Give Yourself The Gift Of Time And Explore New Interests Through Travel, By Catherin Allen

At last, you have decided to take some time off work and a good part of that time will be spent traveling. We travel to reconnect with friends and family, explore some new area or interest or spend time in another country to learn new skills or languages. With these thoughts in mind, here are five of the the Top Ten Tips that will help you enjoy your travel and get the most out of it. And, in part two we will learn more tips, like how to Eat Well and Inexpensively and Saving For Your Sabbatical.  

Tips For Planning Your Adventure

Your Trip Starts With Planning: When you travel it is best to at least have some pre-planning and structure to get the most fun and adventure out of it. Determine ahead of time how much time you want to spend traveling, whether you will travel with a group or someone or alone, where you would like to go and how much you have to spend. Schedule in time for impromptu events and extensions of time in certain places you love.

Affording Your Trip: First do some research to help decide the best air travel prices according to the days of the week and months of the year. Airlines are cheapest way in advance or at the last minute and Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best times to find price changes online. Timing is everything. Group tours and cruises may offer reductions, especially if you look online at the last minute. Explore transportation savings with Eurail Passes and in country ticket shops. Find discounts on hotels at sites like Expedia.com or in the magazine Budget Travel. Use frequent fliers wherever possible and call hotels and negotiate.

Consider Exchanging Houses or Apartments: One of the best ways to enjoy a new area is to live there for a few weeks or a month or more. With exchange sites like www.homeexchange.com you can find homes and apartments that are available for exchange in another city or country. Live like the locals and cook at home, get to know the neighborhood bar and practice your language skills.

Making Money On The Road: There are several ways to make money while you are traveling. From teach English as a Second Language, giving lectures or teach other skills at a university or adult education center. Do part time research for a company, or offers to become a travel companion. You could also write a blog about your travel and get it supported. Working while traveling allows you to see parts of a country you would not see as just a tourist.

Try Things That Are Free or Low Cost: Discover ways to explore everything in the city or country that are free or low cost. These include sitting in on a lecture, concerts in churches, walking through the city, or attending a service. Tour the city by riding the subway or buses. Perhaps, visit friends of friends, and if you spot a tour in a museum follow the crowd. Be creative, and who knows what you'll enjoy. Just remember that travel does not have to be expensive, and you learn far more by being “like the locals”.

Read Part 2 of this feature - Living In The Moment While Traveling When on Sabbatical.

Learn More About Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life By Taking a Break

To pick up your copy of Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life By Taking a Break, By Cathy Allen, Nancy Bearg, Rita Foley and Jaye Smith check your local book store.