I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list…

So this month was my 31st birthday (eeeks). For me, birthdays are a good opportunity to reflect back and plan forward and a great time for some (travel) resolutions for the upcoming year. As you might have guessed, I absolutely LOVE to travel– seeing new things, trying new foods, experiencing new cultures. I love it all! And as I get older the travel bug seems to get worse. I have the wanderlust and I have it BAD.

Wanderlust | (n.) a strong desire or urge to wander or travel and explore the world.

So we usually save our resolution-making for New Year’s but I think that birthdays are a great time to personally reflect on what you have accomplished the past year and especially a great opportunity to think forwards.
If you’re like me your birthday resolution list (whether written down or repeated in your mind) always includes something like “visit/see/climb XXX”. We all want to travel more or simply, experience more.

Since I love making lists and setting goals, I decided to challenge myself this year (or decade) with some birthday travel resolutions. This list is totally going the long way, I won’t accomplish it all this year but you gonna start somewhere, right?

1. Travel 40 countries by the time you’re 4o

Why? Because it seems like a good goal to start with. I’ve been traveling a lot for the past years but I tend to go to the familiar, close locations – AKA staying in my comfort zone. This year, I followed my heart and stepped outside my comfort zone in different traveling manners and locations and loved every minute of it. Although visiting well-known places is also a great experience I would definitely love to see and experience new and exciting things.

You can’t hit a target you cannot see | Zig Ziglar

Where have I been so far?

1. Israel 2.France 3.United Kingdom 4. Spain 5. Austria 6. Cyprus 7. Netherlands 8. The Czech Republic 9. Hungary 10. Serbia 11. Bulgaria 12. Thailand 13.Vatican 14. Andorra 15. USA 16. Canada 17. Turkey 18. Greece 19. Poland 20. Germany 21. Romania 22. Brazil 23. Australia 24.Italy
+ Locations I have visited but didn’t actually travel in: 25. Uzbekistan 26.Russia 27. Argentina 28. China

Where am I going next?

Since I have already visited 28 countries (yeah!), it means I need 12 more stamps in the next 9 years.

Seems pretty doable don’t you think?

Destinations on my list for the next years: The Philippines, Go back to New York City, Moscow, Mexico, Santorini, Portugal, Cinque Terre (Italy), Bali, Sri Lanka, Athens, Croatia, Scotland, Costa Rica, Cuba (and it’s just the beginning…).

2. Go somewhere just because of a flight deal/Go somewhere totally spontaneously

So I’m usually a huge planner. I first pick a destination I want to go to (way ahead of time), I research it. Hard. Only then I book my flight and accommodation not before I make lists of places to visit, restaurants to eat in, shops to check out, the history of the country, the architectural style – I know it all. I even sometimes “Google Street” it before I arrive – hahaha. Crazy I know…

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving | Lao Tzu

This year I want to go somewhere totally spontaneously. I want to decide I’m going on vacation tomorrow (ok maybe not tomorrow but the next week – let’s make it in baby steps), Then open my flights’ app and just book the destination by the cheapest flight or some other random parameter.

Have you ever done this before??

3. Go for a weekend with just a carryon

This is a bit of a silly one. Unfortunately, I have not yet mastered the art of packing lightly. I’m more of a “just-in-case-I-need-this” kind of girl. As part of my new lighter-spontaneous desired lifestyle, I’m trying to challenge myself and pack just what I need and fit it in a carryon, even if it’s just for a weekend.

As the pro-travelers always say: take out everything you think you’ll need on your next vacation. Lay it on your bed. Then cut it in half. Then cut it in another half. Now you’re ready. Sounds like a good advice for me to try on my next trip. Will let you know if this worked out…. lol

4. Take a staycation

Oh my! I always wanted to this! I love Tel Aviv. Honestly, I think it’s a city like no other and although I’ve lived here my entire life I still think I haven’t been or seen everything it has to offer. Living in a city and being a tourist visiting a city is a totally different thing.

We don’t always have the time to explore its top sites or its “touristy” places or its cool festivals because we are too busy with our daily life. Not only that, when we do have leisure time we often choose to go to our familiar, well-known spots and sometimes miss the unexpected things a city has to offer us.

5. Attend a music concert overseas

I love music and always thought a great music performance with a large scale audience could be a cool experience. I can just imagine thousands of people cheering and singing along – the energies of that seems crazy to me.

6. Take a healthy vacation

I love the city life. The busy hectic European vacations, going from one place to the other- seeing architectural landmarks, shopping, eating and drinking all kind of junk, walking around until my feet hurt is the best. But one travel resolution for the future is to try an unplugged, holistic vacation, if only just to try it.

Going somewhere chill for a yoga retreat always sounded like a great way to reset my mind. Waking up to see the sunrise, practicing yoga a couple times a day – preferably outside, eating fresh healthy foods, reading a book. Especially in a great tropical scenery could be amazing! Hope I won’t get bored on the 3rd day and start Google-ing for the nearest mall lol.

7. Experience something new per month.

Unfortunately, we don’t always get to travel as much as we want or wherever we want to go. It has to do a lot with time and money (great tips on how to travel more in the next post) but it doesn’t mean we can’t have new experiences just right where we are. My resolution this year is trying new things – whether it’s a new city, country, learning how to surf or just trying a new restaurant or pub each month.

“To Travel is to Live” | Hans Christian Andersen

What are your ‘travel resolutions’ for the next year? Do you have any destination recommendations for me? Or any other traveling tips? Please share with me in the comments below.