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How To Plan Long-Term Travel (With Tips That Actually Help)

Planning a long-term trip? This is how you can plan well for the journey.

Planning long-term travel seems like a daunting task, and visitors are not always sure exactly where to draw the line when the usual short-term vacation changes everything and last many months or even a year. Regardless of how long one takes to experience new places, planning is key because tourists will need to know a lot about their priority destinations. Long-term travel is more than just how many days or months one spends on a trip. Vacationers’ mindsets also matter as well as lots of preparations before beginning the journey. This is how to plan long-term travel, along with tips that actually help.

Why A Long-Term Travel? Deciding If You Are Ready To Embark On A Long-Term Journey

The internet has brought so many things right at the touch of our fingertips, giving us exceptional freedom to choose from plenty of options. Traveling has gone through digital changes, and now the new generation of nomads and independent tourists have an incredible opportunity to not only make money online but also travel the world. We are seeing many people doing this full-time, and there is an increase in the number of long-term vacationers. But why long-term travel? How do you know when you are ready to adopt this lifestyle? Is it sustainable? Let’s find out.

Does Realism Match Your Optimism?

Traveling can be exciting and fun, but at the same time, it can be challenging and exhausting. Long-term traveling needs someone to be optimistic, but an equal amount of realism is even better because it involves a lot. Vacationers find it difficult to accept one fact: that every day isn’t going to be as fun and exciting. People are always enticed by Instagram’s breathtaking photos of destinations. But understanding that every day isn’t going to be beautiful is important when planning a long-term trip.

Leaving the comforts of one’s home to tour new places and interact with different cultures means letting go of the usual lifestyle and starting a new one. Behind every stunning Instagram picture is long period of planning and preparation. Things like the possibility of losing luggage, missing a train, or spending more than planned – are important to think about when preparing for this kind of lifestyle. Understanding that long-term travel has downsides and having the optimism to overcome those challenges will help vacationers decide if they are ready for the journey.

Have You Set Aside Enough Money?

Money matters a lot when it comes to long-term travel, as it is the major factor that determines most of the travel aspects, like transport means, accommodation, and meals. The number of months or weeks to spend on a long-term journey depends on the money allocated for the same. Money will also help travelers decide the countries they can visit because exploring some places can be expensive.

But enough money doesn’t have to be a six-digit saving. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, even if it’s a long-term trip, and it largely depends on the kind of travel one is planning. Plus, there are several budget options for accommodation, transport, and attractions. There are also tips to cut costs when visiting a destination. This allows travelers to spend less and make money on their long-term trips. If one is feeling comfortable with the amount of money they’ve set aside for a long-term journey, then they are ready to get started.

How Do You Handle The Fear Of Missing A Long-Term Travel Opportunity?

A lot of fears come with long-term travel planning – fear of leaving loved ones, losing a career, visiting certain countries, the fact that things might not go as planned, and having to get back home only after a short while. But the fear of failing on this long-term journey has to be greater than all these other fears. One is ready to embark on a long-term trip when they feel it’s a must to make the travel work, and they wouldn’t be satisfied if it doesn’t.

Tips For Getting Started On A Long-Term Trip

After deciding about readiness to embark on long-term travel, some tips for getting started should make the planning and the trip easy. Here are some to keep in mind:

Get Educated On The Priority Destinations

First of all, it is important to list the places one would like to visit and then set priorities. Travelers should then conduct some thorough research and educate themselves about the countries they’d wish to visit. And this is beyond just learning a few words like saying ‘hello’ or ‘thank you in a local language. It is important to have some ideas about the country’s culture and traditions, history, politics, and tourism status. This will smoothen the trip and make it easier to interact with the locals upon one’s arrival at the destination.

Get an idea of itineraries, public transportation means, visas, and their costs, backpacking prices, and things to experience in those destinations. There are a lot of online resources to use – travel blogs and social media (perhaps join a Facebook group!).

Know Which Countries To Avoid If Traveling On A Budget

Some countries are extremely expensive than others. It is not advisable to group destinations as a continent or a region to decide which countries to visit. Remember, some regions can be less expensive to visit, but the countries within them vary widely in price. For instance, getting accommodation in Singapore can cost three times more than in Hanoi, and the countries are both in Southeast Asia. Countries like Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the USA can be pretty expensive, making them unsuitable for a long-term budget trip.

Consider Reviews When Searching For Accommodation Options

Reading other travelers’ reviews on sites like TripAdvisor is important. The type of search engine to use in research depends on which type of accommodation and country one is opting for. Travelers looking to stay in hostels should use hostelworld.com, but Airbnb is also a good resource. Couchsurfing is a crucial site for vacationers looking to embark on long-term budget travel. Booking.com is the best search engine for travelers planning to travel to North America.

Have Long-Term Travel Insurance Ready

To get started on a long-term journey, ensure long-term travel insurance is ready. The last thing one would want to experience is getting caught up in medical charges. When researching insurance companies, it is important to keep activities like high-altitude hiking and skiing into consideration so that all needs are covered.

