The New Year is still the best time to take stock of the year that’s gone by, look at all the things we enjoy remembering and those we’d rather forget. And then there are all the things we’ve secretly dreamed about and haven’t dared mention. Locaboat has allowed its imagination to run free and suggest six New Year’s Resolutions for travellers in 2017. All aboard ? Then let’s cast off!
1. We will head into the unknown
Setting off for a distant destination without being sure where we’ll end up, following our instincts and not looking back, buying a ticket at random for who knows where? People often think of adventure as something crazy that happens to other people, but all we have to do is leave behind our daily routines, ditch our habits, look at time in a different way and try out new experiences. In 2017, let’s leave the beaten track and say ‘yes’ to the exotic and the amazing.
2. We will travel differently
In 2017, we will try a different way of travelling and leave behind mass tourism, package holidays where everything is taken care of, holiday complexes and crowded beaches. In 2017, we will learn to travel all over again, looking for a more authentic and alternative kind of tourism. We will welcome new experiences, new friends and give travel new meaning by treating ourselves to a getaway that is really unique. In 2017, let’s turn travel into an art-form.
3. We will take time to explore
In 2017, let’s make time to take things slowly and stop sprinting around museums on the pretext that we mustn’t miss anything. Let’s take time to explore our destination and dare to call a halt just for the sake of doing nothing once in a while. Let’s take pleasure in the passing of time and move at a snail’s pace to enjoy the pleasure of the moment and the treasures of the landscape. In short, let’s see less but see it better. Let’s go for quality, not quantity. In 2017, what we need is a proper break.
4. We will switch off throughout our journey
There’s nothing better than making the most of a holiday by leaving behind the digital world and all the devices that go with it. These small items, which are indispensable in everyday life, also have a tendency to cut us off from the real world. A holiday should be a unique opportunity to communicate with people around us and break the techno habit for a while, so we can fully enjoy time spent together. When we’re travelling in 2017, let’s opt for the off-switch and stop looking at the world through selfies.
5. We will use different types of transport
In 2017, the watchword is ‘different’. Let’s forget the train, car and plane and discover other types of travel that can give us a new perspective. Walking allows us to reach unspoilt places, mix with the locals and meet the unexpected. Cycling can make us totally independent and allows us to set off whenever we like to explore new landscapes. Boats can offer new horizons and turn us into skippers with or without a permit. In 2017, we will vary the pleasures of travelling, choosing our means of transport according to what we feel like.
6. We will keep a travel journal
Every journey has its events, unexpected encounters, anecdotes and incidents. At the time, these memories seem unforgettable, but when we get back home, we realise there are some gaps in our memory. So, every day, let’s give our imagination free rein and take time to write down our thoughts and feelings, our experiences and what we’ve seen. Let’s keep an account of our walks, excursions and outings. Let’s keep museum and concert tickets, express our feelings and even try a few sketches. In 2017, let’s write down our memories so we’ll never forget them.
All that’s left to do now is get on with the packing!
