10 Rules We Follow to Travel More and Stress Less

People often ask us how we manage to travel so much each year. The truth is, it is not because we plan more, it's because we worry less.

We have only been together for the last couple of years and we each had our places we travel too. Mel lived in Sechelt BC and spent the winters in Green Valley Arizona. I had my large apartment in Borgo a Mozzano Italy and I lived there 8 months a year and 4 months in Tucson, Arizona. When we met, we knew it was going to be a challenge to figure this out. Neither one of us wanted to give up our anchor places. And Mel wanted to travel more. We decided to sell the house in Green Valley to free up that time for more travel.

We developed 10 rules for travel so we would both be happy. These rules allow us to spend time in Canada, Italy, Mexico and wherever the next adventure takes us without feeling overwhelmed. You may live in a different climate such as Arizona and want to travel to get away from the hot summers. There are places you can go that offer cooler temps and less crowded cities. One is Canada, especially BC.

1. Plan Your Year Around the Seasons

   Instead of planning random trips, we follow the weather.

   Winter - Somewhere Warm

   Spring - Europe

   Summer - Home in British Columbia

   Fall - Europe or somewhere new

   When you follow your seasons instead of fighting them, travel becomes much more enjoyable.

2. Have an Anchor Place

   Travel feels better when you have somewhere you return to. For us it is Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast and our home in Borgo a Mozzano in Tuscany. Returning to places you love creates a rhythm. It turns travel from a constant search into a lifestyle.

3. Stay longer once you cross the Ocean

   Flying across the Atlantic for a rushed week or 2 never made sense to me. It takes a couple of days to get over the jet-lag and to become relaxed and by then, it is time to think about going home. When we go to Europe we stay for 8 to 10 weeks. Once you are there slow down and enjoy it.

4. Don't fight the crowds

   I loved being in Italy during the summer but the truth is the weather has gotten so hot that it can be over 100 degrees in Florence. And there are so many people, it is difficult to get into your favorite resturant and the service gets slow. One of the biggest secrets to enjoying travel is simple. I love Paris in November, you get to talk to the waiter and sometimes the locals sitting next to you. Nothing is rushed and you enjoy everything more. So I say avoid peak season.

" We leave Europe before the summer crowds arrive and return home just as British Columbia becomes beautiful."

5. Leave Space for Surprise Trips

   Not every trip needs to be planned a year in advance. Some of our favorite adventures have happened when we simply look at each other and say: "Where should we go next"

6. Return to places you love

There is a special kind of joy that comes from returning to places where people know you. This happens when you stay somewhere for a month or two. The cafe owner remembers your coffee order. Friends pick you up at the airport. You walk the streets like you belong there. Travel becomes much deeper when you allow a place to become part of your life.

7. Travel Light and Keep it Simple

   I am not a carry on type of gal. I will check my carry on so I do not have to lift it in the overhead or carry it up the stairs on Ryanair. My largest suitcase is 24" and I will only take that if I am going on a cruise and flying into the city we leave from. I have other posts about luggage that you can read. Over time I have learned to pack smarter and bring less and make room for the planned shopping I am going to do. A simply capsule wardrobe, comfortable shoes, and a few favorite pieces make travel easier. Less luggage means more freedom.

8. Build Small Rituals Wherever You Go

   Travel feels richer when you create small routines. Morning coffee at the same cafe. They start to remember how you like your coffee. A daily walk down the same street so you notiice the details on the doors. An evening glass of wine watching the sunset. These little rituals make every destination feel like home.

9. Don't Try To See Eerything

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to see to much. I remember meeting a woman on a plane who toiok a tour of Italy. i ask her what her favorite city was. She smiled and said Florence. I asked her what her favorite part of Florence was. She smiled and said well the gondolas of course. I did not bother to correct her but that can happen when you try to see everything on one trip. Instead of racing through destinations, choose a few places and explore them slowly. You will remember much more.

10. Enjoy the Planning

    This is the most important rule of all. Planning travel should never feel stressful. The planning is part of the adventure.

A final thought

Travel does not have to be complicated. You don't need a perfect plan. You just need a rhythum that works for your life. Because the best journeys are often the ones you didn't plan too carefully.

"Don't let the planning become more complicated than the journey."