Redefine how you take holidays - travel with purpose:

David Allan
Dec 18, 2023
4 min read

Updated: Aug 7, 2024

"You may even return home and not be able to live comfortably in the world you left"

Have you ever heard someone say "now it's back to reality" after a holiday? This unfortunate expression implies a negative view about one's life back at work and minimises a potentially transformative holiday experience. A more healthy expression could be "for now, it's time for work", or to uplift a co-worker you could ask "what is your next adventure?"

There is a time to work and a time to play. A holiday is not a discretional experience. There is work time & downtime. Both are part of one's day to day reality which help us thrive not just survive. Notwithstanding work is a very important part of your life, it does not define you, nor does any other individual pursuit. Of course, for some, they may be returning to tough life circumstances that are difficult to change and for many one's working life will inevitably have times where it feels mundane. If so, all the more reason to be intentional about your holidays.

Being intentional about how you use your holidays, with a focus on your experience, will bring the greatest benefits. This may include escaping the mass tourism industry.

If you have ever had a melancholy feeling, upon your return to work, the following strategies could transform your perspective on holidays:

Travel with purpose by including the essential elements of a holiday in your trip;
Focus on your next adventure after you return;

Essential elements of a holiday:

1. Downtime:

Relaxation is something people often look forward to the most after a hectic or stressful working life. Having adequate down time in your life is essential, restorative and brings significant health benefits;

2. Disconnection from work:

There is a time to work and a time to play. Some jobs have an expectation of employees being contactable during leave. If being disturbed during leave is more than a rare occurrence, this can be disruptive and unhealthy for many who are just not wired to function in both zones at the same time. Of course, this is more difficult for those with their own business. Setting clear boundaries will protect your vacation experience;

3. Making your own decisions:

Feeling a sense of control is refreshing for many particularly when this is not the case in their working life. The feeling of free wheeling, being spontaneous and doing whatever you want, whenever you want can be very liberating. This is especially important for independent travellers who long for a touring adventure yet prefer to be independent to enjoy the freedom of being their own masters rather than being part of an organised commercial tour.

4. Exploration:

Travel for travel's sake is in decline particularly with Gen Z and Millennials. Creating space for exploring something new makes an adventure and is an essential ingredient of life no matter how small the adventure. After all, it’s in everyone’s DNA to explore, that’s the way we are wired. This goes beyond what some call 'adventure travel' and includes searching for something new. Adventuring on any scale, can bring like minded people together, put one outside their comfort zone, increase self confidence, increase resilience, encourage empathy, give a great sense of achievement, broaden one's horizons and lead to changed thinking;

5. Connection to a place:

For me, a trip is memorable when I am enriched by a deeper sense of connection to a place which triggers an emotional or spiritual response. This is sometimes referred to as 'immersive travel' or 'experiential travel' and goes beyond a superficial visit. This comes from feelings of awe & wonder when I feel part of something bigger. Such as, seeing dramatic landscapes, feeling part of the landscape, connecting with local culture, being caught up in the history and sensing the passion of the human spirit. It's not so much learning about an event but rather a time, an attitude, a way of life.

At its best, you could return home with a changed character, changed thinking and may not be able to live comfortably back in the world you left. The more your trip is cross cultural and removed from your own culture the more likely this is to happen. Australia is blessed with a huge diversity of lifestyle and culture within its own borders.

Focus on the next adventure:

The difference between a tourist and an adventurer is a tourist will focus on the last trip and an adventurer will focus on the next trip.

An adventurer is more likely to be seeking the elements of a holiday listed above. An adventurer can be in a constant state of adventure because their next adventure begins as soon as they decide to go. In this way, an adventurer can be in the zone for most of the year rather than just a month or so of the year. For some, this is how they recharge from their working life. In fact, the anticipation from the planning stage can be one of the most exciting parts of the whole adventure.

We were only on our group expedition to Cape York, Operation Pajinka, for two weeks yet the planning phase covered 12 months. Of course, that included periods of inactivity as well as periods of intense activity.

A memorable experience will cause me to daydream about the next trip even more than the last trip.

Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures.