Five Tips To Survive Long-Term Travel
Five Tips to Survive Long-Term Travel
We are going to Iceland! We have some of the most epic friends in the world. They are kind and generous and supportive and ALWAYS DOWN TO ADVENTURE. What started as a trip to Portland with these friends turned out to be a trip of a life time to ICELAND!
Isaac and I have traveled a lot since we met back in 2014. I think we've been to more than 50 cities around the U.S., and have checked off five countries (and counting). We both work remotely, which means our travel schedule gets to be whatever we want it to be. This looks like going to Iceland for a week, or deciding to stay an extra day to relax in the Redwoods, or flying on off-days to get cheaper flights.
For this round, we will be gone for about two weeks - Iceland for a week, then stopping in Nova Scotia on the way home since it's a place we've never traveled to before. We'll be putting into practice the valuable lessons we've learned to help make long-term travel sustainable and enjoyable, whether the trip is two weeks or two months.
Here are the Five Tips to Survive Long-Term Travel:
1. Eat Healthy, Stay Hydrated:
This may sound cliche, but some of the most common issues people deal with while traveling are getting sick from a long plane ride, being dehydrated after walking around new cities for the day, and gaining 10 pounds seemingly overnight.
We have learned that making it a priority to eat healthy most of the time we are visiting a place is super important for long term health and not overdoing it on the road.
And you can't overestimate how much water can help with jet lag, keeping your immune system healthy in a new place and feeling GREAT after a day exploring. We carry our water bottles EVERYWHERE we go - sometimes people ask why we're carrying them and I always respond with "hydrate or die" ... haha, just kidding, but I tell them that it's so. freaking. important.
2. Pack the essentials
I know, I know... you think that you need that extra cute dress or that extra notebook that you rarely ever use, but honey, trust us when we tell you that, if you're not careful, you won't use 75% of the stuff you pack. We've traveled for months at a time with only a backpack and a carry-on each, all while packing cute clothes, cameras, batteries, toiletries, condoms, and even have enough room to bring home some whiskey from that distillery - all because we just don't pack every single item on our closet. :) Pick three tshirts/tops that you love, some accessories to mix and match for glam, and you'll be golden.
3. Read the Reviews
Whether it's renting an Airbnb or a tour service, always read the reviews. Take them with a grain of salt: some people are just really unhappy and want to make everyone's lives miserable. Still, pay attention to however the reviews add up, because if a company has a 1.4 star review with 500+ reviews, chances are you don't want to book that company.
We have found some of the best Airbnb's after reading the reviews throughly - we always get a good vibe and great experience when we do our research.
4. Don't Be A Tourist The Whole Time
We once were in New Zealand for 6 weeks and we learned really quickly that we couldn't do touristy things all day every day. After day five, we were craving some structure, productivity, and healthy home-cooked meals. It's likely you won't be able to sustain the excitement if you try to see different sights every day for the entire month, six months, etc. that you're in a place.
That said, take time to sleep in, breathe the fresh air, read a book with a glass of wine, have sex in the middle of the day, meditate, take a long walk without the goal of seeing attractions. Do things that will help you balance and re-center while away from home.
5. Stay Connected To Loved Ones At Home
Being away from home for a long time can be really hard sometimes - you miss your bed, your local coffee shop, the smells of your home, your kitchen, and your friends and family.
Staying connected to your friends and family via Facetime, Skype, etc. is so important. Not only do you keep up with what's going on in their lives, you feel a sense of connection that only communication can bring. It's really easy to forget the important of keeping relationships alive and well, so making sure to keep in touch with loved ones at home will help your time away seem a little less lonely.
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Isaac and I have spent many, many weeks and months away from home (and will spend a lot of this summer out on the road), and we have found that these great tactics really help long-term travel be more sustainable and super fun.
Be on the look out soon for what we are packing for our trip to Iceland and Nova Scotia!
Onward and upward, lovelies!
Abe and Isaac