I decided to create a list of travel resolutions for this year. It combines things I’ve learned over time and adds some new ideas such as:
Enjoy every minute of travel starting with the drive to the airport.
Think of other things to bring back as gifts besides chocolate because you always eat it before you get home.
There is no need to justify buying shoes, purses and scarves. Just find space to bring them back!
Watch as many movies as you want on an international flight.
Hope for (but don’t expect) a clear passport stamp.
Keep a coin bank handy and save extra money for future trips.
Try to carry a smaller handbag when you travel. Take a few things out and leave them at home.
Bring comfortable shoes and do a lot of walking.
Learn how to use your new camera and don’t drop it!
Take lots of pictures and enjoy your surroundings.
Bring back wonderful memories.
So there are my travel resolutions for this year. I wonder how many of them I’ll keep…
Smart tips!
Thanks – they’re things I really try to do when I travel!
Keep them all, they all sound great!
I always change my handbag for a rucksack style bag on holiday as I need my hands free for photos :) just bring a small wallet with one or two bank cards, passport, some home currency and your travel money. A bottle of water, medicines, tissues, baby wipes, hand sanitiser and a coin purse all in the bag, that’s it!
I like the list of things you keep in your bag! And keeping your hands free for taking pictures is a good goal :)
I like your list!
Thanks – after thinking it over I decided they made good resolutions!
Some great travel resolutions. I am all for #3 of course. I may add – try not to break any body parts!
Thanks Darlene, and I like your additional tip too!
All great ideas! I especially like the first one because I get so crazy and stressed. I usually only relax once the wheels are up!
I’m glad you like these ideas! And I think it’s really exciting when the plane takes off :)
I love all your tips, Meg. :)
Thank you – it was fun thinking of them as resolutions!
I love all your resolutions! I can relate to so many of them! Like SHOOZ! ;)
Also…the stamp thing! It can be so disappointing! Love the chocolate tip. lol Great ideas! Super post, Meg…and I adore your photos! Such dazzling glitter in your header…love it!
Hi Judy! Thank you – I tried to include all the important things like shoes and chocolate :) The header is a holiday picture I took in Chicago, but I may leave it up for a while longer… :)
Travel on in 2013! Good resolutions, Meg.
That’s a great slogan! And thank you :)
I like your resolutions! They seem pretty achievable. Well, maybe not for the chocolate part if it were me! :)
I didn’t want the resolutions to be too easy so I put in the chocolate as a challenge! And thanks – I’m going to work on all of them this year :)
Great tips, hope I get to practice a few of them in the not-too-distant future. Can you believe that I bought chocolates in Germany (2 weeks into an 8 week trip) and they actually made it back to Australia!!! The rest I bought in Dubai, so nice knowing you can pick up truckloads of delicious Italian Perugina chocolate at the airport on the way home :-)
It’s truly impressive that you kept the chocolate for so long! And that’s a good idea to buy chocolate at the airport too – it has a good chance of making it home… :)
These are good tips. Currently working on the coin bank.
Thanks! I’m always motivated to save extra coins knowing they’re for a future trip… :)
I bet you keep them all! :)
Thanks Patti, I’m looking forward to working on them this year!
Great to write them all down like that. Helps you cement them in your mind and keep them. I always was frantic when I traveled and never relaxed til I got to my destination. Somehow the flights were never comfortable for me nor relaxing. I tend to be slightly paranoid until we get to the destination gate and then I just go whew! so lovely to be here finally. Then it’s always an exciting time deciding what to see and do and it’s so wonderful to get away and experience something different. I bring back t shirts and sometimes jewelry. But then I go to the caribbean or mexico where jewelry is always a temptation. Once I brought back rum cake and coffee from Jamaica and oil paintings and a conch shell from the Dominican Republic. I do miss the traveling but am limited now as I have retired and want to use that money for other things. So enjoy all your journeys and take me along with your wonderful photos. It is always fun to see what your next adventure is.
It sounds like you’ve had a lot of fun traveling! I’m looking forward to lots of adventures this year and I’ll be working on the resolutions too :)
Can relate to each and every one on your list :-D Here’s wiishing you happy travels and much happiness in the year ahead Meg!
