Every year when the new year is upon us, I like to sit down and think about my overall goals and patterns for my travels in the twelve months to come. Some years I look back on and realize that all my trips sort of fell under a category for the year, others are all over the place and have no general theme, but each year it helps to focus looking forward and figure out what you want to get out of the travels to come. By focusing on what you want to get out of your travels you can make the most out of them as they come and embrace more that you perhaps would have overlooked otherwise.
For 2015, the trips we have planned all have somewhat of an adventurous vibe: Spain, Iceland, New Zealand, Bali… those destinations scream adventure to me and I can’t wait to see what we experience there. So as we’re booking and scheduling our 2015 travel, I’ll be keeping all of these goals in mind!
Nick and I are pretty good about getting off the beaten tourist path, checking out local spots and exploring on our own but this year I want to go even deeper. I want to experience countries and cities in a different way than the average tourist, to see sunrises and sunsets in amazing locations, to bike ride through the jungle, to explore a temple without hordes of other tourists. Our destinations this year lend themselves to this goal well and I’ll be making every effort to go deeper than usual in our adventures this year.
We’re heading to many places this year that are well known for their incredible cultures and treasures and food. Spain and Bali in particular this year will have me indulging in all sort of local treats and I can’t wait to experience that!
As we travel we see things that scare us, that sadden us, that test us. We see starving children begging, we see people living in houses that can barely be called shelter, we see the horrors of wars that have affected countries for years, we see tragedies and we see much that needs help. This year I want to focus more on being a good global citizen as we travel, noting what I find sad while we visit countries and doing what I can to help either while there or when we get home. I want to do a better job and honoring the places we visit by lending a helping hand in one way or another.
Last year on our India trip we took 3 days in Udaipur at the gorgeous Oberoi Udaivilas to rest, recharge, take in the incredible culture and food and lay by our private pool to just relax. It was an amazing few days in the middle of a very busy trip to just take in a gorgeous location and relax at our own leisure. Often times we are going going going on a trip that we forget to take time to really be on vacation. This year I want to spend a couple days on each major trip just to rest and relax and enjoy our time in a different way.
I’m not a very spontaneous person. I like plans and lists and having things organized long beforehand, but this year I want to really embrace those moments while traveling to be spontaneous. I’m getting better about this as the years go by but I want to stop and jump at chances more in 2015.
Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki says
You guys have some amazing travel plans for this coming year and some great goals to go along with them!
Casey says
I’m so excited for our adventures this year… and I can’t wait to go a little deeper this year in each one!
KC Saling says
I love this so much!! One of the things I’ve been turning over in my head is how to keep this year’s travel and adventures from just being checks on the bucket list – been there, saw that, onto the next thing. How to make it more enduring, or even to travel more intentionally? Think you hit it on the head with this list!
Casey says
I hear you on that.. .honestly the second half of 2014 was like that for me with a few trips that just were very blah… when you feel like you’re just not as in to it with that perspective of a new traveler or a new place anymore. So this year I’m hoping these goals will get me past that!
Kati Rose says
I really love this. I think these are the things we often forget when traveling and I enjoy that they’re your resolutions for 2015. I think they will add lots of adventure and color to your trips and make them even more memorable! Can’t wait to read and live vicariously through you doing these things!
Casey says
Totally.. it’s easy to just travel and not worry about anything but it adds more to the trip if we can focus on certain things.
Macy Gutermuth says
These are wonderful goals. I have such a hard time being spontaneous and not planning for things, but I made a promise to my fiancé this year to stop planning something for every weekend. Hopefully, this will help.
Casey says
I know, it’s so hard. I’ve been making more of an effort to do it in the last year, still planning the majority of things but then leaving some time in each trip or in our daily lives to just jump at things and that makes it so much more fun!
Stephanie Rogers says
I like to think I’m spontaneous when travelling but in reality that’s just not true at all. I spend hours pouring over details of what I’m going to do/stay. I think it’s an awesome goal to try and be more spontaneous, especially when travelling!
http://thelifeofastudenttraveller.blogspot.co.uk/
Casey says
I’m with you… I’ve really tried recently to still plan the majority of the details but then add in a day where we can just be spontaneous mid-way through the trip or leave a month on our calendar totally free so we can jump at whatever comes our way. That way it still feels planned but leaves space for spontaneity too!
Departures With Aimee says
This is quite an impressive list! And to be fair, I’m also a mighty list maker and I like to have things organised beforehand too, I always feel as if I’d be missing something without them.. 🙂 Enjoy your year!!!
Casey says
Thanks! I agree, I love my lists and my plans but some of the best memories I have are of things I just jumped at randomly and I hope to incorporate more of that!
http://www.earthwanderess.com says
Great list! I agree on so much, I too love plans and making lists but want to be spontaneous 😀
Casey says
It’s such a fine line to balance but I hope to do more of it this year! 🙂
Andrea says
Love this! “Travel deeper” really inspired me. Can’t wait to hear all about your year and completion of these goals. http://nomoneywilltravel.com
Casey says
Can’t wait to have you along for the ride!