on the insurance company.

If you’re unsure how to choose the best travel insurance company,  fill out the form below to instantly get a quote.

Share Your Travel Itinerary with Family and Friends So They Know Where You’re Heading

A hiker sits on a mountain overlooking a valley

I know that some of you might prefer to go rogue for a few months. Freedom and privacy may be highly coveted, but too much of a good thing can sometimes put you in a bind.

Give close relatives or friends a general breakdown of your travel itinerary before you take off, even if your itinerary is a loose one. A list of the countries and cities that you will be visiting and your dates of travel is a good start.

This serves two purposes: they’ll feel good knowing that they’ve got some insight into your travel and that you know you plan to travel safely, and you’ll have an extra cushion of someone looking out for you while you’re off exploring.

Social media is a great way to keep people updated as you go, but oversharing can put you at risk. Make sure you’ve updated your privacy settings to keep strangers off your social media if you plan to use those platforms to share your actual travel plans.

And remember to send your close friends and family a more detailed note if your travel itinerary changes considerably. If you’ve canceled your plans to hang out in London in favor of traveling with the new friends you just met in Italy, we urge you to let someone know where you’re headed.

Seek Out Updated Location Specific Travel Safety Tips So You Know Recent Trends

When it comes to travel safety tips, scams, and trends, no two destinations are the same. Because of this, the travel safety tips you read for one country or city may not apply to the next.

Be specific with your research when it comes to the latest information on travel safety tips. Don’t just search “is Morocco safe?”  but search “2019 safety tips for Marrakech.”

This applies to talking to locals during your travels too. If you’re planning to head to a new city nearby, ask the locals if they’ve heard any news or have any tips to travel safety in that area. Chances are, they’ll have a lot of insight for you.

Hostel staff are also a great resource here. They may be local to the area, or they may be travelers like yourself with some pretty good tips on safety in the immediate area. Whether it’s bars with bad reputations, common travel scams,  panhandling, or pickpocketing sights, your hostel staff will (usually) know about it.

And then share what you’ve learned–make sure to share those travel safety tips with friends you meet along the way.

Get the Right Vaccinations to Stay Healthy

Getting sick while traveling sucks. So you take a few over the counter meds and spend a day in bed. But getting super sick? Like, Dengue fever sick? That can be the end of your travels for the foreseeable future.

Be preemptive. In some cases, you need to prove you’re vaccinated from certain diseases before some countries will even let you in.

Do your research on vaccination requirements, and carry your shot-card (often a little yellow book) with your passport so you’re always prepared to show it at immigration.

Notify Your Bank So They Don’t Freeze Your Card When You’re Traveling

This one is simple and only takes a few minutes. But not doing it, and having your credit card frozen,  can cause you hours or even days of frustration and could pose a serious problem.

If your bank doesn’t know that you’re traveling in other countries, they may see your charges or withdrawals as potentially fraudulent and freeze your credit card. Once that happens, you’re going to struggle to call them internationally during their business hours to verify your purchases and to get your credit card reactivated.

Most banks offer this feature on their mobile banking app. Simply enter your travel dates and destinations to report to the bank that you’ll be on the move.

Have Multiple Banks Accounts So You Can Transfer Money Easily

Losing your bank card or having it stolen is a traveler’s nightmare. But if you have multiple bank accounts, it could just be a hiccup instead of a show-stopper.

Give yourself the ability to transfer your funds remotely by having at least two working bank accounts. They can even be with the same bank.

If your bank card goes missing, call the authorities, freeze your bank card, and then move your money to your other account. That way, you can keep going with your travels while the bank and the authorities take care of your open case or claim.

The same goes for credit cards. Don’t be put in a bad situation where you can’t access your own money.

Write Down Emergency Information to Speed up Assistance

There are a few important aspects to emergency information: your medical information, your passport information, and local emergency points of contact.

You should always carry a card on you with your medical information like blood type, allergies, and someone to contact (usually your parents or spouse). That way, if something happens to you, it gives very crucial information to whoever is providing you aid.

And wherever you chose to keep that is where you should also have a little card where you’ve jotted down things like the country’s emergency phone number (it may not be 911).

When you check into your hostel, hang out a minute longer at the front desk and copy down the local emergency information. Put it in your phone as well, but that should not be the only place you’ve got it.

Learn Basic Self-Defense for Protection

Note that I didn’t say “learn to beat someone up” or “perfect your three-finger punch.”

Basic self-defense is an important skill to be used in a worst-case scenario. Learning to defend yourself includes learning how to diffuse a dangerous situation without personal altercation, as well as the importance of buying yourself time to get away quickly and safely.

The goal is to avoid conflict and keep yourself safe. It is not your job to teach someone else a lesson with your cool kung-fu moves.

