These tips will help you master the art of travel improvisation.
We’ll make a reservation right away: for a spontaneous trip, some preparation is still needed. First of all, this is a purchased ticket at least one way, or better, a round trip. In the high tourist season, only the heroes of Hollywood films manage to drive up to the airport with a suitcase and immediately fly away. You still need to book accommodation for at least the first two days of your vacation. From the road, you will obviously want to drop your luggage, take a shower and get some rest. But then – a solid scope for experimentation!
1. Activate all the senses and take your time
If you decide to travel without a plan, the hustle and bustle will only get in the way. Just accept it as a fact – in one trip you will not have time to see all the sights from tourist brochures. Slow down and look around: what interesting places are close to your location, what is served in a nearby cafe where a passer-by with a dog is heading. Perhaps you will find an authentic courtyard or a cozy cafe with local cuisine nearby, and a guy with a dog will lead you straight to a picturesque park.
You will definitely have time to see the main thing – it seems that no one has ever left Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. But a relaxed vibe will allow you to experience what many miss in the pursuit of a million identical photos of museums and churches – smells, tastes, sounds of the city, cracks in the pavements and dusty storefronts, the way locals communicate with each other and order coffee, songs of street musicians, sunrises and sunsets.
2. Chat with the locals
If a stranger tries to talk to you, do not take him with hostility. He does not try to take your time – in tourist places, locals show hospitality in this way. They may ask you where you are from and how long you are on the journey, throw in a couple of interesting locations and explain how it will be more convenient to get to them. Do not hesitate and ask questions that concern you about the culture, traditions and customs of the place where you are relaxing.
In good hands, a new acquaintance may even offer to take you to beautiful places on their own and conduct an impromptu tour. Sometimes such acquaintances develop into an unobtrusive friendship, and sometimes into a strong friendship for years. People correspond, visit each other, send gifts. Agree, it’s nice to know that you have your own person on the other side of the world.
3. Walk
The stronger you stack your sneakers, the more interesting places you will see. In addition, while walking slowly, you will notice details that would only flash through the window of a transport.
It’s also beneficial to walk. In many countries, taxis and car rentals are not cheap pleasures. Who knows, maybe tomorrow you decide to go to the theater or buy a trip on a yacht? When traveling without a plan, it is better to save on some familiar amenities so that there is enough money left for unexpected maneuvers in search of experiences.
4. Choose housing in the center
If it doesn’t matter to you how many channels a TV shows in a hotel, because on a trip you just come there to spend the night, book places in inexpensive hostels or guesthouses. They are quite often located in historical centers. If you are not used to saving on amenities, pay attention to the market for daily rent of apartments in the same areas. This will kill two birds with one stone: you will immediately inspect an important part of the new city and provide yourself with a comfortable location for further research.
The centers are always full of life. Let’s say you haven’t come up with anything for the evening, haven’t met anyone and don’t know how to entertain yourself. Dress up and head to the nearest bar. Don’t like parties? Book a quiet table with a good view somewhere on the terrace. Finding good places in the suburbs will be problematic.
5. Don’t read reviews
Even the recognized masterpieces of world art and architecture sometimes arrive from disappointed visitors: the Mona Lisa is too small, the Sagrada Familia temple is too tall, and the pyramids are banal to the point of obscenity.
Imagine that you have decided on a difficult climb to meet the best sunrise of your life on the top of some iconic mountain. And suddenly a treacherous thought runs through: what do people say? From the reviews, you will learn that the service is poorly organized, the guide does not understand a word of your language, and in general it is not safe to climb stones in the dark. If after that you still dare to rise, the impression of the event will most likely be like glass stained with other people’s fingers: it seems to be clean, but it would be better not to touch it.
If you want to see something, go and see. Perhaps some place, sight or picture, from which the whole world is delighted, will not pull the strings of your soul, but it will be a personal impression, and not imposed by a stranger from the Internet.
6. Remember safety
Say “Yes!” any adventure is a lottery with an unpredictable prize fund. Everything can turn out as fantastic as you could not even dream of. Seeing new places, participating in interesting projects, experiencing a vivid holiday romance or even meeting a life partner – spontaneous travels are full of such plot twists. But the risks are quite high: a handsome guy who invited you on a romantic tour of the rooftops, in fact, may only be interested in your wallet.
Therefore, do not forget about personal safety. If your intuition tells you that it’s better not to do something, listen and think about an alternative. Do you want to get to a nearby city for a rock festival, but are afraid of hitchhiking? Look for minibuses or inexpensive trains. A strange company invites you to surf in a cool bay that tourists don’t know about? Ask where it is and go there yourself. You should not try food that will definitely make you sick, even if this dish is listed as a world cultural heritage. And it is even better not to participate in extreme entertainment if you bought the simplest and cheapest insurance before the trip.