I am certain that the travel buffs among us
will all know the feeling: you are on the way back after a truly magical
vacation. You’re happy to be heading home at last, but have a conflicting
feeling of sadness when you think about your most recent adventure coming to a
close. There is something decidedly bittersweet about wrapping up a trip; you
know that the excitement has peaked, the wave has broken, and you won’t feel
that way again until the next time you’re able to snag some vacation time. It’s
no cause to fear though, it’s just a natural part of the highs and lows of the
travel experience. However, if leaving your vacation state of mind behind is
getting to you, there might be an option. So far, there has been only one thing
that I have found to be truly effective at curing this post-vacation slump; the
travel bucket list!
The psychological benefits of planning avacation have been well documented, so don’t feel guilty for indulging in this
act of daydreaming – it’s good for you. When I have returned from a trip, and
before I have cause to plan my next, I like to take the time to work on my
bucket list. The first place to start is with some travel inspiration. Sitting
down to any episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts
Unknown on Netflix or scrolling through National Geographic’s Instagram
will usually get me scribbling the names of exotic places pretty darn quick,
but you can find great travel inspiration nearly everywhere. It can be as easy
as Googling “best travel destinations in…” to find nearby destinations that can
make for great day trips right in your own backyard. Of course, one of the best
ways to find inspiration for your travel bucket list is right here on IVHE’s blog.
The materials that you need to start a
bucket list of your own are likely already right in front of you. Most people
who love travel have a few key destinations already in mind that they’ve been
meaning to visit, feats they are hoping to accomplish, or sites they would love
to see; viewing sunflower fields in Tuscany, hiking the Appalachian Trail, or
glimpsing the illusive Arora Borealis, for example. Start by jotting these down
in a safe place, and don’t forget to add to them as you go. There may even be a
particular IVHE
property that speaks to you loudly enough to earn its own entry on the list
(as is the case for me and the world’s first rotating
house). That is what is so inherently fun about making a vacation bucket
list, it’s completely about what speaks to you!
The next time you find yourself in the
unenviable position of not knowing when or to where your next vacation is going
to be, might I suggest breaking out the vacation bucket list? It will help get
you excited for what is to come and, in time, become a memento of all of the
great trips you have taken. There are few feelings in the world better than
ticking off one of the entries on the bucket list and thinking, “I did it!”
Thank you to Emma Sledge.
Well written, Emma. Bucket lists are dreams, and who doesn't need some dreams?
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