30 Changes To People’s Travel Style They Themselves Couldn’t Have Foreseen

When I travel with family I book a local photographer for a shoot. They know great spots and we get pictures of all of us without having to stress. It’s cheap, often not much more than a good restaurant meal, and when I’m too old to travel those pics will be priceless.

I used to have an extensive list of places I wanted to visit, and used to cram 1-2 countries into every vacation. But now - I am more likely to go to a single place and really enjoy what it has to offer.

I also used to be interested in super expensive countries (eg. Amsterdam, Singapore) but now that I’ve been to one, I have almost zero desire to go to another and spend incredible amounts of money on basic things like accommodations and meals. I’d rather go to places that are more affordable, because I find them more enjoyable when I am not worried about blowing through 150$ a day.. looking at you Amsterdam.

Tours. I’ve mainly traveled alone. When I was younger, it was easier to think I knew all about what I should see and what I was seeing. Now I appreciate being in a small group, whether just for a day or several, and having someone talk me through it a bit.

EDIT: I should have specified: we’ll-vetted, small-group tours. I don’t want to be on a bus stopping for obligatory photo-ops and listening to pre-recorded descriptions.

How much I just want to go somewhere warm and beachy and chill the f**k out. If I am somewhere new I will take a day or half-day and see what cool stuff there is to see, but I am there to rest and drink after work's busy season, and a good dose of vitamin D before enduring the rest of the gray months in the Pacific Northwest winter.

When I was younger I would have been appalled at some of the places I’m willing to stay and conditions I’m willing to tolerate. If you had told my younger self that 10-15 years later I’d be taking a packed bus across Azerbaijan to go stay in the mountains at a boarding house with hay-stuffed mattresses I wouldn’t have believed you.

But those rougher adventures have always been my favorite. I recently just experienced a super typhoon and was without power or water for a week. That’s been one of my top 10 travel experiences.

I wear a mask when on planes and trains and tight indoor settings.

Points and miles have been a game changer for us. We have been able to visit hotels and destinations that would have otherwise financially been out of reach. It has also enabled us to fly first/business class on most trips and it's so nice to actually enjoy long haul flights instead of dreading them.

In my 20s: spend a couple days in a country to get the vibe and check it off my list. In my 30s: stay in a cool city for 2-3 weeks and do some day trips or overnights. Cities change when you dig into them and not just pass through them.

I'm willing to pay more to be comfortable. Also, I'm completely over packing like a minimalist. I don't overpack, but there are more items I'm willing to include in my bag for both convenience and comfort.

Spending a little extra for a better seat on the plane.