Consider taking some krav maga or karate lessons before you travel, and emphasize to your trainer that your goal is self-defense. Find an instructor that guides you in the right direction.

Book Your Travel with Trusted Sources to Avoid Getting Scammed

Bus travel in Hong Kong on a busy street

When booking travel online, whether it’s buses or flights, any price that seems too good to be true usually is. Keep an eye out for common signs of scam sites, like ones that have too many pop-ups and poor formatting. Make sure any website that asks for payment has a trusted business indicator (like the ones provided by Visa and Mastercard) displayed on the website. These scammy websites count on their readers not paying attention, so don’t give them the satisfaction.

As for booking travel in person while you’re in a foreign country, stick to your hostel recommendations or highly-rated local travel companies. Odd company names or ones that aren’t located in travel hubs (like bus terminals or airports) should be scrutinized heavily.

In some cases, even legit companies could be getting paid-off by malicious groups to rope unwitting tourists in, so that they can rob their bus en route.

Cheap transit is not always your best bet. Remember, you don’t just want a good deal, you actually want to make it to your destination safely.

Stay at Decent Hostels for Security and Safety

I’m looking at you, my ultra-budget travelers out there.

It may be tempting to book the cheapest possible place to stay. Hell, extreme budget travel is practically a sport for some travelers. But there are certain things you shouldn’t skimp on, and a clean safe place to sleep is one of them.

Not to say that safe accommodation has to be expensive, but your main concern should lie with things like locks, lockers, and a 24hr front desk. The only people that should be able to access your hostel at night are staff and tenants. That way you can get a truly worry-free night’s sleep and be ready to step out on your next adventure.

Wear the Right Clothes So You Don’t Stand Out

Dressing appropriately for your surroundings has multiple benefits. Not only does it show that you are respectful of the local culture, but it helps you blend in as well. Dressing like a “tourist” makes you a target for potential theft.

Try to keep your travel wardrobe minimalist, so you can add a flare of local attire depending on where you are visiting. Pickpockets and other nefarious characters are constantly on the lookout for people who don’t look like they belong. And don’t wear your flashy, expensive-looking jewelry or fancy brands as this can also be an open invitation for trouble.

Bring a First Aid Kit for Minor Injuries

Scrapes and burns may not seem like a big deal, but staying healthy is, and health is a part of safety. Traveling is sometimes dirty business. With rocky hikes and dusty buses, you never know what might happen, and you need to be in control of your health as much as possible.

It doesn’t take much for a small cut or splinter to get infected, so do yourself a favor and keep your own first aid kit on hand and easily accessible. Be hyper-aware of any small injuries you get along the way. Foot injuries can be especially susceptible to contamination and dangerous to your health.

Band-Aids, antiseptic, and clean gauze are a good start for a basic kit. You should also consider vitamin-c and throat lozenges to stave off the pesky common cold, and Imodium in the event that the food you eat doesn’t… agree with you. Don’t be embarrassed. We’ve all been there.

Inspect Transaction Points to Avoid Fraud and Theft

ATM surrounded by graffiti

Money tips and travel safety tips go hand in hand. Just like with having multiple bank accounts to protect your funds, you need to be wary of anywhere you might swipe or insert your bank card or credit cards.

Look for signs of tampering. Has anything been added to the card receiver that may be capable of recording your bank card or credit card data?

Inspect Transaction Points to Avoid Fraud and TheftRestaurants are not immune to this either. Always ask if your credit card can be swiped at the table instead of letting your server take your card away to complete the transaction.

When in doubt, you can always skip to the next ATM or pay your dinner tab with cash. You can even report potential tampering to the local police.

Use a VPN to Protect You From Hackers

Free WiFi can feel heaven-sent when you’re on the move—especially if you’re a digital nomad working and traveling. But as lovely as it is to connect for free, it can also put your device at risk for hackers.

If you come across public WiFi that is not password protected, it is possible that the data on your laptop or computer could be gathered by a third party while you’re connected. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a great way around this problem.

When you use a VPN paid service, your online activity will be sent through virtual connections and encrypted, so your IP address and data can’t be intercepted. Now you can safely embrace that sweet, sweet free WiFi without worrying about identity theft or fraud.

ExpressVPN  is one of my favorite VPNs for international travel . It provides secure, private and unrestricted internet access so you can hide your location

Study Maps to Keep Your Bearings

a map with a cup of coffee and travel planning tools

You don’t need to be a modern-day Magellan to get this one down. Having a decent understanding of the layout of the place you’re exploring will ensure that, even if your phone dies, you can still get yourself to your lodging, a central piazza, or a major transportation hub (quickly and safely, preferably).

