When travelling I sometimes wish I didn’t need to sleep to function as a human, instead use the 24 hours in every day to maximise the opportunity to explore. If only there was a pill to swallow to give you sleep!
Although there are definitely days where I could easily sleep 15 hours straight, as I’m drained and exhausted from constant exploring.
The amount of sleep you get when travelling, is about finding a happy medium that suits you; for both your mind and body.
This is where accommodation comes into the picture, it’s necessary to function, and one major component when travelling.
Accommodation could range from camping with basic essentials in the wilderness, sharing a communal room with new found friends in a hostel tourist hotspot, staying at a five star resort besides the beach, getting to know locals by staying at a guest house in a country town, or finding an apartment with the creature comforts of back home.
When I talk about accommodation, I’m referring to where you sleep for the night.
The style of accommodation is very much dependent on the style of holiday, such as backpacking around Europe, tropical paradise in the Bahamas, mountaineering over the Andes. Nor can you expect to sleep at the Four Seasons Hotel George V near the Champs-Elysées if you have a $50/night budget.
For me, unless I’m sleeping, feeling ill, suffering a hangover, talking to family back home, researching a destination, or simply in isolation during a hurricane at the Bahamas! I try to get out of my room at all times.
Unless of course it’s your honeymoon, then you could be staying in your room as much as possible!
It goes back to Travel With No Regrets, in what will I gain being inside my room? Not much except possibly learn about a local popular tv series, whilst gaining a few kilos lying on the bed not achieving much!
Understandably after a day exploring a new destination and being on your feet all day, you’re wanting to relax at night back in your room. Yet there’s nothing to say though you cannot relax in the hotel lobby, chat to other travellers in the hostel common room, walk to a nearby pub, cafe or restaurant for a drink, even sit at a local park watching locals go about their business.
I find being anywhere is better than inside your room, as I feel what’s the point of traveling to just sit inside a room? I could easily do that back home. Plus gee I’d be saving a hell of a lot of money by staying home than travelling! Boring!
Instead opt to walk around town, take in the atmosphere of a local basketball game, walk along the beach listening to the ocean crash against the shore, have a coffee at a local cafe. It doesn’t have to be extravagant like attend a Broadway theatre show in Manhattan, just something to maximise your time in each location. Getting outside of your room in the evenings gives you more opportunity to meet locals, learn more about communities and cultures, possibly witnessing events that weren’t on offer during the day, plus if travelling solo giving you more opportunities to meet other travellers.
So next time you think of staying in your accommodation room after a day out exploring, possibly think again. Even if it’s just for an hour or two, walk around the streets, you may find a pop up bar that looks inviting.
Who knows what it will lead to, you could meet your next best friend!
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