Get Outside Your “Travel Box”

TTT 57
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Meggan: Hey everyone, and welcome back to Travel Tip Tuesday. I am joined, as always by my favorite podcaster. Jenn,

how has your day treated you?

Jenn: It's good. It's getting dark out though, and it is 4:58 to that. I don't like that.

Meggan: I don't like it at all, but every day it's actually getting a couple of seconds more lighter, I suppose.

Jenn: No, not yet, pal.

Meggan: Is that December 21st?

Jenn: Yes, pal.

Meggan: that oh, I've just depressed myself. Okay, well we'll just skip over that then, 'cause that's sad.

Well, something I wanna talk about that's happier is this week I wanted just to take a bit of time and talk about travel plans for 2024.

So we've already chatted a few episodes back about places to visit for winter in 2024 and why you should also start your Trip planning for 2024, like ASAP. If you're not doing it now, you're already behind. I hate to tell, but I did wanna expand on this a bit further with a bit of like different type of encouragement. So now I know this might sound rich coming from me as our big 2024 trip is to go to Iceland, a return trip for a second visit. But I do have personal reasons for wanting to head there for a second time, I swear. So it isn't the norm for our big trips to go back to the same place. Now, having said that, I am here to encourage our listeners, um, that as you do start to plan for travel adventures for next year to consider somewhere new. So a lot of people fall into the trap of having a loved destination somewhere. They can go back to you and capture that same feeling that they always have. And don't get me wrong, Bar Harbor does that for us, but that's sort of usually a weekend trip and that's also kind of an anomaly as well. I'm sort of talking about those bigger trips you plan for in the run of the year.

So a few questions I think you should ask yourself before you consider new destinations are. Is there somewhere on your bucket list that could be an option because it's always, you know, time to start crossing those places off your list. There is no time like the present. So is there somewhere on your list you could go to in 2024? Are you open to a brand new travel destination that you hadn't considered before? And are you comfortable planning to go somewhere that's being recommended by other people? So maybe you hadn't thought of it. Someone says, you know, this is a really hot destination for 2024. Is your adventure meter that high like, are you willing to say, you know what, that's a great idea. I think I'll go there. So of course what we're suggesting is for you to do some research again, should have been the name of the podcast, So you can see what might be some new and upcoming, destinations that are sort of like hot ticket places, but they're not over traveled yet, which I think is a big Key here, , and try something new. So shake off the resort travel maybe, or even cruise travel, although I do realize on cruises you'd likely go to new spots, but just cruises in general and expand your horizons a bit. So I did do a bit of research in advance to help consider some new locales. So. A few options actually could be a great winter location. Uh, with the best skiing in Japan to consider is Niseko Japan. We did not include that in winter 2024, but it's an option if you are looking. For some amazing beaches and sunny weather. A great recommended spot is Goa India. I don't have a lot of places in India I would be personally open to going to at this point just because of the crowds.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: I have had my eye on Goa for a few years now, including that, and the Himalayas in India would be really amazing, but, Goa sounds incredible, and I've seen videos and it looks amazing. to see some of unspoiled Portugal off the beaten path, let's say outside of Lisbon, maybe try Comporta, , Portugal. Even the countries of Georgia and Kazakhstan, which a lot of people do not consider, are on some really great lists for 2024 because there's so much undiscovered beauty, although of course some people have discovered it. But it's not sort of on those lists of where people always go.

So I think, you know, those countries are still safe. , we know what the state of the world is around us and if it has taught us anything, it's that sort of every second counts. We need to go places while we still can. Sometimes I feel like,

Jenn: Mm-Hmm.

Meggan: So there is just a taste there of some, what's being recommended by travel agents. So take a peek around the internet and read up, get inspired, and sort of try something new for 2024. So Jenn, I know there's a few places you travel regularly just like myself. So how do you decide though where to go other than your usual spots to see more of the world? Like how do those come up for you?

Jenn: Yeah, so honestly a lot of ins travel inspiration that I get is from Instagram, like following different travel accounts on Instagram, as well as just like where my friends have traveled, ,

know? Right. You see their pictures on on Facebook and you're like, oh, well that looks really cool, and just like talking to other people who love to travel, I feel like I always walk away with a, a new place that I wanna go. And of course we are doing our annual Disney trip in February, 2024, and I haven't looked too much into what we're gonna do for the rest of 20 20 24. Despite your advice, we'll probably do another like longer trip. Towards like probably fall 2024. So it's like, it seems so far away that I . I just haven't thought about it yet, but I do do need to to do some of that. But yeah, I'm still, I guess I'm still looking for inspiration. So maybe, maybe the people can tell us where they're going and I might steal their ideas.

Meggan: Wherever you need to get it from, get it from. I say, and I think that that's a really great idea, is sort of, or a good mindset is like seeing where other people are going that you just know. Obviously trusted sources. Um, and, and then ins Instagram inspiration is, is all around us. So I think those are some really great suggestions as well. So, that's it for this week's travel tip Tuesday. We hope we've given you even the tiniest bit of inspiration to think outside your travel box. Uh, do some research and maybe try somewhere new in the coming year. If you like what we're doing here, why not buy us a coffee to support the show and receive bloopers other tidbits?

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