Additionally, studying your map can even help you plan out your day or discover interesting places you wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

I recommend using whatever map app you like on your mobile phone, and dropping pins for a few key locations. Then keep a mental note of where those buildings or features are in relation to you as you explore. That way, if you get turned around or lost, you know what features you’re looking for as you regain your bearings.

Know Common Scams to Avoid Being Ripped-Off

Have you heard of the shoe-shine scam in Budapest? Or the tea-room scam in Hong Kong? There are some very clever scammers out there that unfortunately count on you to be a well-meaning and gullible person.

Friendliness from locals can be wonderful, but anyone that gets too chummy too quickly may be trying to take advantage of you. Do your research and be aware of scams that may be common in the country you’ll be visiting.

And don’t let your own politeness get in the way of your security. If you’re uncomfortable with a situation it is always okay to say “no, thank you” and walk away.

Be in Control When Hiring Taxis and Tuk-Tuks to Arrive Safely at Your Destination

Most taxi drivers are honest, hardworking individuals. But for those that aren’t, having you in their car puts them in an advantageous position of power.

Discuss the price or rate before you get in the vehicle. If your taxi driver mumbles or tells you they will talk about the price once they’re en route to your destination, they may be trying to rip you off. Do not let a taxi driver tell you that your lodging or the restaurant you want to go to is closed. They’re likely just trying to get you to spend money at their friend’s business instead.

And when it’s time to load your bags, make sure they’re in the back seat with you, not in the trunk. That way, if for any reason you want to get out of the vehicle quickly, you can grab your bags and go.

Carry a Decoy Wallet to Keep Muggers from Taking Your Real One

This is one of my favorite travel safety tips because it’s so easy.

Getting mugged is a terrifying experience. Someone desperate enough to stop you and demand that you give them your valuables is dangerous and should not be provoked. But it’s very likely that once they have what they want, they’ll leave you alone quickly to avoid being caught.

Carry a decoy wallet with a little bit of cash in it. It’s a helpful way to get out of that awful situation safely. If you’re unlucky enough to get mugged, hand the mugger your decoy wallet, and get out of there as quickly as possible. They’ll think they’ve taken everything you had on your person, and you are more likely to stay safe and unharmed.

And don’t ever resist a mugger. Your wallet is not more valuable than your safety and health.

Use the Right Bag for Added Security

A woman standing in a field of flowers with her Peak Design Travel Backpack

This is another one of the travel safety tips that requires you to splurge a bit. Simply put, bags that aren’t designed for security put you at risk for theft. This applies to all of your bags: luggage, day-packs, purses, bumbags, etc.

Make sure your luggage is lockable. Carry daypacks and handbags that are slash-proof and RFID blocking. There are some cool camera bags out there that are discrete, as in they don’t look like a camera bag, and have theft-proof zipper access at the small of your back instead of the top of the bag. Bags with lots of pockets are great for separating your cash, passport, and mobile.

Bag safety and security are a necessity, so shop around and find something that works for you and keeps your valuables safe.

Always Have Positive Control of Your Bag to Deter Thieves

I cringe every time I see someone sitting at a table outside a cafe with their bag sat carelessly in the chair next to them. If you aren’t aware of your bag and touching it in some way at all times, your bag is more likely to be stolen.

One great method to keep your stuff safe  is securing your bag straps around your chair leg at your feet. For my rucksack, while I’m at bus stops or airports, I put my bag on the ground and stand with my foot through the strap.

Any physical contact with your bag is a deterrent for potential bag snatchers.

Invest in Locks to Secure Your Valuables

Sure, some hostels offer you a lock when you check-in, but that same lock has been used by dozens of people before you. That’s not exactly secure, is it?

Whether you prefer a key or combination lock, having your own lock (or two)  is the best way to keep your stuff safe and secure when you’re not with it.

Cable locks are particularly useful for locking your bags or sporting equipment together; just make sure they’re also tethered to a permanent structure if you’re going to walk away from your stuff.

Hide Extra Cash as a Backup 

It is a rare occurrence, and certainly not something we like to admit when it comes to our fellow travelers, but theft in hostels does happen.

If by some chance someone manages to get into your bag and steal from you (if your bag is locked up with your lock this shouldn’t happen!), you don’t want to make it easy for that person to find everything you’ve got.

There are lots of clever ways to stash and hide cash in different spots in your bags. Chapstick tubes, socks, and secret sewn-in pockets are great places to hide your extra cash.

Avoid Tight Crowds to Prevent Pickpocketing

Pickpockets love crowds. Crowds are loud, distracting, and well… crowded. If you’re in a tight crowd, you may not be able to tell the difference between someone brushing up against you by accident and someone reaching into your pocket or bag.

Street performances, block parties, and queues are prime target situations for pickpockets on the prowl. Do your best to avoid these crowds, or at least stay on the outer edge of a crowd where you’ve got better situational awareness.

