With last night’s super moon, Earth’s annual journey around the sun has started on a light note. This January we get two full moons for the price of one. As the second moon of the month, January 31 is a blue moon. As moon glow lights up the skies, let’s reflect on lighthearted travel inspiration for 2018:

1: PACK LIGHTER THAN EVER.

This doesn’t mean alternating between two monochrome outfits crammed into a backpack. Just make sure you can easily carry your own bag. You’ll feel the benefit as you navigate subway staircases, hill towns, or that charming suite—on the top floor of the B&B without an elevator.

How to start? Question the psychology of your packing. Are you bringing what you need or trying to anticipate every eventuality? Take only what you know you’ll need. If new needs arise, deal with them there just as you would here.

Next, rethink your approach to “What to Wear” checklists. Need a woolen sweater for Ireland? A swimsuit for Hawaii? A fashionable scarf for Paris? Guess which places have an abundance of such items?

Pack for a purpose. As a teenager, I once tried to cram the contents of my closet into multiple suitcases. That’s when my dad, an airline pilot, asked me a life-altering question: “Are you traveling mainly to see or to be seen?”

2: LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD TO HELP OTHERS.

Before you return, donate what you no longer need: Clothing and outdoor gear whose practicality doesn’t extend to your home environment. Books, maps, and magazines. Unopened toiletries you never got around to using.

Another change worth making: Stop lugging home foreign coins. Instead, donate them at the airport or onboard your flight. Change for Good, a partnership between UNICEF and several airlines, has generated $150 million this way to improve children’s lives around the world.

3: LIGHTEN UP ABOUT TRAVEL GLITCHES.

We think of savvy travelers as good planners. But it’s more important to be good adapters. When you love something that involves changes of scene, modes of transportation, and new experiences, you’re saying yes to the unexpected.

At some point, a suitcase will go to Iceland instead of Ireland. You’ll choose the aisle seat and end up in the middle. You’ll order fish and get something that resembles sea-monster intestines.

So? Try something new or eat more salad. Be nice to the harried mom and lively toddler in the next seat. Buy a T-shirt and toothbrush at the airport. What you do matters less than how you do it. If you can be gracious not grouchy, humorous not hassled, patient not put upon, your journey will “magically” improve.

4: FOLLOW THE LIGHT.

Ever watch a movie and wonder how it captured that famous travel destination minus crowds? Sure, money played a supporting role. But film crews also rely on the day’s first “golden hour.” That’s the period shortly after sunrise when daylight is redder and softer than when the sun appears higher up in the sky.

Most visitors sleep through this. But take at least one early-morning walk. It’s revelatory. Hey, you can always nap later.

Can’t face the dawn? Ask a friendly guide the best times to visit certain sights. In Bruges, for instance, places that are mobbed throughout the day become islands of solitude at 6:30 pm—when tour buses leave town, bars fill, and restaurants open for dinner.

5: TAKE AN ENLIGHTENED PERSPECTIVE.

Take several—they’re free! Two essential travel tools are the ability to ask questions and a willingness to listen attentively to divergent answers.

Sound obvious? In practice, it’s not always easy. As outsiders in communities, we travelers often jump in with answers—even when we’re the one asking the questions.

Is it about a human need to prove competency? A wish to connect by offering information? Culturally different views about the purpose of conversation?

I don’t know. But every so often I experience places where people value asking questions and listening to multiple perspectives. When that happens, it reminds me to chill the chatter and be a better listener.

6: KEEP SPOTLIGHTING TRAVEL INSPIRATION.

Travel beyond “bright lights, big cities.” Shed light on cultural matters by reading local novels and histories. Challenge stereotypes that frame cultures as lightyears apart. Make people’s faces light up with simple acts of kindness—as if you lived there. Because for a time, you do.

$\"Light$

A moon-like circle of light illuminates a mosque in Istanbul.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

