The joy of planning your next vacation
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/05/2021 (767 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
I could never have imagined there being a time where restrictions would be imposed on world-wide travel.
Like many other people, our travel plans for this year had to be cancelled, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not being able to take a winter vacation was very disappointing as escaping the snow is something that I look forward to doing every year.
I do enjoy researching different travel destinations in my spare time but knowing that travel would not possible any time soon, I lost interest in doing so. In talking with family and friends, it became clear that others felt the same way I did.
However, as the months passed, I once again started daydreaming about going on vacation, although I did not know when that would be. With the vaccine roll out underway all around the world, I became hopeful that a winter getaway might again be possible in 2022.
Once I began researching vacation hot spots again, I found myself feeling energized and was enjoying the process.
It was shortly thereafter that I stumbled upon an article on the psychology of travel that I not only found very interesting, but which also helped provide a rationale for how I was feeling. The article explained how to gain the benefit of travel even when you cannot actually head out on a road trip or board a plane.
Although it may seem contrary to what one might think, I was pleased to read that now is a great time to start planning your next vacation. The reason for this is that it is not just the trip itself that makes one happy. Studies show that the anticipation as well as the planning of a vacation, can increase happiness and create a sense of purpose.
Years ago, planning a vacation began with driving to a travel agency to pick up some brochures on places of interest and then going home to read through the information.
The internet has not only made trip planning easier, but it also has made it more fun, making it possible to tune into live nature webcams all around the world. Explore.org brings the experience to life and a smile to your face.
Not only can you see images of a beautiful Hawaiian beach – you can actually hear the waves. Although I was looking at a computer screen in my bedroom, it actually felt like I was sitting on a balcony overlooking the ocean, enjoying the view. Simply amazing!
Cindy Murdoch is a community correspondent for Transcona. She can be contacted at reflections8@shaw.ca
Cindy Murdoch
Transcona community correspondent
Cindy Murdoch is a community correspondent for Transcona. She can be contacted at reflections8@shaw.ca