Check-in Regularly with Someone You Trust for Added Peace of Mind

Solo-traveling is a great way to learn about yourself and the world around you and to ensure you get to do things your way. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the same safety net as someone traveling with a group.

Whether you choose another traveler you’ve met or someone back home, having someone that knows they are your safety net and is aware and expecting to hear from you is so important. If something happens to you and you don’t check-in with that person like you said you would, they may be your best bet for getting help quickly.

A simple “Hi, I’m safe” text or call to check-in is all you need for staying safe and accountable.

Travel in Groups for a Safer Night Out

Like I said though, traveling with a group provides a safety net that solo-outings do not, and this is especially applicable at night. So don’t hesitate to join or create a group when you want to go out.

Make sure it’s obvious that you’re with other people wherever you are. Criminals target people who are alone but will steer clear of groups because they’re more likely to get caught if they try to steal from you or harm you. A united front makes you a harder target.

If you’re traveling on your own and itching for a night out, make some friends at your hostel and invite them out! It may feel awkward asking a stranger to hang out with you, but just be honest and tell them you don’t want to go out alone. Chances are they’ll understand and welcome the company.

Besides, making new friends is part of the fun of travel!

Practice Situational Awareness to Avoid Unnecessary Risk

5 Ways You Can Stay in School and Travel the World at the Same Time

This might seem like one of those obvious travel safety tips, but you have to pay attention to your surroundings when you travel. Walking with your head down looking at your phone tells the world that you’ve got no situational awareness, as does gawking at skyscrapers.

Your surroundings are going to be complex and dynamic, and you need to maintain a critical eye and a clear head so you can react quickly and appropriately to possibly dangerous situations.

Make eye contact with potential threats. No, I don’t mean get into a staring contest, but let them know you see them and they’re more likely to move on.  Keep your phone in your bag, stay (relatively) sober, and look out for your friends as well.

Body language also plays a big role in deterring theft and harassment.  When sitting in a restaurant for instance, always do your best to sit facing the door, so you can see everyone coming and going from the building. Choose bus seats closer to the door for a quick exit if you don’t feel comfortable with the people around you.

Know Important Phrases in the Local Language to Avoid Confusion

Nothing is more frustrating than taking a bad, stressful situation and adding a language barrier.

Hand gestures and charades can only get you so far in a foreign country. Besides being polite, learning a few important phrases in the local language of the countries you’re visiting can save you a lot of trouble. You can even write the words and phrases down and keep them on you if memorizing isn’t your thing.

Learn to comfortably say words like “hello/goodbye,” “please/thank you,” “clean water,” “toilet,” “bus,” and “train.” You can also work on questions like “where is the…?” or “how much for…?” And of course, people love it when you can order food or a drink in their native tongue.

“Dos cervezas, por favor!”

Trust Your Instincts to Make Good Decisions

Everyone has some level of intuition. It’s like a survival instinct; you know the feeling! When something isn’t quite right, maybe your stomach starts to feel queasy, or the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Don’t ignore your “spidey-senses” if they’re trying to tell you something. When all other travel tips fall short, and a situation feels “off,” trust yourself and your intuition to make the right choice and help you stay safe.

Wear Your Helmet to Protect your Most Important Asset!

Alright, alright, this one may seem like a no-brainer (pun intended), but I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen travelers cruise past me on a moped with no helmet on!

Concussions can disrupt a trip, and your “how’d you get that scar?” story won’t exactly sound epic when you tell them you fell off a bike without a helmet on your head. Unfortunately, common sense is not always a common virtue.

Besides, while your insurance company may cover emergency medical evacuation or repatriation, it may not cover dumb decisions like not wearing your helmet. Do you really want to test it?

And this goes for any kind of personal protective equipment, especially if you opt to participate in extreme sports. You wouldn’t skydive without a parachute, so please don’t scooter without a helmet!

I hope these travel safety tips help you feel secure while getting the most out of your travels (and if you want more, check out my 65 Best Travel Tips ). Whether you’re backpacking or traveling first class for a vacation, this universal list of advice is tried and true. Travel safe!

  • Is It Safe to Travel to Germany?
  • Is it Safe to Travel to China?
  • 12 Smart Ways Keep Your Stuff Safe When You Travel
  • World Nomads Travel Insurance Review: Is it Worth the Money?

Travel Safety FAQs

How do you ensure safety during travel.

To stay safe during travel, always tell someone where you’re going, register with the Embassy, and get travel insurance.

How do you stay healthy while traveling?

To stay healthy while traveling, make sure you have the right vaccinations and be careful about the food and water you consume.

How do you keep yourself safe while travelling alone?

If you’re traveling alone, you can stay safe by always telling someone where you’re going, doing your research, and having travel insurance.

