If you’re as passionate about traveling as we are, there’s nothing like a Wednesday to make you wish you were anywhere else but your desk. Whether you're just starting the week on a Monday or can just taste the weekend coming on a Thursday, this post will help you escape without using any PTO days.
Feel like Traveling During the Workweek Hump by:
- Taking a walk.
Before you roll your eyes and sarcastically thank me for this revelation, really think about the last time you took a walk. It’s so easy to forget about how nice a simple stroll can be when we let the workweek overload us. We not only stress out about work, but what we’re going to make for dinner, squeezing in a workout, cleaning up the house, etc. Who has time to pull a Ralph Waldo Emerson and wander off the beaten path?
Trail behind UCSB toward the Butterfly Reserve
When I worked by the beach in Santa Barbara, I daydreamed about my next vacation and where I should go. I often forgot about all the things the very city I was living in could offer! You don’t have to spend money or take a week off to still experience the feeling of traveling. Even if you’re not as lucky as I was to be living in a top tourist destination, there’s bound to be some little road in a park or a nice neighborhood close to you.
Maybe there’s a secret pathway to the beach you don’t even know about! This is just a 10 minute walk away in Goleta, CA near UCSB.
Even if you don’t live or work by the beach, exploring the nearby area might bring some pleasant surprises. Think about the farthest places you have traveled and note that you may have had to encounter some urban area or the like that is not quite covered in fauna. You still absorb the place for what it is and find something interesting. When you're on your walk, whether it's on your lunch break or early in the morning, imagine you are a visitor and try to notice something new about the area.
Heading toward the lagoon on campus
Perhaps you don’t think you’re going to find anything serene near where you are. Psychology studies have shown that walking sparks creativity. So if you don’t find the beautiful secret spot you have been looking for, you just might think of where your next escape will be.
- Try a new restaurant
When you are feeling bored with the daily routine, try planning on having dinner somewhere new. Planning it for the weekend will give you something to look forward to, but it could be even better during the week. It will be less crowded so you can really get the attention of the server and ask them what they would recommend off the menu. Go ahead and let them know this is your first time. Really try to venture out of your comfort zone and go for a genre of food from a country you are not familiar with. With resources like Yelp and Rave Review, you don’t have to be afraid of trying something you may not like. Take it in stride if they don’t speak English or if the service is not that great. Take it as a traveling experience. Also personally, I find that with ethnic foods, the less attentive the service, the better the food! If you check out a place on Yelp, sometimes they offer discounts for a check-in at a restaurant on a weekday.
Find your adventure anywhere! Source: Huntington Beach
- Visit an ethnic grocery store
As a Southern California native, I was extremely spoiled in terms of diversity. Of course, being Vietnamese-American, I was able to wander through all of the Vietnamese markets when my father took me along to shop for the week's dinners. I felt comfortable there like it was just another Albertson's to anyone else, instead of feeling self-conscious about sticking out like a sore thumb. Even among foods I was familiar with, I was also always finding something new and exotic. I often felt too shy to try other ethnic markets at first, but soon realized I was missing out on so many new ingredients and dishes to try. Soon I explored the Korean markets, Japanese, and Middle Eastern markets--each as different as the next. It never failed to surprise me how much the markets can differ from each other: from the beautifully marbled meats at the Korean butchers, to the gallon sized tubs of dates at Fresh Choice. There are still so many more to try! I recommend you try to find a market you have never been to, don't be shy, and browse the aisles like you would saunter the streets of Paris.
Image Source: How Far From Home
- Visit a travel blog
In case you have already scoured the many top-quality posts brought to you here from WeTravel, there are many other travel blogs out there posting stories and pictures so you can live vicariously through them! Try visiting How Far from Home, Mount World, or Nat’s Next Adventure to name a few of our favorites. Just don’t let your co-workers see your computer screen when they pass your desk!
When you have really run out of steam and want to plan your next trip, visit the current trips WeTravel is hosting.
