“Disclaimer: This post was written prior to the pandemic that the world currently faces, and some of the information does not apply to the current travel environment. Stay informed and safe by following the precautions that have been implemented in your local area.”
It’s been months, maybe years, since your last big adventure. And there’s no telling when the next trip will happen. It seems like all of your friends on social media are always posting photos of themselves posing in front of some exotic background. Then there’s you—constantly working, or at home wishing you could be somewhere else.
Well, you’re not alone. Me and the travelers I know (and I know a few) spend most of our time working. In a year, maybe 2 weeks are spent abroad. That doesn’t mean the other 50 weeks go to waste. Nor does it mean that you have to travel to a different country to enjoy yourself. Below are ways you can Make Life An Adventure without going too far.
Take Advantage Of The Weekends
Don’t treat days off of work as rest days. Instead, treat them as the best days to satisfy whatever your longing may be. If you have to pick a hobby that gets you out of the house, then go for it.
For me, it’s photography. Anytime I find myself wanting adventure, I pick up my camera, head to a crowed place and ask strangers to pose for me. Don’t believe me? Check out my photo page.
Know What’s Going On In Your Area
There’s always some volunteer event or someone looking to hang out. Leave the house, do something that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and surround yourself with positive individuals.
Websites like Meetup and VolunteerMatch allow people to search for activities (and events), as well as connect with others who share similar interests. If you want to learn Spanish, then you can find a group and practice. You enjoy dancing bachata and salsa… there’s a group for that. MMA or soccer fan—there’s a group for that, too. Interested in investing? You already know what to do!
Likewise, never be hesitant to go out and enjoy yourself by yourself.
Visit Local Attractions
I’m from St. Louis, and I became an adult and traveled to several countries before visiting the top of The Gateway Arch, also known as the Gateway to the West. It was the same situation when I visited Rio de Janeiro and asked some Brazilians if they’d visited the Christ The Redeemer statue, or the Japanese if they’d climbed Mount Fuji. It’s common for local people to not visit the attractions near them. Appreciate your local culture and heritage by exploring the wonders near you.
Travel To Another City Or State
Plan a short weekend trip. Drive to a neighboring state or find the cheapest direct flight to wherever. Check my post How To Travel For Cheap and learn how to do this.
Invite People To Your City
No matter how boring your hometown may seem, it’s still exotic to someone else. There are millions of travelers who despise tourist traps and appreciate the “real” experience. That’s what you could offer them.
By showing them around your town and hanging out with them, you become a part of their adventure as well. Sign up for CouchSurfing or join a Facebook travel group where travelers are always looking for recommendations of places to go and travel buddies.
Work And Live Abroad
If you like being in another country, make one your home—even if it’s temporary. The website Idealist has plenty of work opportunities in other countries. I highly recommend looking at some of the opportunities to live and work abroad.
Read
Reading allows individuals to use their imaginations to greater extents. In the case of travel-related reads, readers gain a more in-depth understanding of others’ experiences abroad as opposed to only seeing the highlights online.
Personally, I’ve never met any type of people more relatable than my fellow travelers. Therefore, if you have traveled some, it’s easy to put yourself in the reader’s situation. Doing so also brings a sense of nostalgia and motivation to create experiences similar to the ones you experienced abroad.
Enjoy Home
For many of us, traveling is a way of combatting complacency and getting out of our comfort zones. It presents an experience that is different from what we’re used to. In the end, we all return home.Whether home is the place you’re born or the place you live, it’s always good to have somewhere to go back to. The more we spend there, the more it makes being somewhere else worth it.