What is the safest way to travel and why?

The safest way to travel is by airplane. Air travel is very predictable, and accidents are extremely rare.

What should I prepare before traveling?

Before traveling, make sure you prepare your documents, travel plans, vaccinations, and travel insurance.

Jeremy Scott Foster

Jeremy Scott Foster

We’re looking to go to Bali in October.

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Venice's Hidden Gem Hotel Is a Tranquil Haven on a Private Island

Set amid olive trees and pockets of peace, the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa is one of the best resorts in Venice, as voted by T+L readers. Here’s what it’s like to visit.

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  • How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Courtesy of JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

Venice is one of the most visually impactful cities in Europe. Even if you’ve never visited in person, you’ll recognize the winding canals, gondolas, and photogenic bridges that have been part of its culture and identity for centuries. Given the history and romance surrounding Venezia , it’s one of the more popular places to visit in Italy — with nearly 4 million international travelers making their way to the collection of islands in 2022 alone, ultimately leading to the introduction of sustainability and over-tourism measures (see: a day-trip fee and a limit on tour group sizes ) to protect the ancient city. 

On a recent trip to the City of Water, one of its many nicknames, I decided to forgo the crowds of the main island and stay on the quieter Isola Delle Rose. A private island just a short 20-minute boat ride from Piazza San Marco, it’s home to JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa , which Travel & Leisure readers voted one of the city’s best hotels in the 2023 World’s Best Awards .

The location is certainly a key aspect of the property’s appeal, providing guests with a tranquil retreat from the most congested parts of Venice via a complimentary shuttle service. “We want [guests] to feel at home, where they can relax, unwind, and have world-class amenities at their fingertips,” says general manager Cristiano Cabutti. Those amenities include several restaurants, a rooftop bar, swimming pools, a spa, a rose garden, and a 100-tree olive grove, which guests can stroll at their leisure. Together, these features give the resort, brought to life by the Italian architect and designer Matteo Thun, a steady heartbeat and a holistic approach to hospitality. 

Courtesy of JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

While the five-star, 266-room and suite hotel isn’t for every type of traveler — I’d suggest a smaller boutique property for solo travelers or those searching for a more lively or immersive experience — its kid-friendly amenities, waterfront spa, and proximity to Venice’s attractions make it an excellent option for families, or those visitors who may feel intimidated by crowds in the San Marco area. Travelers should note, though, that the resort is only open from March through November each year. 

Read on for my review of JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa.

JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

  • A complimentary water taxi takes guests to and from the resort and Piazza San Marco. 
  • Rooms and suites are spread out between the main building, “The JW,” and four “JW Retreats,” one of which is the resort’s two-bedroom private villa. 
  • The fitness room is well-designed and well-appointed — weight machines, treadmills, free weights, etc. 
  • Overlooking the lagoon, JW Venice Spa boasts an indoor-outdoor pool, bio-sauna, and steam room.  
  • The innovative plates and elevated atmosphere at Agli Amici Dopolavoro, a dining concept led by Chef Emanuele Scarello, should be enjoyed at least once during your stay. 

Elan Fleisher/Courtesy of JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

Accommodation options are vast and varied at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, but all 266 rooms and suites have the same bright, modern decor with natural tones, accented by pops of light blue and pink to fit within the resort’s color scheme. Guests are welcome to book The JW rooms in the main building, but the JW Retreats are often more appealing, especially if you’re searching for relaxation. “We created a place where guests have access to more privacy, space, nature, and a home-from-home feeling,” says Cabutti, who notes that many of these more residential-style accommodations have gardens and private plunge pools. The star of the show, though, is Villa Rose, a two-bedroom standalone structure with a private pool and room enough for seven guests. 

As a traveler who makes it a point to dive into the local culinary “must-haves,” I was grateful to see the hotel’s eateries covered all the bases. I headed to the grab-and-go Dispensa Delicatessen on the morning of my arrival for a much-needed espresso. Then I went up to Sagra Rooftop Restaurant, where fresh pasta and seafood entrees populate the menu. The buffet breakfast at Cucina is particularly memorable, with an omelet station, bread, homemade butter, meats, cheeses, and pastries up for the taking. On my first night, I opted for pizza at the Saporè pop-up, but my final night on the island was reserved for Agli Amici Dopolavoro — a relatively new experience at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa. 

Lydia Mansel/Travel + Leisure

Chef Emanuele Scarello, whose Agli Amici in Godia has earned two Michelin stars, will join Agli Amici Dopolavoro for the 2024 season. Expect local ingredients and produce — some from the neighboring vegetable garden — transformed into the kind of tasting menu that encourages the savoring of every bite. The cocktail program is equally impressive and forward-thinking; if your server recommends a drink topped with olive oil made on-site, it’s in your taste buds’ best interest to accept the suggestion. 

