New Year’s Travel Resolutions From International Travelers

It’s hard to believe we’re already over two weeks into the new year. It seems like just yesterday we were all celebrating the start of the year and now, here we are, two and a half weeks into it. It seems this year is going to be another fast one.

As is customary with every New Year, we all make resolutions. Eat better, exercise more, be more kind, do better in school, etc. Those are staples for my New Year’s Resolutions, as I’m sure they are for many people.

 

This year, though, I wanted to have more goals than just the typical ones. I want to things a bit different this year. For my resolutions I decided to add some for travel. Being able to travel is a wonderful opportunity and I think there are things I could do with it that I’ve neglected in the past.

Cambodia

RESOLUTION: Take the time to slow down and appreciate the places I get to see

I love to travel and have the wonderful opportunity to do it often and I think sometimes I take it for granted. Normally our trips are fast-paced and very much a whirlwind. I think we miss out on a lot traveling like that. So, this year I have resolved to slow down a bit more when I travel and really take the time to appreciate the experiences I’m having. I’d like to be able to learn more about the people and how they live along with understanding their culture better. 

 

After thinking about and deciding what I wanted to do differently as I travel this year, I started wondering if there were other travelers out there who were making travel-related goals for themselves. I asked around a bit and was quite interested in the responses I got. 

Stu & Eloise from Am I Nearly There Yet? 

Am I Nearly There Yet

RESOLUTION: Explore more of Europe

2016 is all about European travel for us! We’ve spent the past 4 years in Asia and in Australia – so we’re taking full advantage of being back in the UK for a while! We definitely missed being so near to other countries – it’s crazy that we can fly to Holland in the same time it takes to fly to the next big city in Australia! We’re thinking of multiple, short trips – working as we go, focusing on developing our businesses and focusing on our digital nomad lifestyle. First destination: Iceland! Bring it on!

 

Patty from The Savvy Globetrotter   

RESOLUTION: Focus on destinations where my dog can go with me

My travel resolution for 2016 involves taking more trips with one of my favorite travel companions – my canine companion. Although my dog and I have been on several road and plane trips in the ten years we’ve been together, many destinations I enjoy traveling to are, unfortunately, off-limits. Whether the flight is simply too long for him or the destination is just not pet-friendly enough, my furry friend is not always able to accompany me. This is especially unfortunate as he is an enthusiastic and well-behaved traveler who loves a good adventure. While packing for my trips, I often find him sitting in my suitcase with a big, eager smile on his face. I’m not sure if it is a stowaway attempt or he’s just trying to charm his way along but it has worked. I plan to focus many of my travels for 2016 on dog-friendly destinations my adventurer can enjoy with me.

Inma from A World to Travel      

A World to Travel

RESOLUTION: Push myself further

Go on an epic snowboarding trip as I used to do during my twenties, and a scuba diving one. Basically, reach higher mountains and deeper oceans!

Claudia from My Adventures Across the World          

RESOLUTION: Visit Gili again

2015 has marked the year of my first trip to South East Asia. I have been to Indonesia, and I have wandered around Java, Bali and the Komodo Islands. One of the biggest regrets I have is not having taken the chance to spend some time in Gili Island. To be honest, before going to Indonesia I had not even heard about them. Then, as I met more and more travelers who were headed there, I became curious about them and started reading and looking at pictures. They seem like my kind of place: no cars, few commodities, lots of nature and time to relax, think and enjoy nature at its best. If there is one resolution I have for 2016, that would be traveling to Indonesia again just to go to Gili.

 

Margherita from The Crowded Planet        

The Crowded Planet

RESOLUTION: Incorporate more walking into our trips

My resolution for 2016 is walking more. I’ve always been a fan of hiking – I spent many years hiking every weekend and in 2013 I walked the Camino de Santiago, from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic Ocean.

When my husband and I started blogging, we started falling out of shape and exercising less, so our resolution for next year is trying to stay as active as possible and planning a long-distance walking trip that will take us across Finland and part of Sweden for a total of 450 km – we are aiming to conclude our trip in Stockholm in time for TBEX 2016.

We decided to plan a long walking trip with lots of wild camping because we love being close to nature, and when you’re on a long-distance hike the world kind of ‘slows down’ – just what we need after a hectic time blogging and travelling.

 

Charles from McCool Travel             

RESOLUTION: Travel more while spending less and get back in shape

My travel resolutions include visiting more places in 2016 while spending less money. That will require some stealthy and resourceful techniques, like home exchanges. Another major resolution is to lose some weight, which I honestly find easier to do when I travel.

