Ways To Celebrate The 2020 New Year With Travel
The 2020 New Year is just around the corner–and the end of one year and the start of another often gives rise to reflection, both about the past and the future. However, the coming year (2020) is a special one because the same two numbers (20 and 20) are repeated, something that only happens once every century. Planning an inspiring travel experience can be a way to ensure that the year is a memorable one personally, too.
Here are some ways to celebrate the 2020 New Year with travel:
Take the trip of a lifetime
Is there a place on your bucket list that you have always wanted to visit? Decide to finally take the plunge. Perhaps, it’s a trip that takes you a bit farther than usual or a trip that is a bit longer than you’ve ever taken before. It could be a cruise to another continent, an expedition cruise or a cruise around the world. Perhaps, you’ve always wanted to take a DNA or heritage trip to visit a family member in another country or to visit a relative you never met. Whatever your vision is of a “‘trip of a lifetime,”’ why put it off? If you have the time and financial wherewithal, just do it.
Follow your passions
If there is a hobby or interest that intrigues you, design a trip that allows you to pursue those interests. (If you happen to be a solo traveler, it’s also a great way to spend time amongst kindred spirits who may become friends.) For example, if you are a tennis devotee, you could watch grand slams all over the world, or if it’s golf that you like, plan a trip to the U.S. Open Championship or book a golf vacation (with lessons) at a resort. If you are a fan of nature and the great outdoors, plan a trip to the national parks. Love classical music? What about visiting a music venue like Tanglewood in the Berkshires?
Own a piece of the world
Perhaps, you’re intrigued by the idea of having a stake in a vacation spot or finding a place that you can call your own, one that you’ll want to return to time and time again. Highland Titles Nature Reserve enables world citizens to purchase a plot of land, either for themselves or for a gift. A souvenir plot of land can offer a special spot to picnic by a river, to enjoy bird watching, to forge for fungi, or to simply relish and enjoy the tranquility of nature.
Another very ambitious option might be to purchase a villa in Italy or France, either one to restore or one that’s in move-in condition. A little less ambitious: You can purchase a timeshare at a beach destination where you can host your family for multigenerational trips each year.
Learn a new language
While there are apps and courses–and Google Translate always comes in handy–there’s no better way to learn a language than by immersing yourself fully in a place where the language is spoken. For example, smitten with Spain? If you’ve found yourself returning to various regions in Spain multiple times, maybe it’s time to learn the language and minimize the distance between you and the locals.
You’ll feel good about learning a new skill that keeps your brain active and will certainly find traveling easier when visiting Spanish-speaking countries. An added advantage: You may even find opportunities to use the language closer to home. Learning other languages is a really nice way to show respect for other cultures. It will also help travelers gain a better understanding of the people and customs of other countries they visit.
Return to a place you’ve visited before
Is there some place that you visited 10 or 20 years ago, or even longer ago than that? It can be fascinating to go back and see how the destination has changed, or to see how the same place seems different as you’ve aged and had other experiences. It can be a place filled with memories, perhaps, a place where you honeymooned or spent a semester abroad. Or there may be an amazing hotel that has just undergone a multimillion renovation, or a historic site that has just been restored. Perhaps, there were reasons why you couldn’t fully enjoy a site in the past (e.g., not enough time or money) and you have been yearning to return and visit it another way. The 2020 New Year may provide the excuse you need to refresh your travel memories.
Challenge yourself
It could be a milestone birthday or anniversary, or simply the 2020 New Year that encourages you to do something beyond your usual comfort zone. Okay, you may be the type of person who doesn’t want to take big risks: You have no inclination to bungee jump or skydive. That’s understandable. But there may still be challenges that will make you feel more alive and vital. It could be signing up for a tour in China that offers the chance to walk along The Great Wall, taking a cycling trip abroad, or training for and running a marathon in a foreign city. When a challenge involves being active, it can offer physical as well as emotional benefits.
Celebrate the 2020 New Year in a style of your own
There are many ways to celebrate the 2020 New Year and make it memorable through travel. The key is to find the right type of experience for you. Mark Twain may have said it best:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
All photo credits: Pixabay
*This is a collaborative post written by aspiring writer, Amelia Hudson.