Activities and Amenities 

“There's something for everyone,” says Cabutti, referencing the various activities and amenities guests can take part in while staying on the property. Along with a spa, two pools (a rooftop pool and a family pool), and a fitness center, the resort ensures guests can build out their trips with walks through the rose garden and the olive grove, morning runs on the jogging path, cooking classes at the on-site Sapori Cooking Academy, or a variety of tours the concierge team is happy to organize upon request. 

Mirco Toffolo/Courtesy of JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

Located on the lagoon's edge and away from the busier parts of the resort, JW Venice Spa is one of the property’s top highlights. Before or after a massage or facial in one of the eight treatment rooms, guests can take a dip in the indoor-outdoor vitality pool, read a book on the chaise lounge chairs, or spend some time in the steam room or sauna. After researching the benefits of Finnish sauna culture for another T+L story , I was pleasantly surprised and excited to test one out for myself; battling a relatively strong case of jet lag, I found it the perfect antidote to my sleep deprivation and overall travel fatigue. 

Some resorts may see younger guests as an afterthought, but the Kids Club at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa puts their experiences at the forefront. The service is offered from 10:15 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. every day, and the participants are kept busy with both fun and educational programming, including volleyball games, badminton matches, and Venetian mask making. A family pool, water play fountain, playground, and classes at the Sapori Cooking Academy can also help fill smaller travelers’ itineraries.

Accessibility and Sustainability 

JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa has various accessibility features throughout the property. Service animals are welcome, and there are accessible entrances to the main building, pool, spa, restaurants, and guest rooms. Travelers can also select mobility-accessible rooms, rooms with self-closing doors, adjustable vanities, bathtub seats, and handrails. 

Sustainability is another focus point for the resort. “All of our partnerships have sustainability at the core of our ethos. This is evident across our culinary offerings — producing our own unique olive oil, growing our own produce in vegetable gardens which source our restaurants — and even our spa, which uses BAKEL treatments, a local clean beauty brand,” says Cabutti. The resort was also awarded the Green Key Certificate by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

Isola Delle Rose is a 40-acre artificial island, one that was home to a hospital in the early 20th century. In 2010, Marriott International began transforming the abandoned island into the resort area it’s known as today. The hotel’s water taxi is the easiest way to get to and from the island, but private boat transfers can also be arranged. My flight departing from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) was on the earlier side, so the latter option made the most sense — and it only took about an hour from door to door. 

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay 

You're in luck if you have some Marriot Bonvoy points to spend or earn. JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa participates in the Marriott International global travel program, and room rates start from 50,000 points a night. To learn more about the program’s travel benefits or begin earning points toward a future stay, sign up online .

Members can access discounts and special features

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Hotels in Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast for AARP Members

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If you are looking for a wonderful, relaxing vacation in Elektrostal, you're in luck; we are here to help. The AARP Travel Center Best Price Guarantee ensures that you'll get the best rates available. Use your membership to book a hotel that's closest to the sights, or even at a 5-star resort that pulls out all the stops. Let us help you save money on your upcoming trip to Elektrostal.

Hotels Near Elektrostal's Attractions

There are accommodations to pick from in Elektrostal, with recommendations to check out so that you will know what to expect at each possible accommodation. Once you check-in to your Elektrostal hotel, you can investigate all this region has to offer. You can ask your hotel's concierge or click on our "Things To Do" tab if you are unsure where start off your vacation in Elektrostal. While you begin setting up your getaway, we can also help you put together some things to do. When you book with AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia, you will spend more time making the most out of your trip, no matter where you decide to travel.

Reserve Your Elektrostal Accommodation Now

We will make it inexpensive for you to book your next vacation getaway. It doesn't matter whether you're traveling for work or leisure, we're going to make sure that you get the best deals in the business. So when you're ready to book your trip and see Elektrostal's or , we'll help you get straight to booking the stay of your dreams. You do not have to think about breaking the bank to have a satisfactory time, thanks to our discounted vacations. With AARP, you'll look forward to planning your next vacation. You can have peace of mind in knowing that you've found the very best rate. Your wallet will be glad about your travels when you book with the AARP Travel Center.

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Israel weighs response to Iran attack

By Kathleen Magramo, Sana Noor Haq, Maureen Chowdhury and Tori B. Powell, CNN

Israel's sense of reason has been replaced by revenge, new Irish prime minister says

From CNN's Niamh Kennedy

Taoiseach Simon Harris appears on CNN on Tuesday, April 16.

Ireland's newly appointed prime minister told CNN that Israel's sense of reason has been "replaced by revenge" as he addressed recent tensions between the Israeli and Irish governments.  

