Surprises to Explore
Travel for life!
John Lord Couper
Our travel options are 2023, but most travel imaginations are stuck in 1923. Why not upgrade your travel style?
A century ago, travel meant being a slave to a canned itinerary, lugging too much luggage, and being led through an over-controlled expedition. Travel agents are usually very nice, but still have only one job: treating travelers like cattle. Is that you?
Travel should be about experiences, not listicles. Next time your passport has to earn its keep, adapt the tips below. They are based on my 55 years of wondrous international travel. A huge plus: this kind of travel is much cheaper because it taps mostly into local conditions.
Photo from Choco, Colombia by John Couper
We have the tech and info to create personalized, exciting, awe-inspiring journeys. Here’s how…
1. Imagineer: list all the adventurous experiences you want, then search online for those keywords. Be specific and thoughtful, not just “sit on the beach.” In the time it would take to visit a travel agency, you’ll get a list of amazing places you’ve never heard of. For example, that led us to Xishuangbanna. This spectacular area of south China is so off the track that, in two weeks, we only saw one foreign tourist!
2. Pack lite: most people in airports with several suitcases are tense and anxious. Those with one backpack are relaxed and cheerful. Explode your flexibility by travelling with only what you can carry.
3. Prepare: research expands our imagination. Use online travel resources, like Lonely Planet, to create your own mini-card catalogue of options. Refer, shuffle, and add to these as your personal 3x5 planner/journal/library/souvenir.
4. Venture: you can be cautious yet adventurous. Most travelers ignore the array of opportunities all around them. Catch a bus to a place just because it has a beautiful name. A line of tourists? Walk the other way. Treat disappointments as part of the adventure: in fact, mini-disasters are often highlights. A friend and I, exploring a zero-tourist part of Lima, stumbled across a fun school party — some parents who invited us to join in then told us of an unknown local experience.
5. Connect: Online services like CouchSurfing offer free connections. This let me make dozens of cool friends on four continents. Invite locals to just meet over coffee for inside information and tips. Learning at least a dozen phrases in the local language opens many doors. If you use a local guide, they can tell you exciting places that never see tourist. Greet strangers, help practice their English. Take small gifts and souvenirs.
6. Explore: Learn to say “yes” carefully but energetically. As you travel, look around and behind you to notice and enjoy much more. Be ready to change your mind and plans. Above all, let travel reveal and strengthen new aspects of yourself.
Please get more pointers, and leave your travel experiences and tips, here and at info@johnlordcouper.com. Or ask about my online course, which shows anyone how to develop an Adventure Attitude…
