Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
How have I not yet tackled the topic of travel? I looove to explore new places, and in today’s episode, I share my top HSP travel tips gathered from 35+ countries of experience. This tips are especially for independent, budget travelers.Related posts on this blog:
Resources mentioned in this episode: AirBnb for renting apartments (free $25 credit)
Podcast music attribution: By the Coast (2004) (Antony Raijekov) / CC BY-NC 2.5
Kelly, I always enjoy and learn from your podcasts! I’ve learned the best vacation scenario for my husband and myself (thankfully he agrees) is to rent a charming house for a week in a beautiful place where we can take day trips to see things alternating with days staying at “home” and relaxing, and being able to make most of our meals at the house, too. (We’ve rented an 1890s shingle cottage above the ocean on a Maine island, a sweet little A-Frame high above the pounding Pacific in Northern California and a contemporary home on the ocean on San Juan Island, Washington, where orcas swam by each day.) It’s important to me that the rental be charming and clean since we will be spending a lot of time there. I research and plan several possible days trips that we can take if we feel like it, or not. I sketch, he reads, we enjoy the beautiful view and take little adventures when we’re up to it.
That sounds absolutely lovely 🙂
I love to travel. I lived in Europe for awhile, but I already knew I could never stand a hostel environment or extreme temperatures. Tip #7 IMO is key: I also know I can’t travel with just anyone. Spring Breaks in college taught me that travel is an easy way to ruin friendships.
Traveling with anyone other than my husband sounds kind of awful. There are just too many factors. We traveled with good friends many years ago, nice people, but I still found it stifling to have to “agree” on every single activity instead of doing what I wanted to do. I never went on a group spring break!!
Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much for all you bring to light in our world.
I travel a lot, about every 6 weeks I am flying for work. A couple of years ago one of my clients put me up in a “spa type hotel” and I was hooked. I don’t know how many there are around but I know of a great one in Palm Beach, Florida. After a long flight across the states and working this has become the perfect refuge before I head back home.
And I found that earplugs work great but noise cancelling headphones are even better.
I have also gotten TSA precheck. That way I can get through the line quicker and don’t have to go through all the challenges of unpacking and packing back up again.
Oh my, a spa type hotel sounds amazing. I have found that as I have the opportunity to experience more luxury, it is hard to go back (like business/first class flights, hotel lounges, etc). I also just got my first pair (can you believe it) of noise-canceling headphones so I’m ready for my next flight!
I love reading about other introverted HSPs who love to travel. Despite the challenges, the up side of being an HSP is noticing the details, the small beauties, the hidden places that aren’t in the “top 10” lists. In my case, I can afford to spend rather freely, so I don’t hesitate to pay for things that help with my sensitivities. For example, I will pay more for a flight that will be less disruptive to my sleep, and for a place to stay with creature comforts (good bed, bathtub, enough space to allow for comfortable down time).
I particularly like the tip about renting an apartment. Staying in one place instead of rushing around from one hotel or hostel to another is definitely the way to go! And having the ability to cook a meal when you want to is also great. You can really get to know a place by taking your time, exploring a neighborhood, shopping for food in local stores. And it means you can have breakfast at home and avoid talking first thing in the morning — I HATE breakfast in restaurants!
I have a few friends and relatives with whom I happily travel, whose rhythms suit my own and with whom I have an easy understanding that we will take sufficient alone time. Renting a house or apartment with separate rooms for all helps a lot with this. I also love travelling on my own, and have often rented little places on my own. It’s so liberating to have only my own needs, desires, capacities and whims to consider. I never seem to get lonely or bored on my own. I also find it easier and more natural to get into conversations with local people when I am alone, especially if they speak a foreign language that I speak or that I am learning — nothing kills your language practice like walking into a restaurant or store speaking English with your companions who don’t speak the local language!
Last year I travelled in Europe by train for 3 weeks and enjoyed it, but there is a lot of unconfortable problems with that kind of travelling. I realized how important it is go have a backpack in the right size and fit. I was sooo unconfortable with my big backpack.
The problem is that I have serious issues about clothes, so it is so hard to know how to pack small. I Think it’s important to bring clothes you know you like (or at least can stand).
I like the tip about bringing stuff you need, like I always bring a bottle of water, something small go eat and maybe some extra clothes when going on daytrips for example.
Love your pod and how it makes me realize I am not alone. I often feel different when I think about how my friends dont get bothered about sweating or freezing, having the wrong clothes, being thirsty or stuff like that. When I am unconfortable I think I am going to loose my mind.
Hi Amanda, thanks so much for the comment and I’m so glad you like the podcast! It is definitely tricky to pack small but it’s something I’ve gotten better at. I hand wash clothes in the sink at hotels so I can wear things over and over instead of having to pack more clothes. On a recent trip, I had a dress that was so perfect that I wore it almost every day and just hand-washed it and it dried over night.
Hi, If you want to interview me on your podcast, I am an HSP who has lived on five continents and been to more than 50 countries:) I am a New Yorker, born in (the City) Manhattan but my Dad was a banker(now retired) and we travelled when I was ten to live in foreign countries and then I travelled on my own before and after college becoming an entrepreneur and expat. I am a polyglot,; I speak French, Spanish and English fluently and many other languages conversationally I can understand and read italian and Portuguese. I am now living off grid in Spain.
best,
Tatiana