In his first television interview since being appointed last week, Taoiseach Simon Harris hit back at recent criticisms from the Israeli foreign ministry and the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich, accusing the country of being "on the wrong side of history" when it comes to the war in Gaza. 

"Excuse me for finding it a little bit hard to see where the representative of the (Benjamin) Netanyahu government is talking about being on the wrong side because I think the actions of the Netanyahu government right now, in terms of allowing this humanitarian catastrophe to unfold in Gaza, and the impact on women, children, civilians and civilian infrastructure is profound," Harris told CNN's Christiane Amanpour.  Harris went on to say that "Ireland is extraordinarily clear in its condemnation of Hamas ... and of the right of Israel to be able to live in safety and security. But we also believe that reason has now been replaced by revenge."

The prime minister doubled down on his call for "an immediate cessation of hostilities" in Gaza alongside his plan to convince fellow European Union leaders to formally recognize the state of Palestine. Harris laid out his belief that a peaceful solution to the war in Gaza "involves a number of countries that are like-minded coming together to recognize the state of Palestine." 

He reiterated that "Ireland stands ready to recognize the state of Palestine" and is very keen to do so alongside other EU member states to increase the "potential positive momentum."  

The Israeli foreign ministry has condemned Ireland's intention to recognize Palestinian statehood, maintaining in a press release last week that doing so would be awarding Hamas a "prize for terrorism."

IDF says its airstrikes in Lebanon killed 3 Hezbollah fighters

From CNN's Eugenia Yosef and Mohammed Tawfeeq

The Israel Defense Forces said its airstrikes killed three Hezbollah fighters, including two commanders, in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. 

Muhammad Hussein Shahouri, "the Commander of the Rockets and Missiles Unit of Radwan Forces' Western Region," was killed in an airstrike in Kfar Dounine in south Lebanon, an IDF statement said. "As part of his role, Muhammad planned and promoted rocket and missile launches toward Israeli territory from the areas of Lebanon's central and western regions." 

Mahmoud Ibrahim Fadlallah, "an operative of Hezbollah's Rockets and Missiles Unit," was also killed in the same airstrike, the IDF added.

Earlier, the IDF said in a separate statement that its airstrike killed Ismail Youssef Bazz , "the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector, in the area of Ain Ebel in Lebanon," in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of its three fighters without providing details on the circumstances of their deaths or ranks. 

At least 13 people killed, including 7 children, after strike on central Gaza's Al-Maghazi refugee camp

From CNN's Mohammad Al-Sawalhi in Gaza, CNN’s Kareem Khadder, Abeer Salman and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem

At least 13 people were killed, including seven children, and more than 25 people were wounded after a strike targeted the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza on Tuesday, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital officials.

Graphic video obtained exclusively by CNN from eyewitness Nihad Owdetallah shows several casualties scattered on the floor, including children, with blood streaming around the area. Dozens of people appear to be running around in panic, screaming and trying to count and carry the dead bodies. A foosball table covered in dust is seen among the dead bodies. 

Owdetallah, who lives in the camp, told CNN he heard an explosion at around 3:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday. 

"I immediately walked to see what happened and found dead bodies thrown on the ground. People screaming, kids screaming. Kids dead on the ground. They were just playing foosball, and they were martyred," he said.

Footage shot for CNN from inside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital shows a continuous flow of causalities and injured people being ushered in, as the emergency room is crowded with patients, including several wounded children, crying out on the floor.

Video from inside a morgue at the hospital shows families trying to identify their loved ones among the deceased. Fatmeh Issa points to a white body bag with a young boy’s bloodied face exposed, telling CNN, "This is my son."

Another man cries out, “They have nothing to do with anyone! They are civilians. Have mercy on us. You are killing children. You are not killing an army or fighters; you are killing children who were peacefully playing in the street."

Video shows him handing a young girl’s dead body to another man, both men crying out Quranic verses and sobbing. The man who receives her body is seen placing her on the ground, and covers her body with a jacket, telling CNN she is his daughter.

"This is my oldest daughter … her name is Lujain, she is 9-years-old. A strike hit them while they were playing out in the street. They are all just children,” he said.CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment but has not yet received a response.

UN commission accuses Israel of obstructing its probe into October 7 attacks

From CNN’s Benjamin Brown, Caitlin Danaher and Eugenia Yosef

A United Nations Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of actively obstructing its efforts to collect evidence from victims and first-hand witnesses of Hamas’ attacks in southern Israel on October 7.

"So far as the government of Israel is concerned, we have faced not merely a lack of cooperation, but active obstruction of our efforts to receive evidence from Israeli witnesses and victims to the events that occurred in southern Israel," commissioner Chris Sidoti said on Tuesday at a UN briefing for diplomats in Geneva, organized by Egypt.

