6 travel resolutions everyone should make in 2018
Another year, another weekend break with your pals, week-long beach break with your partner and wasted annual leave come December.
Even if you're lucky enough to cram in a holiday each year, do you ever truly get time to think about where or what you might do, beyond booking somewhere cheap and last-minute?
Give yourself something positive to plan towards this year by mixing up your travel plans for 2018.
Here are six ideas to get you started...
Tick off a life long ambition
How many times have you thought about learning a new skill, practicing an old hobby or getting stuck in with an adventurous challenge but just not had time? Fitting 'living' in among all that 'working' that we have to do can be tricky, which is why incorporating your personal goals into travel is a great way to get things ticked off.
Sure, holidays are usually all about relaxing, but wouldn't it feel more satisfying to use the time to challenge yourself? Book a trip to New York in March to run the half marathon and spend a few days afterwards eating all the pizza, or explore the oceans of Honduras while picking up a scuba diving qualification at the same time. Always wanted to write a book? Why not go to Paris to do it? Use your holidays to live, rather than just to sleep.
Embrace the cold and take an unusual holiday
How many times have you said the sentence "I don't care where we go, as long as it's hot"? While it's always tempting to choose a sunny holiday because, hello, we live in England, just think about all those beautiful places in the world you are ruling out just because of weather.
Consider some of the amazing winter festivals that happen each year, such as China’s Harbin Ice Festival; the largest ice and snow festival in the world, or the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan. Use a site like Holiday Pirates to find your ideal holiday and just click 'book'.
Be a more responsible traveller
In 2017, we probably felt the ramifications of human impact on this world more than ever. Which is why 2018 is a great year to try and become a more responsible traveller by reducing your carbon footprint. Of course, this doesn't mean you need to stop travelling, but try to be more aware of where you're going and how you're getting there.
Instead of flying to your location, why not take a ferry as far as Scandinavia? Or, explore Europe by train and soak up all that amazing scenery you would miss on a plane. If taking a flight is the only option, you can always give back to the environment by paying the voluntary carbon tax.
Also, think about supporting local businesses where possible by picking a B&B over hotel - it'll probably give you a more authentic travel experience, too!
Familiarise yourself with the language
Pick up a phrase book for your destination and take some time in the weeks leading up to your trip to familiarise yourself with the local language. This resolution will not only broaden your own knowledge but it will likely result in a better holiday experience, too.
Hopefully, residents will be impressed with the fact that you've bothered to try and speak their language (even if your pronunciation is a little off) and it could open up some local spots, away from the typical tourist haunts. Downloading an app like Babbel could be a great way to get started.
Take a solo trip
While travelling with friends and loved ones is great, consider making the resolution to take at least one trip on your own in 2018. Aside from anything else, going away by yourself means that you have complete control over where you go, what you do and where you stay.
Plus, being faced with new and unfamiliar situations each day will only work to build your confidence and social skills. When we travel with someone we know, there is little pressure or incentive to meet new people, but by yourself, you could meet some life-long friends.
Take a digital detox
Going on holiday can be vital break away from all the technology that clogs up our daily life. Whether you choose to go off-grid on an organised digital detox retreat, or just keep your phone turned off the next time you travel, you could feel the benefits after just a few days.
David Brudö, Co-founder Remente agrees that a break from our screens could be beneficial for our mental health. “One of the effects that digital overload has on our mental health is that it increases our stress levels", he says. Sure, you won't be able to Instagram that cute flower you saw in front of the beach, but you will get to truly soak in the scene and experience it in the moment.
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