The Wandering Hart

1. Pack Even Less Than You Think

Not gonna lie, I thought I had this one down before leaving California. I had packed all my stuff and even removed a portion of what I initially packed. I was down to just 10 outfits for 8 weeks, which I thought is pretty good for women’s clothing! But of course, I was wrong. There were clothes I barely wore (although I’m proud to say I did manage to wear everything at least once!), makeup I definitely didn’t use, and devices I never needed. I think as a general rule on a trip this long, pack for a week and pack just the things you know you’ll have occasion to wear at least once a week. And don’t assume you’ll be changing your recent habits while on the trip – if you haven’t been wearing much makeup or exercising then you won’t need a ton of makeup for “special occasions” or exercise clothes on your trip.

2. Guided Tours Simplify Everything

For the longest time while traveling I think I’ve had an aversion to guided tours. I’ve taken them but I think I’ve had this slight perception that things are better when I do them on my own. Don’t get me wrong, planning out getting around on your own has huge advantages! You avoid being stuck with potentially annoying co-tourists for a day, there’s more room for surprises, and you can come and go on your own schedule. HOWEVER, I booked a ton of guided tours for this most recent trip and I have to say they’re often worth it! Guided tours mean you’ll be practically guaranteed to hit all the highlights, you won’t have to think through how to get around, and (most importantly) you’ll be free from making your own decisions for a little while! Nothing was quite as freeing sometimes as hopping in a van and knowing that I didn’t have to think about where to get lunch, how to get home, or even how much to pay at the ticket booths for a day.

3. Leave Time for Spontaneity

That being said, don’t fill 100% of your time with tours or really any planned activity! Some of the best experiences I had in Southeast Asia (or really on any of my trips) were spontaneous decisions made once the planned activities for the day were done. For example, at the end of the Bangkok food tour we got to go out with a bunch of the other people on the tour for drinks and we just went to a random bar recommended by our tour guide – and it was such a fun evening! Maybe for many people this is an obvious one, but as someone who is often tempted to over-plan realizing how much you can experience by not planning is a revelation. Planning just one major thing to see per day and leaving the rest open, which is what I did for this trip, allows for a more options in the moment and a more fun time.

4. You’ll Get Tired of Traveling – and That’s OK!

Over the course of this trip I felt every kind of travel exhaustion I’ve ever heard of. I was templed-out, craving American food, and exhausted from being continuously on the move. It would have been so easy to just feel guilty about feeling this way but instead I recognized that 8 weeks of travel can be a lot and took some breaks! I had days where I barely did anything and I had days where I just scoured the city for a burger and a beer. I just allowed myself the rest I needed and by the end of a day of rest I was always excited about the trip again! Traveling isn’t always easy for everyone and allowing yourself a mini “travel break” in the midst of a trip is okay and totally normal.

5. “You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take”

In the wise words of Michael Scott/Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I almost never regret agreeing to do something but I’ve definitely regretted turning down trips and activities. This has applied to everything from going out with friends to traveling somewhere to doing scary things like climbing up to a sleeping pod in Peru. In my case, taking this particular trip was also connected to quitting my job and leaving my home of the past five years and I had no idea of if I would even enjoy traveling for that long. But in the end I’m so glad I did it and wouldn’t trade the experiences and memories I made in the last few months for anything. So take the chance and do the trip! Do the the thing that sounds a little scary (but is actually safe) and be proud of yourself for trying!