Travel resolutions for a post-pandemic world
Slowing down and making it personal align with new values
When we begin to travel again will be a very personal decision, and where we venture will be dictated as much by what countries might be open, as what might have been on our bucket list. So with that in mind, perhaps it's best to not just make a list of destinations that await, but to reconcile a list of travel resolutions, based on values that have become important.
TRAVEL WITH A SPIRIT OF ENCHANTED WONDER
We will want to travel with eyes wide open, take a breath, savour slow travel, and go deeper. In the future perhaps it will be about less jampacked itineraries, and more deliberate space created for accidental opportunities. We'll want to embrace every single physical human interaction, and never take serendipitous moments for granted again. And planning time between trips to reset and spend time with people we love has taken on new importance.
NEVER TAKE TRAVEL FOR GRANTED AGAIN
We had assumed there would always be an open border and a flight waiting. The coronavirus has taught us otherwise. Post-pandemic will be a second chance. Let's not make excuses or put things off, but rather figure out how to make travel possible, and embrace the unknown. Let's stay up late, get up early, and experience it all. If that wasn't already your attitude, resolve to change.
BE AWARE OF OUR IMPACT ON THE WORLD
The “Great before” for many was about chasing miles, nonchalantly criss-crossing oceans and continents, gobbling up photos and sharing places on social media. Going forward we will need to adjust our mindset, being cognizant of the costs it takes to travel the world, and the impact on our environment.
If nothing else, the pandemic has taught us a greater sense of how we're all connected. We'll need to think more about responsible travel, perhaps maximizing future trips by finding ways to spend more time in a given region, and support the local economy. Small business is at the heart of many communities. COVID taught us this at home, but wouldn't it be great to take that lesson abroad? Let's resolve to discover things not in the guide books, meet locals, and uncover new stories while there.
BE MORE PRESENT
One of the things that has increasingly been of concern with the way travel has evolved, was the urgency to capture and post photos and video for those not there. This has been driven largely by social media, and, of course, travel influencers. What if we challenged ourselves to plan some days without a camera, to be more present, in the moment, and to save the sharing of stories for our return?
TRAVEL WITH GRATITUDE
The pandemic helped many of us realize how thankful we are for past travel with family, friends, a partner or solo during “The great before.” We created lifelong memories exploring and discovering both domestic and international locations, often experiencing along the way the value, education and independence of travel. Memories of those travel experiences have been our emotional reserve during the trying times of this last year.
Going forward, let's savour the memories with gratitude, but also accept that everyone will have had their own personal story during the pandemic. Let's hope we can, with grace, remember that in line ups, disembarking a flight, at security, customs and interacting with those on a local level.