One of the biggest questions we get asked all the time is; how do you make sure every trip is memorable? The question inspired me to sit down to write a travel manifesto – a set of principals to follow every time we travel – and I struggled.
I didn’t struggle for something to say, but struggled with too many things to say.
Sometimes too much sage advice can overwhelm and paralyze, and it can also take away the spontaneity and curiosity that comes with travel.
The last thing we want to do is give you every single piece of advice we have, and diminish your sense of adventure, so we’ve decided to keep it brief to just 10 principals of travel.
These are the guiding principles that will help you have a memorable trip (every time) and create incredible travel experiences no matter who you you travel with, where you travel to, and how much money you have to travel with.
It’s how we guaranteed happiness and life changing moments in our 20+ years of travel.
Our Travel Manifesto
So here it is in a nutshell, our travel manifesto. Further below we go into our 10 principles of travel in more detail.
These principals were picked to help you stay on track, to overcome challenges, and create those memorable travel experiences you are hoping for.
These 10 principles will affect your life positively, both in the moment of travel and for many years after.
10 Principles For Memorable Travel Experiences
1. Open Your Mind
Be open-minded and embrace what’s new. Be open to learning about local cultures and local customs.
Be open to different (sometimes better) ways of being and doing things.
Your life has the potential to grow in unlimited ways, just by being open to learning new things.
If you find something confronting, or you don’t agree with it, instead of being judgmental and hurtful, simply say, “It’s not better or worse, just different.”
Or “Isn’t that interesting? Tell me more.”
And then open your mind to understand. Practice empathy, and put yourself in the shoes of others to better understand why they live the way they do – it may not be a choice, it may be simply local culture or local tradition.
Be open to their way of life and lifestyle choices. You don’t have to adopt it in your own life, but it can teach you something, all the same.
The biggest souvenir you can take home is a lesson into new cultures.
2. Stretch Your Boundaries and Try Something New
Try something new every day as a way to expand your horizons and get out of your comfort zone.
Head to nature and sleep under the stars; try exotic and strange foods; attend a religious ceremony; throw tomatoes at festivals; go bungee jumping or skydiving; teach English in the middle of Borneo; do something that scares you; and talk to strangers.
You’ll soon discover strengths and talents you never knew existed. It’s not just about getting cool photos for the photo album or to brag about it on Instagram – true growth comes from stretching your boundaries.
I say if new experiences scare you, do them anyway. If anything, you’ll create unforgettable memories that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
3. Interact. Engage. Listen. Embrace.
Our most important discoveries and memorable experiences come from those we meet on the travel road.
Interact with the local people and other travelers and never say no to meeting new people.
Ask questions to dig deep into cultures and beliefs, not just with locals but other travelers too.
Listen actively and attentively.
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason – make it your mission to learn as much as you can and engage with those around you. Share your own culture as well.
Help bring the world closer together and show how similar we really all are.
You are an ambassador for your home country; represent it in the BEST light. Expand your horizons, learn a local language, and embrace those who are completely different to you.
4. Travel with Awe, Wonder and Gratitude
The only luck I believe in, is the one which determines where you were born.
If you are traveling the world, you are privileged. Be grateful for this every time you go to a new place and use that as a means to wander the world with the eyes of a child.
Look at how beautiful the planet is. See how amazing every thundering waterfall, dancing gazelle, unconquerable mountain, and smiling, toothless market trader really is.
How lucky are you to witness it? Take time to think about how the planet works and what your place in it all is.
Use that awe as inspiration to create your best life, which in turn helps to create a better world. It all starts with gratitude and awe.
5. Take Moments and Memories Over Possessions
Possessions wither away and die. Special moments shape our character and the lasting memories stay with us forever.
In 20 years’ time, that Gucci handbag will not have made a difference to your life and will be a distant memory.
The night you spent in a tent guarded by a Masai warrior while lions roamed outside, however, won’t ever be forgotten.
Experience life instead of experiencing things.
6. Be Present and Passionate
There is no past and future; life only exists now. Be present and experience every moment.
Step away from the computer and the camera lens and allow your five senses to soak up the world.
Get excited and live every moment with passion. Remember how lucky you are to be in your destination – rejoice in that!
You planned and saved hard for this adventure, you don’t want to miss it by living in the la la land of your mind or other people’s business. (You know what doom scrolling on social media does?)
Be attentive in your conversations and be aware of everything that is happening around you.
You want to stay safe on your travels? Being present is the best way to do it. It prepares your body to know what to do.
7. Sloooow it Down
It does not matter how many countries you have travelled to, it matters how deep your footprint was.
Have you really travelled to a place if you raced through and didn’t get the time to appreciate and understand it? The most memorable vacation we’ve ever had was our 18-month road trip around Australia and year-long road trip of the USA – why? Because we took it slowly.
The best way to travel is slowly.
Stay longer in fewer places. It costs less, you’ll see more, you’ll learn more, you’ll grow more, and you’ll form amazing friendships.
8. Swing in Hammocks at Sunset Often
This isn’t a literal principal, it’s metaphorical. It means enjoy the simple things in life.
It doesn’t always have to be about the Must See attractions, the adventure and the bucket lists.
It can be the moments of quiet watching the sunset, or reading your book in a hammock, or sitting in a forest and writing your travel journal, or getting lost in local markets chatting to the traders.
Go for an early morning walk on the beach and look for the most interesting sea shells, have a picnic in the park, attend a yoga retreat, sit on the sidewalk of a café and watch the world go by over a cup of steaming coffee – or my personal favorite, swing in hammocks at sunset.
I pair that with a mojito. And you?
9. Love That it is Not Like Home
Why go away if you want everything to be like home? You are simply wasting your money and it won’t be long before you find yourself on the next plane home.
Sameness is boring.
Different cultures, traditions, languages, money, and beliefs makes the world a vibrantly, exciting place. What would there be for us to learn if everything was the same?
LOVE the diversity of the world. Get addicted to it.
10. Give Back and Share What You Have Learned
Give back to the local businesses and communities as you travel. Don’t just be a tourist, be an ambassador of the world by engaging with the local communities.
Buy their local products, volunteer, help a stranger on the street. Sit with them in restaurants and homes and chat, banter and play when you barter.
Travel will teach you so much about the world and yourself. Don’t keep those memories and lessons locked away as secrets. Share them to keep them alive and to inspire and help others do the same.
How can you take this travel privilege of yours and use it to make the world a better place?
You should now have a much better idea of what that looks like. Do as Gandi said, “Be the change.”
Our Gift to You
Life is better when you share it, so as a way to say “Thank You,” we are giving you the Travel Manifesto as a gift when you join our email community. Sign up box below.
Print it out, put it on your wall, or carry it around in your pocket. Or save it on your computer and look at it before your next vacation to remind you of how to have the most memorable trip possible.
Video: Principals To Creating Lasting Travel Memories
We have recorded a video sharing the following principles, if you prefer to watch this information instead.
More Travel Inspiration
- Best Travel Tips after 22 years travel
- You’ve got time + the end of a 22 year nomadic life
- 10 years of travel blogging – highs and lows
- Reasons why travel helps you live a good life
- Dealing with reverse culture shock
- Ways travel can uncover who you really are
- How to achieve your goals and change your life for good
- Ways to unplug from the chaos and plug back into life
- Travel Tips for First Time Travelers
- Lessons learned from a Life of Travel
Pin To Save It On Pinterest
