I LOVE to travel and I’m thankful that this summer I’ll be roaming Canada, from Nova Scotia’s east coast to Kelowna, British Columbia and a few places in between. We are on our first summer adventure in Nova Scotia, such a beautiful, quaint and historic part of Canada and I thought what a great time to share with you some of my travel tips for staying connected, calm and healthy while you explore places away from home.
For me, vacation is a special time to relax, connect with others and re-set my mind. I love to explore delicious eateries, hike for new scenery and check out the local attractions wherever we are travelling, but I also like to be able to bring a piece of my routine along with me. This helps me stay grounded, feeling my best and connected to my intuition. So here are some of my tips that will help your body, mind and soul keep fulfilled and balanced while you take in all the magnificent adventures of travelling.
1. Pack Light
Keep the packing to a minimum. Sometimes easier said than done, however keeping your suitcase minimalistic will help you save time, money (from extra airline fees), space (if travelling in a vehicle) and will save you the stress of worrying about if you have everything.
Chances are you will find that you don’t wear everything you pack anyways (that is totally me). I have learned to downsize and just pack the essentials. Remember that you can always wash your clothes if needed.
I choose to pack versatile pieces that can be dressed up or down. All I pack is a couple pairs of shorts, pants, t-shirts, sweaters, a skirt or dress, socks, underwear (enough for each day) and 2 bathing suits + some make-up / skin care essentials, brush, toothbrush/toothpaste, straightener, sandals and runners. Realizing that I usually wear the same piece of clothing multiple times in a trip has saved me so much hassle about worrying if I have enough clothes.
2. Hydration
It’s easy to forget to drink water when you are on vacation, but it’s super important to keep on top of. Whether you’re soaking the sun, having a few extra drinks or sitting in a car or plane for a long period of time you want to make sure that you are well hydrated and keep your bowels moving properly. No one likes to be constipated lol.
I always pack a thermal insulated re-useable water bottle with me so that I can fill it up whenever I need it. It saves us from having to by water and drinking out of plastic. I also love that the water will stay cold for a long time in something like a Swell bottle.
3. Movement
You’re in a new place so why not get walking and explore. My everyday life is somewhat sedentary so during vacation I make it a priority to get moving. Try walking around town, walk to a new restaurant, rent bikes, go for a hike or try a new yoga class. With slower mornings, I like to stretch and get in a nice walk while exploring new towns, cities or trails.
4. Food
I hope that when you are on vacation you enjoy the BEST food. I love being able to eat delicious meals, go to unique restaurants and have a couple drinks in new places. But I am also aware that my body is sensitive to certain things (gluten and dairy) so I try to choose options that will still make me feel my best. Lettuce wraps instead of bread, salad instead of pasta, broth soup instead of cream soup, guacamole instead of spinach dip. It’s also inevitable that there will be moments where I choose to eat something that I will react to (ice cream, cake, bread) because the experience will bring me happiness.
In this case, I pack digestive enzymes or digestive bitters with me to help digest the offending foods and keep my belly a little more happy.
I also choose to pack some of my own dry food for easy snacks, such as trail mix, chia seeds or flax seeds (to make a quick fibre rich pudding), protein bars, dark chocolate, beef jerky, fruit and veggies. Depending on the trip I will even bring a small magic bullet to whip up a quick smoothie for the mornings. A small sized blender, such as the Magic Bullet, doesn’t take up that much room and helps to ensure you can still get in lots of nutrient dense food and will save you money on eating out.
5. Mental Re-set
Vacation is a time to unwind, let loose, relax, get off your phone, let go of stress, live in the moment and become open to the greater world around you. This is probably my most favourite part of getting away.
My mind seems to expand, I become more creative and am often reminded of all I have to be grateful for. So my tip to you is to bring a journal, allow yourself time during your travels to reflect on your goals, aspirations, achievements, health, wellbeing, gratitude and write it all down. Because our day to day lives can be so distracting that when you have these moments of clarity and inspiration you best get them down on paper. It’s also a great time to start becoming aware of your breath and calming your mind through meditation.
Try this: While sitting in nature, allow yourself to see, hear, taste, touch and smell all that is around you and focus on taking a big breath in through your nose and exhaling deeply through your mouth. Repeat this 5 times. In your mind list 3 things you are grateful for. Place an intention that you would like to attract into your life and release this to the universe. Sit in this state of being for awhile which will allow you to become fully present. Planting your seed of intention with the universe will allow this energy to be set into motion and prosper as you come back to your every day life.
Recap: The “Must-Brings”
- Small suitcase
- Snacks
- Mini blender
- Supplements
- Reusable water bottle and bag
- Journal/notebook + pen
- Book, audiobook or podcast
- Peppermint essential oil roll on – great for relieving any tension, sore muscles, digestive upset or anxiety
Leave a Reply