Pack Everything You’ll Need, But Not Too Much

While travelers should have all the essentials, they must also pack light for long-term travel. Some things to pack include:

  • Lightweight raincoats
  • Long-term travel backpacks
  • Portable charger
  • A water bottle (a filter type is preferable)
  • Sun protection items, like a hat and sunscreen
  • Shirts (long-sleeved and short-sleeved), pants, jeans, leggings, underwear, and a hoodie

Where To Stay On A Long-Term Travel

Where one is going to stay is something crucial to consider when planning long-term travel. For vacationers who’ve never traveled long-term, wrapping their heads around which type of accommodation to opt for can be challenging. Consider these factors when deciding where to stay:

  • Are you traveling solo or with family or friends?
  • Would you mind sharing kitchens or rooms with other travelers if traveling solo?
  • How much privacy do you need?
  • Are you on a tight budget?

Answers to these questions will determine whether one will stay in a hostel, a hotel, or a vacation home.

Long-term travel has upsides and downsides – and understanding them is the best way to prepare and plan well for the journey.

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Health

7 ways to improve employee mental health while travelling for business

Business travel can be a great way to improve productivity and performance, but it can also come at the expense of employee wellbeing.

A study conducted by Collison found that 35% of business travellers had concerns about the impact of travel on their mental health and admitted that they had at some point given a false reason to avoid having to travel for work.

Employees who frequently travel for work often face unique challenges that other workers do not, affecting their mental health.

They can feel isolated from their homes, family and regular routines. Changing time zones can also throw off their sleep patterns.

All of this negatively impacts employee productivity, negatively impacting your company’s bottom line.

Bonnie Smith, Corporate Traveller GM, said that employers should provide additional support to employees who travel for work to alleviate the stress associated with business travel and increase their desire to travel for business.

According to Smith, here are seven ways to improve employee mental health through updating travel policies.

1. Help business travellers make healthier choices

Travel managers and employees should work together to make healthier choices while travelling, which can include choosing a more convenient flight time, choosing a hotel with a gym, or increasing the per diem to allow for a healthy room service breakfast.

2. Reward healthy travel habits

You can modify travel wellness policies to help employees, who travel, to achieve better balance. For example, enable them to work from home on their return, or provide a full post-trip duvet day to help them feel well rested.

Companies can also encourage employees to participate in a healthy travel programme by offering incentives such as gift cards or perks.

3. Improve the travel experience to prevent burn-out

Employees who travel a lot for work can be under a lot of stress. To ease their anxiety, consider frequent flyer programmes which offer perks like free upgrades and lounge access, or schedule a rest day after flights that exceed a certain distance or time.

4. Give them more choices

Business travellers should have the freedom to choose the services and accommodations they prefer (within policy). That way, they can tailor their travel experience to their own needs and preferences.

5. Think beyond the hotel option

Serviced apartments offer a homier atmosphere than traditional hotel accommodations, allowing business travellers to maintain their daily routines while away from home. With access to a fully equipped kitchen, for example, business travellers can prepare healthy meals instead of eating out daily, which is great for longer trips.

6. Promote “bleisure trips”

Bleisure travel is growing in popularity because it offers a more flexible and enjoyable way to combine work and play. Unlike business travel, which can often be stressful, bleisure travel promotes well-being by allowing employees to recharge their batteries through a combination of business and leisure travel.

These can be business trips that are extended to include personal time or vacations that include business components.

7. Provide support every step of the way

With business travel resuming after the pandemic, a smooth, efficient process is more important. Business travellers often have to deal with missing details, last-minute changes and tedious expense management – all of which can add to stress.

Easy access to a travel management platform and the support of a travel manager will streamline the process. All these elements can make a big difference for busy professionals travelling.

Smith said companies should sit down and think about what their employees want from the future of business travel to make the experience less stressful. She said that only by understanding this, can they develop a well-communicated travel risk management programme.

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Lifestyletravel

Relocating with Family – Tips for Successful Move

Moving can be a fun experience for your kids, as long as you take the time to make it so. However, when you are relocating with family, there are some steps that you should follow to ensure that everyone is on board and excited about the new location. This blog post will discuss those steps in detail.

Make a list of all the people you need to contact about the move

This should include co-workers, friends, family, and members of your church. It may also include businesses in the new area that you need to notify about a change of address or phone number. Notify as many people as possible, so they don’t think it’s odd if they receive an email from you out of nowhere.

If someone needs some time before making any decisions regarding their relocation, give them four weeks’ notice at least – this will allow for adequate preparation time without having too much impact on work obligations. This is especially important when relocating with children; whether daycare services are involved or not, parents still have to make arrangements for childcare once school starts.

Research your new location and make sure there are things for everyone in your family to do

  • You must visit the new state or city before you decide to move as you need to find out whether there are things for everyone in your family to do there like:
  • Sports and recreational activities for the kids
  • Hospitals to visit if any of your family members are not feeling well or if you have senior citizens with you.
  • Grocery stores have a wide variety of food choices if everyone has different tastes or dietary requirements. Check out their produce section too!
  • Research nearby parks – make sure they will be safe enough for you and your children to play there (avoid high crime areas)
  • Check museums and theater performances as these can give adults some time away from household chores while still giving kids something new to explore.
  • Ask bloggers about local restaurants before you go so you’ll at least know what cuisine is popular in the area when it comes time to find one near home that suits all ages’ tastes.
  • Importantly you also need to check for good schools if you have kids.