Travel Inspiration for 2018<\/strong><\/h2>\n
With last night\u2019s super moon, Earth\u2019s annual journey around the sun has started on a light note. This January we get two full moons for the price of one. As the second moon of the month, January 31 is a blue moon. As moon glow lights up the skies, let\u2019s reflect on lighthearted travel inspiration for 2018:<\/p>\n
$\"A$
When it’s sunset in Malta, will you really care which pair of shoes you packed?
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
1: PACK LIGHTER THAN EVER.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
This doesn\u2019t mean alternating between two monochrome outfits crammed into a backpack. Just make sure you can easily carry your own bag. You\u2019ll feel the benefit as you navigate subway staircases, hill towns, or that charming suite\u2014on the top floor of the B&B without an elevator.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
A Chicago staircase shows why it’s good to carry a small suitcase.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
How to start? Question the psychology of your packing.<\/strong> Are you bringing what you need or trying to anticipate every eventuality? Take only what you know<\/em> you\u2019ll need. If new needs arise, deal with them there just as you would here.<\/p>\n
Next, rethink your approach to \u201cWhat to Wear\u201d<\/strong> checklists<\/strong>. Need a woolen sweater for Ireland? A swimsuit for Hawaii? A fashionable scarf for Paris? Guess which places have an abundance of such items?<\/p>\n
$\"Colorful$
Fabrics in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Variety’s nice, but don’t try to pack your closet.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Pack for a purpose.<\/strong> As a teenager, I once tried to cram the contents of my closet into multiple suitcases.\u00a0 That\u2019s when my dad, an airline pilot, asked me a life-altering question: \u201cAre you traveling mainly to see or to be seen?\u201d<\/p>\n
2: LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD TO HELP OTHERS.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Before you return, donate what you no longer need<\/strong>: Clothing and outdoor gear whose practicality doesn\u2019t extend to your home environment. Books, maps, and magazines. Unopened toiletries you never got around to using.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
At a thrift store in London, donated goods generate funds for a local nonprofit.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Another change worth making: Stop lugging home foreign coins<\/strong>. Instead, donate them at the airport or onboard your flight. Change for Good<\/a>, a partnership between UNICEF and several airlines, has generated $150 million this way to improve children\u2019s lives around the world.<\/p>\n
3: LIGHTEN UP ABOUT TRAVEL GLITCHES.<\/strong><\/h4>\nWe think of savvy travelers as good planners. But it\u2019s more important to be good adapters.<\/strong> When you love something that involves changes of scene, modes of transportation, and new experiences, you\u2019re saying yes to the unexpected<\/a>.<\/p>\n
At some point, a suitcase will go to Iceland instead of Ireland. You\u2019ll choose the aisle seat and end up in the middle. You\u2019ll order fish and get something that resembles sea-monster intestines.<\/p>\n
$\"eattle-Tacoma$
At airports like this one in Seattle, the beauty–and the blahs<\/em>–of travel go hand-in-hand.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
So?\u00a0 Try something new<\/strong> or eat more salad. Be nice<\/strong> to the harried mom and lively toddler in the next seat. Buy a T-shirt and toothbrush at the airport. What you do matters less than how<\/em> you do it. If you can be gracious not grouchy, humorous not hassled, patient not put upon, your journey will \u201cmagically\u201d improve.<\/p>\n
4: FOLLOW THE LIGHT.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Ever watch a movie and wonder how it captured that famous travel destination minus crowds? Sure, money played a supporting role. But film crews also rely on the day\u2019s first \u201cgolden hour.\u201d That\u2019s the period shortly after sunrise when daylight is redder and softer than when the sun appears higher up in the sky.<\/p>\n
Most visitors sleep through this. But take at least one early-morning walk<\/strong>. It\u2019s revelatory. Hey, you can always nap later.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
At sunrise, the picturesque streets of Bruges, Belgium, are crowd-free.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Can\u2019t face the dawn? Ask a friendly guide the best times to visit certain sights. In Bruges, for instance, places that are mobbed throughout the day become islands of solitude at 6:30 pm\u2014when tour buses leave town, bars fill, and restaurants open for dinner.<\/p>\n
$\"Shadows$
In Bergen, Norway, traveling light includes appreciating life’s shadows.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
5: TAKE AN ENLIGHTENED PERSPECTIVE. <\/strong><\/h4>\n
Take several\u2014they\u2019re free! Two essential travel tools are the ability to ask questions<\/strong> and a willingness to listen attentively to divergent answers. <\/strong><\/p>\n
Sound obvious? In practice, it\u2019s not always easy. As outsiders in communities, we travelers often jump in with answers\u2014even when we\u2019re the one asking the questions.<\/p>\n
Is it about a human need to prove competency? A wish to connect by offering information? Culturally different views about the purpose of conversation?<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know. But every so often I experience places where people value asking questions and listening to multiple perspectives. When that happens, it reminds me to chill the chatter and be a better listener.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Does this Budapest mural highlight an ideal or an irony? It depends on your perspective.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
6: KEEP SPOTLIGHTING TRAVEL INSPIRATION.<\/strong><\/h4>\nTravel beyond \u201cbright lights, big cities.\u201d Shed light on cultural matters by reading<\/a> local novels and histories. Challenge stereotypes that frame cultures as lightyears apart. Make people\u2019s faces light up with simple acts of kindness\u2014as if you lived there. Because for a time, you do.<\/p>\n
Oh, I see<\/strong>: You may just end up seeing the world in a whole new light.<\/p>\n
Comment<\/a>\u00a0on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":30032,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190,108,202,227],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-travel","category-ideas-creative","category-lessons-life","category-worldwide-mappoints"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30023"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40936,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30023\/revisions\/40936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}