After about a month of travel, we began to move from the Adjustment Phase into the Discovery Phase. We were settling into life on the road and starting to feel like seasoned travellers.
The logistics of long travel days, finding our way in new cities, learning different currencies, navigating language barriers, and eating local cuisine seemed less daunting. With increasing resilience and adaptability, we could manage the ups and downs, and were ready to immerse ourselves in the travel experience.
Feelings of homesickness were gone, replaced by a new desire to discover, embrace the adventure, and absorb the learning that goes along with it.
Read on for tips on making the most of the Discovery Phase.
Immerse Yourself in the Culture
This may seem like an obvious tip since most of us choose the places we visit because of an interest in learning about the people, history, and culture of an area. But immersing yourself in the culture goes beyond visiting the top tourist attractions (although you will also want to do that) and offers a deeper experience.
Stay with Locals
Plan to stay at locally owned homestays and hostels, rather than large hotels. This will allow you to meet and spend time with people in the area. We were amazed at how widely English was spoken around the world, which allowed us to get to know so many people and gain appreciation for the history and culture of the places we visited.
Bring a Ball
If you want your kids to spend time with local children, pack a ball on your travels. Everyone speaks the same language when engaging in sports. Our boys met and played with countless kids by offering a ball for a soccer match at a local park or beach.
Learn the Language
Try to learn at least a few key phrases to help you navigate and connect with locals. People are generally appreciative of the effort. If you’re keen, you can look for a language class offered to tourists in the area you’re visiting.
Eat the Local Food
Whether you cook at home or eat every meal out, try to eat locally as much as possible. Venture to local markets and push yourself to try exotic foods that you have never had. For an even more authentic experience, take a cooking class. We enjoyed one that took us to a local farm where we cooked using the ingredients we picked. Learning to cook traditional cuisine is fun for adults and kids. Plus, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labour!
Attend Festivals and Cultural Events
Depending on your timing, you may be lucky enough to be in town during a festival or cultural event. Take the opportunity to observe and participate in local traditions.
Get Lost in History
Try to visit lesser-known museums and historical sites. Not only will you have a more unique experience, but you won’t have to share it with crowds. Our boys loved the less frequented National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo and Poseidon’s Temple in Cape Sounio (approx. an hour outside of Athens).
Participate in a Workshop
Maybe you want to learn how to make chocolate or create a Vietnamese lantern. Whatever your interest, traditional workshops taught by locals can be found in many cities around the world. Research what’s available and give it a try.
Walk Around and Take Public Transport
Immersing yourself in the city by walking around and taking the bus rather than private cars and taxis offers a glimpse into daily life and provides the opportunity to meet locals and learn from them.
Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone
If you look back on your life, likely some of your most memorable moments are when you pushed yourself out of your comfort zone and tried something new. The sense of personal growth when you conquer your fears is hugely satisfying. Traveling is an amazing way to grow, as there are new experiences around every corner.
For us (or at least two of the four of us), paragliding off Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, was our biggest conquest to date. While walking along the boardwalk, our youngest was mesmerized by the colourful sails used by paragliders as they soared down from Table Mountain. In that instant, he decided he wanted to try it. Jackson and I have a massive fear of flying and are not excited about heights either. But I didn’t want to pass up the chance to create an incredible memory as a family, and Jackson could not stand being shown up by his little brother, so off we went, feeling terrified inside. When the time came, Jackson and I leapt off the mountain, sailed over the coastline, and glided down to the beach, feeling lighter and freer than we ever had before. Remember, being brave isn’t not feeling fear, it’s feeling fear and doing it anyway.
Dive into Experiences
Whether it’s as simple as sampling new foods or visiting a famous landmark, try as many new things as possible. The more experience you have, the more you’ll grow. A few of our favourites so far include windsurfing in Greece, bush camping in Egypt, and sailing in Croatia.
Build Your Travel Community
It’s surprising how small the world feels after travelling for a while. You may find yourself meeting people and then running into them again in another city as they make their way around a country. Take the opportunity to share experiences, trade travel tips, and learn from one another. Often our best experiences came from the recommendations of other travellers. And for the boys, meeting other travelling families was a real treat, offering them a connection and the chance to swap adventures.
Months in Review
Our biggest Challenge
A quick flight from Paris, France, to Zagreb, Croatia, left us without luggage for a month. As it happened, the day we flew, the baggage handlers went on strike and our flight left without any bags. After countless phone calls with only automated messages and a trip to the airport without information, we bought a few items to tie us over.
After a week, the airlines still had not located our bags. There were over 50,000 lost baggage claims to sift through. We were beginning to worry that we might never see our bags again. Clothes are easy to find, but replacing the boys’ school supplies, toys, games, and household items we brought was overwhelming. Not to mention the loss of sentimental items like souvenirs, my writing journal, and the boys’ special items from home. Luckily, we were finally reunited with our bags about an hour before boarding our flight from Croatia to Greece!
The smiles on the boys’ faces said it all.
Tip: From then on, we always packed basic toiletries, a change of clothes, a bathing suit, and sentimental items in our carry-ons.
Our Best Experience
Our 51-day self-driving camping safari through South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana was beyond our expectations. Our love for animals and the desire to see them in the wild was a driving force behind much of the planning for our World Trip. Having done a safari before kids, this camping trip was our first opportunity to share our love of wildlife safari with the boys. The weeks were full of incredible animal sightings, breathtaking sunsets and starry nights, bumpy roads, and late-night campfires. The trip came with some challenges, pushing us out of our comfort zones many times, but the experiences and memories brought us closer.
Ready to Get Started?
Check out these related posts to help plan your World Trip:
• Building a World Trip Itinerary
• How Much Does a World Trip Cost?
• This or That? Saving to Make it Happen
