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Resolutions are meant to be broken say some but travellers might disagree. After all who would want to let go of the opportunity to climb out of the morass of predictability and mundane drudgery. Whether an experienced hand or a novice, here are seven new year resolutions that will help you travel well this new year
1. Resolve to travel to new destinations - Well, if I see a smirk on your face, bear with me! While this one seems like a no-brainer most people settle too easily into the comfort zone of tried and tested travel destinations. This new year try to be a bit more adventurous and move out of the shell of familiarity and embrace the unknown.
2. Resolve to be more patient and open minded while travelling - India is too vast a country to be straitjacketed into any one particular category. So, let go popular misconceptions of ' India is a land of spicy food' or 'Indian bridegrooms ride on horses for their weddings'.
3. Resolve to travel without a 'plan' - Agreed that a hassle-free trip to a place has its own merits but planning right to the T might not be the best way to enjoy or see a place. Research well before going to a new place but try to forego the luxuries of familiarity to connect more with a place. Imagine impromptu attendance in a local wedding or tracking down the best non-vegetarian fare in town.
4. Resolve to read more travel literature- Everyone loves to proclaim their love for travel and most are eager to pen down their memories of that 'Oh so wonderful time we had wrestling with frozen toothpaste on our trip to ladakh' but here is a news flash! Everything that you see and experience does not make for great travel writing. So before becoming gung-ho about your penning your thoughts it might be a good idea to start with works of travel writers like Pico Iyer, William Dalrymple, Bill Bryson or just going through 'The Best American Travel Writing' anthologies. Of course, there is something called 'good travel writing' and 'bad travel writing'.
5. Resolve to start a travel piggy bank - It doesn't have to be much but maybe a few rupees a week can add up to pay for that hotel room or the bus fare.
6. Resolve to be more of a traveler than a tourist - To travel hopefully is better than to arrive' goes the ancient Chinese saying but most of us are content to visit designated spots for designated times and then move on. Try to move beyond the lure of your guidebook and tour operators and get to know more about the place, its customs , the people and the offbeat places which are not mentioned in the guidebooks or are not part of your itinerary.
7. Resolve to not let technology hamper your travel - I know there are apps out there that are supposed to enhance your travel experience but let's be honest most of the time we plug in to be 'connected' to your social media networks and update status messages that tell the world what we are up to. At times, it is best to rely on a good old map or plain old directions from locals. Unplug yourself this year and feel the joy of vanishing off the grid for a while.