I’m so glad to know the list is one you can relate to! Thank you and I’m looking forward to your travel adventures too :)
I have every faith that you’ll keep these although I admit to thinking, rather uncharitably, that you’ll still buy the chocolate even if you do buy other things as well (and quite right too, may I say, what’s travel without a nibble of chocolate?).
You are correct – even if I don’t bring chocolate back, I’ll definitely be eating it while traveling! I’m so glad you understand… :)
I love these tips and think I should adopt them too! Have a great travel year Meg :)
Thanks – I’m so glad you like them :) And I hope you have an excellent year full of travel adventures!
Hi,
Fantastic tips, and I love the flowers, they are gorgeous.
Thanks so much and I’m glad you like the flower pictures too!
Haha what a great list! Though the first one is a little tough for me to stick to sometimes….I guess I just have to change my mindset about traffic!
It can be challenging getting to the airport so I decided to think of it as the start of an adventure!
I think those pinecone ornaments would make terrific gifts–they’re lovely, and there’s no risk of them melting or being eaten on the return trip. ;-)
I also liked those ornaments and they’d be very easy to pack. And you’re right – they would make ideal gifts!
Happy New Year, Meg, and thanks for the tips! I’m pleased to report that I’ve started the new year with a trip to Florida, my first time here and loving it. Happy travels in 2014!
What a great time to be in Florida! I’m glad you’re enjoying it there. Have a very Happy New Year!
What a great list! And it reminded me of how disappointed we were when the French didn’t give us a stamp in our passports last July. In fact, it kind of caused a problem with the Germans when we connected through Frankfurt. They questioned how we got into Europe at all! Also, my favorite gift to bring home is the almighty bookmark. It’s got a lovely view, it’s cheap, doesn’t weigh anything and it’s useful!
I really like the idea of bookmarks as gifts! They’d be easy to pack too… :) And I’m always so happy when I get a passport stamp that I can read!
Beautiful post! I think your list is perfect for the new year. :) Have a great one!
Thank you, I’m glad you liked the list :) Happy New Year!
The good thing about a list like yours is that you can keep the resolutions you really like and ditch the rest and not feel too bad about it :-)
Happy travels for 2013, I’m looking forward to the posts.
That’s a great point! This time I decided to make a list I could really follow… :) Happy New Year!
I should work on some myself!
It’s really fun to do! I’d like to see what would be on your list… :)
Hi there,
I have nominated your blog for the Sensual Blogging Award …for details go to
http://brissiemaz.me/2013/01/04/sensual-blogging-award/
Congratulations!….I hope you have the time and the inclination to accept the award …..there’s no time frame involved.
Best wishes, Mary :)
Thank you so much for the nomination!
Great tips. I need to learn from some of them, like don’t drop the camera. Now my macro function isn’t as sharp. And why is it nearly impossible to read the passport stamps? Happy New Year!
Thanks! Some of the things I wrote really happened, like dropping my new camera… Have a very Happy New Year!
Yes, Great tips indeed. Thank You. I take always with me a thick book to read on planes, airport and in hotels when not looking at local TV.
You’re welcome! And I like your tip about bringing a book with you – it’s nice to have something from home to read… :)
It’s clear that you are an experienced, appreciative and thoughtful traveler. I enjoyed your list and agreed with each and every one. Best to you in 2013!!
Elisa
Thank you so much – it really means a lot to me. And I’d like to wish you a very Happy New Year!
Nice list! Especially: “Enjoy every minute of travel starting with the drive to the airport”. I would even go so far to say that the packing part of the trip, especially when packing for Italy is also pretty enjoyable for me. I start sometimes a month in advance…anticipation is the BEST and a way to start savoring the whole experience up front! Buon viaggio!
Thanks, and I agree with you – preparing and packing are part of the fun of travel! That way you can start daydreaming about a trip long before the adventure begins… :)
Beautiful!!!
Thank you, I appreciate that!
As for chocolates – it’s true! That’s why I always buy chocolates that I myself don’t like but my friends do. And stamps in passports: The clearest you get in Chile, Uruguay, Trinidad&Tobago and Cuba. Unreadable stamps as too faint: Mexico and USA.
That’s a great tip – buy chocolate that you don’t like as gifts! And thanks for sharing where you can get good passport stamps too.
Brilliant!
Happy travels! :)
Thank you and I hope you have a great travel year too!
Merci beaucoup!