After a trip is finished, we feel a little sad. But, after a good night’s sleep in our own bed and a cuddle with our pup, we are happy to be home- at least for a little while.
Here’s what we do the day after a trip:
Unpack
We unpack immediately, wash all of our clothes, and do a quick check of our travel essentials. I like to replace any toiletries and worn-out clothing/shoes as soon as I get home, so I don’t have a big to-do list before the next trip. For example, I realized that my portable charging block needed to be updated, and my travel purse needed a good wash. If I don’t do these things immediately, I might forget!
Write a Review
Did you rely on TripAdvisor or Viator reviews to make booking decisions?
I complete reviews of great hotels, restaurants, and tours because I value the reviewer community. I also want the great places to stay in operation. I try to write my reviews as soon as I can. Sometimes I write them while waiting for my return flight. Since I appreciate up-to-date reviews when I do trip research, I try to return the favour by submitting my reviews promptly.
Say Thank-You
Being a pet and a homeowner requires extra help when we are away. We would not be able to travel in the same way without the support of friends and family. We show our appreciation to those caring people in our lives. We don’t buy souvenirs as thank-you gifts; rather, we try to gift an experience. Last time, we bought a Guess Where Trip gift certificate and a gift card for a local business, which were well-received.
Reflection
Take the time to think about your experience. Was it a once-in-a-lifetime memory or the first of many return trips?
My reflections are around these questions:
- What would we do differently next time?
- What did we learn about the place/people?
- What did we learn about ourselves?
We have learned that we prefer to travel more slowly than we did 10 years ago. This means we see fewer places but stay in each place for at least 2 or 3 nights. Our next trip will have us stay for a week in a few places. This helps with travel fatigue by reducing the number of packing and unpacking events. Sometimes accommodation prices are discounted when you stay multiple days. For example, a 5-night Marriott hotel stay only costs 4 nights’ worth of points with our credit card.
We no longer have to see all the Instagram-worthy photo shoots. Instead, we try to find less crowded activities or enjoy what the locals are doing instead.
We Book Our Next Trip!
We love coming home, but always look forward to our next adventure! We usually book our next trip as soon as we return to maximize its anticipation. We find that booking 6 months out for flights and car rentals and at least 3 months out for accommodations, gives us a good choice and price. We try our best not to travel to a place during its high season. We have grown to love shoulder seasons. We have travelled in November and May for the last few years, and it works for us!
We Share About Our Trip
We love to share our adventures with friends and family, but only to those who wish to hear about them!! I like to share a blog post about what we learn and any insights we have about a place. Having a blog post about a tip or destination is handy when friends or family want to know how to plan their adventures. It’s also a great way to share our photos.
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What are the first things you do when you return from a trip?
Here are some things we consider when we plan a trip https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/08/14/how-we-plan-a-trip-our-research-and-steps/