Plan by packing up boxes and labeling them with what they contain so that when it’s time to move, you can just grab a box and go

  • Try to pack up anything that’s not needed in the new home and store it elsewhere. To know tips related to packing while moving visit the website of Moving Astute, which will help you in efficient and appropriately packing your stuff.
  • If you move with your family, there is no need for duplicating items like bedding or towels – just bring what suits everyone best.
  • Bringing only necessities then carting these boxes around when moving day comes along, everything will be easier on all of you!
  • In addition, make sure each box has a label so you’ll know which one contains dishes, pots, pans, etc., because this can help prevent any confusion during unpacking time.
  • Pack games into their box if they’re really good ones – kids love playing them while stuck inside due to weather delays or packing duties!
  • You can make packing fun by playing games like ‘I Spy’ while you’re doing it.
  • It is important to talk with your children about the move and help them develop ideas of what they would like to pack themselves, if possible.

Tip: It’s also a good idea not to bring any food or drinks that are easily spilled if there are delays on moving day – this will avoid ruining anything else when boxes get shifted around!

Create an emergency kit

It is necessary to pack a bag with emergency items like flashlights, batteries, bottled water, first aid supplies, etc., in case of power outages or other emergencies during the relocation process. Keep this emergency kit handy as you pack your moving boxes.

Tip: When packing for the move, make sure to consider any potential weather changes that you may experience in your new location and bring appropriate clothes accordingly.

Pack up any important papers (birth certificates/social security cards) before moving day arrives

When you have a family, you must pack up important documents like birth certificates and social security cards before moving day arrives. It’s always best to provide your children with their folders to keep important papers from both the old house and new one so that it becomes easier for them when filling out forms or registering at a new school in their state.

Tip: Bring along your pet’s paperwork if you are relocating because there may be different rules about housing pets in your new home state.

Take care of any loose ends at work or school before leaving town

This will allow you the time necessary to focus on your family and enjoy this big transition.

Tip: If your child attends a private school, make sure he/she has provided their new address with the administration so that they can be updated in case there are any changes in schedules due to transportation delays when moving into the new home state.

Conclusion

It’s not easy to pack up and move with a family, but these tips will help make the process smoother. Ensure you’ve got everything covered by checking off your list of people who need contacting about the change in address. Next, research your new location so that there are things for everyone in your family to do together when they arrive. And be ready ahead of time!

Pack up boxes before moving day arrives and label them with what they contain, so it’s easier on move-in day. You can even create an emergency kit beforehand just in case anything goes wrong during the relocation process or after arrival at your destination city. Finally, take care of any loose ends at work or school before leaving town because

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travel

Vacation Habits That Are Stressing You Out

Our brains and bodies are not designed to work incessantly, but taking a vacation does not always relieve stress. Instead of unwinding, you may deplete your resources even further! Discover five biggest mistakes in vacation planning that induce stress.

Humans need extended stretches of decompression to escape the daily grind. A vacation is more than an opportunity to recharge our batteries just to drain them afterward. Perceive it as a period when every experience, be it sunbathing or Delta 8 bundle, improves your quality of life in general.

1. Overplanning

Vacation days are limited, so it is natural to want to visit as many sites as possible, but a jam-packed itinerary is a major stressor. Do not fall victim to FOMO and schedule every minute of every day. Trim your itinerary by around 30% or leave at least one day for improvised exploration. Just wander around, drop by local coffee shops or record stores, or read that book you have been trying to finish for months.

2. Skipping Meals

This is a typical consequence of overplanning. If you must schedule visits to attractions, schedule some time for meals, too. In the worst-case scenario, you should have some snacks with you.

3. Being Too Stringent With Itineraries

You do not have to follow your schedule to the letter — be open to spontaneity. Travelers often discover excellent activities and restaurants after asking locals or using Google Maps on a whim. If something interferes with your plans, do not stress out about it. Let things unfold naturally.

4. Checking Your Work Email

As soon as you open your inbox, your brain switches back to work mode. This could derail the whole experience! Make the most of your spare time and unplug. Whatever comes up at work can be dealt with after you return, and your colleagues will call you in case of an emergency. Your vacation time is sacred. If you get an email about a problem that cannot be sold remotely, stress will tarnish the rest of your vacation.

5. Underplanning

Although overplanning is bad, so is failure to plan enough. Our brains get so accustomed to schedules that their absence becomes a stressor. Besides, you can miss out on some great experiences. Draw up a list of the main sites you would like to visit and sprinkle them in throughout your trip. If any of them require booking, do it in advance.

Only Booking The Cheapest Options

Bargains can lead to stressful experiences. If you cannot negotiate your budget, do not sacrifice comfortable transit and accommodation for the sake of sumptuous meals.

Set reasonable priorities. A flight with two connections that adds 10 hours to your journey or a dingy hotel with poor reviews will just make you feel awful. Do not book the cheapest options blindly. Make sure the standards will be acceptable.

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