 

Stefan & Sebastian from Nomadic Boys               

Nomadic Boys

RESOLUTION: Spend more time exploring the places we visit

Our travel resolution for 2016 is to travel a lot slower than we have been doing. We spent the past 17 months travelling in Asia, which was awesome. But trying to maintain and grow a blog at the same time is a lot of work alongside all the travel planning, exploring, photography etc etc. At most we’d base ourselves in a place for 1 month before moving on and that was never enough.
So, for our next trip to Latin America in 2016, we plan to do it over a greater period of time and basing ourselves in places for much longer. One particular way of doing this, which we’ve heard a lot about is house sitting.

 

Lauren from #ljojlo                    

RESOLUTION: Go to Antartcita

Travel Resolutions for 2016….well there is tonnes that come to mind but only one that stands out, ANTARCTICA. Antarctica is the continent I so desperately desperately (yes two desperatelys) want to get to however I can. Therefore, the travel resolution for 2016 is to save enough money to be able to get myself on a boat from Ushuaia at the bottom of Argentina over to the exquisite white continent.

 

Hannah from That Adventurer              

That Adventurer

RESOLUTION: Explore more of the UK countryside

In 2016 I want to spend more time exploring the UK’s beautiful countryside! There’s National Parks, lakes, hills and endless open fields that are waiting to be explored and it’s so easy to forget about your own back yard. My main adventure in 2016 will be tackling the Coast to Coast route by bike! This route takes you from Whitehaven on the West Coast to Sunderland on the North East Coast of England and is doable in a weekend (although I might give myself an extra day!). But, before tackling it, I’m going to have to get on that rickety old bike of mine!

Me, again!     

Myanmar

RESOLUTION: Bring awareness to poverty around the world

I think this is my big goal this year. Most of my travels have been centered in Southeast Asia and living there really opened my eyes to a way of life I hadn’t truly understood. I knew life there would be quite different, but it’s not until I was actually there and saw firsthand how poverty-stricken some villages are that it really hit me how blessed we are in the United States (and all Western countries). There’s so much suffering and need around the world. One of my other resolutions for 2016 is to help bring awareness to the countries that still don’t have access the clean water and basic medical care and to find some way I can help.

 

Now that you’ve read all of our resolutions for this year, I’m curious to hear what other resolutions people are making. What changes are you planning to make in your life this year?

 

22 Comments

  • Nicci

    What wonderful resolutions. It’s so important to have goals when traveling and to reevaluate what your travel style is periodically.

  • Adriana

    This is AMAZING!!! What a great post, this was so fun to read! I definitely want to travel more this year too so this is so helpful in deciding where I should head to first!

  • Caryl Eyers

    We’re going to try to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Travelling and living in South East Asia we see the huge amount of plastic everywhere so we’re saying a big fat “no” to plastic straws and bags and will try to take our lunchbox out with us to stop street vendors using up polystyrene trays with food.

    • Erin

      Oh, I know!! We lived in Malaysia for 13 months and traveled extensively throughout the region and were appalled at the amount of plastic that’s all over the place. We went to several floating villages and the trash just accumulates around the flotillas and the kids just swim right through it. It was insane. I think your resolution is a noble one and I wish you luck.

  • Danielle

    Such a great post! I got bit by the travel bug at the NY Times travel show two weeks ago and I’m hoping to incorporate more travel in our lives too. Have a great year!

  • XmasDolly

    Well, due to a back operation we haven’t been anywhere in some time, but this year is the year to get back on the road again this May. We’re still trying to decide where to go, but it’s fun making plans.

  • Janna

    Great resolutions! My resolution this year is somewhat similar to yours. I just need to put my camera down and enjoy the beauty with my own eyes and not too much behind the lens.

  • Ricci

    These area ll great travel resolutions!! I need to make a few myself, I know that I am getting a passport this year so hopefully international travel is in my future!!

  • rosemary palmer

    Travel is something we are doing more. 3 road trips for us (in TN) – Texas, St Augustine, and Niagara Falls (and Toronoto) this year. Want to add more travel to my blog, and even do a travel blog.

  • michele d

    I don’t make resolutions but I do have some small goals to reach for this year. Nothing too big.

  • hippie_mom (@hippie_mom)

    This is really inspiring! We move every one to three years sometimes I like to just live like a tourist where we are. However we are finally settling down buying a house and I told my husband that we have to make time to travel to see the rest of the world!

  • Angelic Sinova

    These are some great resolutions! I LOVE the idea of taking the time to slow down and appreciate the places you travel too! Sometimes we get so caught up in the traveling that we don’t stop and really appreciate all the beautiful places we visit <3

  • Alli

    I loved reading all the travel resolutions from international travelers. When our kids were young, we took them on international trips and they got a firsthand look at the poverty in some of the places we visited. It really helped them develop compassion and the desire to help others.

  • Jenn @ EngineerMommy

    What a fun collection of travel resolutions! I’d love to travel more in 2016 and save more money while doing it! We’re actually hoping to bring the kids to Disney this year!

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