Happy 2024! Yes, it’s that time of year again. It is time to do a little goal setting and develop those 2024 travel resolutions. We have not only developed a list of 8 great resolutions, but we are offering the perfect way for you to accomplish most of them this November!
Deidra and I are planners by nature so we couldn’t resist brainstorming a few resolutions for our readers. We hope you adopt one or all of these 8 Terrific Travel Resolutions to Get Going in 2024!
#1 Travel Somewhere Off the Beaten Path
Go someplace totally new and off the beaten path. This means different things to different people. And that is OK. Some of us have longer and more winding paths than others. But get out there and go somewhere you never imagined going. Somewhere a little different. Challenge yourself to take that once in a lifetime trip!
#2 Spend Time Exploring the Great Outdoors
Truth time! I am not personally a big fan of spending time (at home) in the great outdoors. I don’t care to be too hot, too cold, or wet. But that totally changes on vacation! Put me on a plane to somewhere new and no discomfort is too great for me to want to see and do it all!
Taking time to reconnect with nature is important for even the staunchest lovers of climate controlled past times. Take a hike, go boating, or simply relax in a park or on the beach. It doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as you take a little time to get outdoors and breathe fresh air!
#3 Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Go WILD!!!!! Go somewhere totally different from anywhere you have gone before. Do something, go somewhere, eat something, see someplace completely new and different. Look for trips that will stretch your imagination and even make you just a little bit nervous. I’m not talking dangerous, but just a bit uncomfortable and unfamiliar. These are the experiences that will become your next great story at the dinner party and will be the unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.
#4 Discover a New Continent – Well, New to You Anyway
There is nothing like that first big international trip off the North American continent! Deidra and I went to Egypt together for our first international trip. Talk about a learning experience! It was fabulous to see what things were like on the other side of the world. The eye-opening experiences you gain from traveling to any international destination is unbelievable. Even if you start with Europe, you will gain a whole different way of looking at life.
#5 Travel Solo
I love to travel with my BFF, but there is no reason to let the lack of a travel partner stop you! I often tag along on Deidra’s work trips (I am blessed with a BFF who travels for work). But even though she is in the same city, I am alone more days than not. There is no reason to waste valuable vacation time. Traveling and exploring solo means you are free to make your own choices and decisions. It can also lead to greater spontaneity and help you make new friends along the way.
I have found I can confidently walk around just about any city (like Prague, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Casablanca, and Cape Town) as long as I am smart about it and look confident. Yes, some places are a bit more dangerous to be a woman alone. But it is simple to join a day tour or hire a driver for the day in those destinations. Solo travel is very rewarding and it is much easier to decide where to have lunch when you are on your own. So, get out there and go solo!
#6 Seek Out a New Culture
I will never forget that first international trip to Egypt. Deidra and I were being a bit whiny about needing to dish out money every time we went to the restroom. In fairness, we were young, inexperienced, and just paying for the trip had stretched us. Our patient tour guide, Ahmed, kind-heartedly pointed out to us that the woman in the restroom – and her family – survived on the “tips” we provided her for standing in said restroom all day long. I felt so absolutely ashamed of myself. But I learned a lesson I will never forget.
We are very privileged in this nation. Even the poorest of us have more than the wealthiest in many other nations. Exploring cultures different from my own is the best way I have found to dispel stereotypes I have learned along the way and learn a thing or two about other people – and myself.
#7 Have an Animal Encounter
One of the very coolest things I have ever done is go on safari. There is nothing like sitting in a jeep while a lioness and her cubs walk right past you. Or watching a cheetah enjoy breakfast. Or following a majestic giraffe down a rugged road and then spying an elephant and her calf cool down in the river. My list of safari moments can go on and on. There is just something utterly amazing about seeing these animals live and in their own environment – no glass, no bars, and no fences. Be sure to get out there and have an animal encounter!
#8 Give Back to the Places You Visit
We live a very rich and blessed life compared to many others across the globe. Travel helps you realize that and it is really nice when you take a beat during your vacation to give back to the community you are exploring. It might be something as simple as bringing ballpoint pens for the children in Egypt, or granola bars and other treats for the street children in Nairobi. Perhaps it is as easy as taking a tour that funds a non-profit or buying lunch for the homeless. Whether you take a minute, an hour, a day, or a week to give back, you will gain much more from the experience than you give.
Making Your 2024 Travel Resolutions a Reality
As promised, we have the perfect way for you to make all 8 of these 2024 travel resolutions a reality. Join us on a 2024 exploration of Portugal. This November, we plan to journey through Lisbon, Faro, and Porto during a magnificent 8 days in Portugal. We will discover the beauty of Sintra and Cascais and explore the rolling hills, terraced vineyards and winding river of the Douro Valley.
And yes, this trip hits on most of our 2024 travel resolutions:
- It is definitely off the beaten path for many of our readers, yet not so distant that it is a difficult destination to reach.
- Our rail exploration of Portugal from top to bottom takes you to the great outdoors in the most magnificent of ways. You can also stroll along a beach in Faro and a boat cruise down the Duoro River is a wonderful opportunity to bask in the natural beauty of Portugal.
- Portugal may or may not be new to you – but it is new to many and is a great place to spread your wings.
- With a moderate single supplement, this is a reasonably priced trip for solo travelers.
- We will immerse ourselves in the food and culture along the way.
Join us on this unique exploration Portugal! See the details below and get in touch with us at extravelgance@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your spot!
How Will You Make Your 2024 Travel Resolutions Happen?
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