1 See at least one new place you have never been to before – at home or abroad. Be it a day trip, a weekend break or a 2-week holiday, travel can always inspire you.
2 Try one new activity you have never done before – it could be skiing or scuba diving, making pasta from scratch or hunting for truffles, taking a photography tour - anything that takes your fancy.
3 Read about your destination – no not a travel guide (that’s a given) but a novel, newspaper article (not from the travel section), non-fiction book. Alternatively watch a film made there. Learning about your destination and what is happening there, rather than just what is interesting to visit, enriches your experience immeasurably.
4 Speak up! If there is something at your hotel or accommodation that isn’t working for you, let staff know asap, otherwise they won’t be able to fix it for you and it will put a downer on your holiday. Also don’t leave a negative review of a place if you never mentioned the problem while you were there, it’s too late for anyone to fix it and staff are not mind readers – don’t be shy, but do be polite when reporting a problem.
5 Pack light. You won’t miss anything you don’t have and anything you need but forget you can find at your destination anyway (well, most things). It can make all the difference if you’re moving around during your stay and that way you’ll have room for souvenirs. Just pack some laundry soap so you can wash as you go.
6 Don’t spend all your time documenting your holiday on social media, be present. If you really can’t bear the idea of not logging on, do it for 15 minutes in the evening and that’s it. Enjoy the view rather than finding the best filter for it on Instagram.
7 Learn some of the lingo. It’s always appreciated.
9 Eat where the locals do, ask around for tips if necessary. Step out of the main square and you will find everything is twice as good and costs half as much.
10 Walk on the travelator at the airport and if you insist on standing still then don’t block the way for others in a hurry – you know who you are…