The UN Commission of Inquiry has been collecting evidence of war crimes committed by all sides in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories since October 7, 2023.

The commissioner appealed to the Israeli government to cooperate and urged victims and witnesses to the events in southern Israel to contact the commission. “We have contact with many, but we would like to have contact with more,” Sidoti said.

CNN has reached out to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment.

US will go back to Israel with evidence from report on Palestinian child's death, State Department says

From CNN's Michael Conte

The United States will be going to Israel with new information from a  Washington Post report  that contradicts the results of an Israeli investigation into the death of 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab , who was found dead in Gaza in February.

"What we're going to do is take the information that is contained in that Washington Post story, we're going to go back to the government of Israel and ask them for further information,” Matthew Miller, State Department spokesperson, said at a briefing on Tuesday.

Miller said the report contradicts what Israel told the US, that “there were no IDF units in the area at the time of her death.”

"The death of Hind Rajab is really an unspeakable tragedy, something that never should have occurred and never should occur," Miller said.

The US called on Israel to investigate Rajab’s death in February, and Miller now says the US “would still welcome a full investigation into this matter, and how it occurred in the first place.”

More: Rajab was found dead after being trapped in a car with members of her family who were reportedly shot to death by Israeli forces weeks prior. Rescue workers dispatched to find her were also reportedly shot and killed.

US continuing to review findings of Israeli probe into World Central Kitchen strike, State Department says

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The United States is continuing to review the findings of the Israeli investigation into the deadly strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday. 

"There hasn't been a final assessment," Miller said. The US was briefed on the findings on April 4. Miller said the US is engaging "with humanitarian organizations to see what questions they have, and that process is ongoing."

The United States is “not at this time” calling for an independent investigation, Miller said. He said he did not have a timetable for when its assessment will be completed.

US will restrict Iranian foreign minister's movements while in New York, source says

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks at a press conference at his headquarters in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday, April 14.

The US will restrict the movements of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his delegation while they are in New York this week, a source familiar told CNN.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had earlier indicated that the US would place additional travel restrictions on the minister, who will be in New York for a meeting at the United Nations.

According to the source familiar, Amir-Abdollahian and the Iranian delegation’s travel is restricted to the seven blocks north-south and one block west surrounding the UN headquarters in Manhattan, the Iranian Mission to the UN, the residence of their permanent representative to the UN, the six blocks surrounding Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City, and access to John F. Kennedy International Airport using a specific driving route.

Iran's response: Iran has not been notified of any additional restrictions on the movements of Amir-Abdollahian and the country's delegation while they are in New York, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN told CNN.

The spokesperson explained that the movements of Amir-Abdollahian and the delegation, including diplomats from the Iranian Mission to the UN, have always been restricted to a 25-mile radius surrounding UN headquarters in Manhattan.

The post was updated with a response from the Iranian mission.

Iran "seems to be business as usual" after closing nuclear facilities on Sunday, IAEA chief says

From CNN's Raja Razek 

Rafael Grossi, International Atomic Energy Agency director general, appears on CNN on Tuesday, April 16.

After Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday for "security considerations," Rafael Grossi, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general, told CNN that its inspectors are back in the facilities and the "situation seems to be business as usual."

He also noted that the situation was "extremely tense" over the weekend.

Israel’s war cabinet met again on Tuesday to discuss Israel’s response to Iran’s drone and missile attack.

Grossi said the IAEA believes that in times of conflict, the targeting of nuclear facilities "could be perhaps tempting for a military decision-maker — It will be a terrible mistake with potentially very serious consequences."

He added that he does not have "any information or any indication that there is planning on the part of Israel or any other state to be targeting nuclear facilities." Grossi said the agency is still on alert and that "there should be extreme restraint on everybody's side." 

As for Tehran's current nuclear program, Grossi said Iran "continues to amass important quantities of uranium enriched at levels that are very, very close, technically identical I would say, with those which are required for nuclear weapons," but cautioned that "that does not mean that this equivalent to a nuclear weapon."

Iran has long held that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, despite skepticism from the international community.

US treasury secretary warns US will strengthen Iran sanctions

From CNN’s Maisie Linford

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a press conference today amid the IMF-World Bank Group spring meetings, at the Treasury Department in Washington, DC.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Treasury would use its sanctions authority and work with allies to "continue disrupting the Iranian regime's malign and destabilizing activity."

 Speaking in a news conference in Washington, DC, Yellen said:

“From this weekend’s attack to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Iran’s actions threaten the region’s stability and could cause economic spillovers.”

Her comments Tuesday come as global finance ministers and central bank governors gather in Washington for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings.

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40 facts about elektrostal.

Lanette Mayes

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Jessica Corbett

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

40-facts-about-elektrostal

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

  • Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
  • With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

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