The peacefulness of driving on your own.

Rural scenery in the community of Margaree on the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia.

The curiosity of wondering what’s around the next corner.

No distracting cars allow you to take in all of the landscape.

The sense of freedom.

Speed limit sign on a golf course in Missouri

You can relax and drive as slowly as you like.

The excitement of not knowing what’s ahead of you.

You can drive above the speed limit.

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Eye © Darren Fletcher

After a somewhat frustrating experience with my contact lenses a few weeks ago, I considered whether I should consider eye surgery. The prospect of enjoying perfect eye sight almost beats the procedure of having to change lenses every day, or wearing glasses. But the odds were worse than I first thought. Apparently up to one in six who goes through laser surgery suffers complications that affect their eye sight. And even though I know of people who successfully have undergone Lasik surgery, I rather keep using lenses and glasses than risking permanent damage to my vision.

Since I started using contact lenses in middle school and eye glasses on and off in high school, I have plenty of experience in both. I thought about the benefits of using contact lenses vs. glasses when travelling. What I choose depends mostly on what I will do. If I will take part in any activities involving water (swimming, waterskiing, wakeboarding, surfing) or snow (skiing, snowboarding), I wear my lenses. The same goes for activities such as yoga and dancing. During city trips with a lot of sightseeing, culture, shopping and nightlife, I wear either lenses or glasses. If I opt for lenses for a theatre or musical performance, or to the cinema, I make sure to bring eye drops in case my eyes get dry or tired.

The weather also plays a role. During rain or snow, I prefer lenses. Sunny days, either — unless I plan on going to the beach, where I  wear sunglasses. I haven’t tried those eye glasses that darken in the sun yet, but I bet they’re worth buying.

If you have impaired eye sight, what’s your first choice when travelling — contact lenses or glasses? Or 50/50?

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I recently thought about how people show love in different countries around the world. What are common displays of affection? What is acceptable? What is frowned upon? The dos and don’ts?

Whether you travel with your loved one or meet a new special someone abroad, do respect the local customs and cultural codes. Every country has their own customs and traditions.

For example, in China, Japan and Thailand, avoid kissing in public. In New Guinea, show your love by putting your mouth against somebody’s cheek or press your mouth against someone’s ear. In Kenya, South Korea and Jamaica, group dates are a popular form of dating.

When in France, kiss three times on the cheek when you meet. One on the right, one on the left, and then another on the right. If you take away your head after only two kisses, someone may get offended.

And, needless to say, no sex in public in the United Arab Emirates — and many other countries.

–

If you know of any other specific customs of a foreign country, feel free to share in the comment section.

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Riding in chair lifts.

Snowboarding.

Skiing — preferably off-piste and without a rucksack.

Les Deux Alpes, France

Beautiful alp views when skiing.

The day rises in Servoz, a village in the Chamonix valley © Claudia Meyer

Misty mornings in villages surrounded by mountains.

The top of the Wendelstein mountain in Bavaria, Germany

Mountains in Austria and Germany remind me of Sound of Music.

Matterhorn, Zermatt, Switzerland

You feel humbled by their magnificence.

Engelberg, Switzerland

When you’re high enough, you can look down on the clouds.

Paragliders

The prospect of paragliding.

Snow covered mountains © Claudia Meyer

The combination of mist and snow-covered trees and mountains.

The thrill of skiing past ”Danger’ signs.

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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel asleep in window.

“So you’ve stayed up all night and not slept anything today?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

I remember how my sister looked at me that day, as if insomnia was something… cool. At the time, I hadn’t had normal sleeping habits for over a year. I looked forward to the day when I could go to bed at night and wake up before noon at least five times a week. And sleep with the light off. If only once. My fear of getting more nightmares caused me to put off sleep — often until the wee hours in the morning, sometimes I went to bed around 8-9.a.m, other times later. The days somewhat disappeared. A month could feel like a week. I stayed up at night and slept during much of the day.

After an especially terrible nightmare I had a two-week phase in which I forced myself to stay awake until I possibly couldn’t postpone sleep any longer. I didn’t want to sleep and stayed up for days in row. I stayed awake until I was too tired to talk, too tired to eat, and too tired to think — when I had reached that blurry state between awakeness and sleeping. Only then, I could sleep.

Eventually (thank God!) my sleeping patterns improved. I went to bed earlier. I woke up earlier. And I realised how much damage lack of sleep can do to our bodies, overall mood and daily life. I learnt the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Feeling Safe In Darkness

In late April 2009, I went to bed before 11 p.m. for the first time in longer than I can remember. In October the same year I could finally sleep with the light off. A night last week, when my flatmates had gone to bed, I watched an episode of a vampire series alone in the living room in complete darkness (without feeling the least scared). And when I went to bed afterwards, I felt at peace.

Nowadays, I feel safe in the dark. I no longer fear getting nightmares (and they appear more seldom). I no longer need to look under the bed. I no longer need to sleep with my teddy bear by my side. (Yes, I did use to do that even though my seventh birthday passed almost twenty years ago.) I no longer hide under the covers. The darkness no longer scares me. And that’s a good thing, because I need my dream time. I need my ‘beauty sleep’. Waking up refreshed and full of energy starts the day off in the right way. When you sleep badly, you almost feel as if you walk through fog the next day… you don’t function at your best, neither mentally or physically.

In An Experiment in Sleep Deprivation, Justin Wright shares some interesting facts from Wikipedia:

According to a 2000 study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers in Australia and New Zealand reported that sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as being drunk.^[20] People who drove after being awake for 17–19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol level of .05 percent, which is the legal limit for drunk driving in most western European countries (Canada, the U.S. and U.K. set their blood alcohol limits at .08 percent).

Something to think about on your next road trip… Of course, life, work and travels can interfere with sleep. And although there’s nothing wrong with the occasional all-nighter or missing a few hours sleep from time to time, you’ll obviously feel much better when you have slept sufficiently.

Enough Sleep Leads To Better Travel Experiences

In 3 travel secrets…, Cheryl Marie Cordeiro writes about the benefits of a good night’s sleep when travelling:

I think I get so much more out of the visit if I wake up fully rested and raring to go, rather than completely jet lagged with my system out of sync, dampening the senses and what information they can give when experiencing something new.

Looking back, I have enjoyed some of my best daytime travel experiences after having gotten plenty of sleep. And, looking past my period of insomnia, I have slept better during trips abroad (excluding certain hostel stays) than anywhere else. Above all in the big wooden house my parents rented with another family in the Austrian ski resort Dienten (mostly thanks to the soft duvet covers), in the bunk bed at the summer camp in Michigan, in the bed with flowery covers in my room in Montbonnot-Saint-Martin, in the place I rented in Zurich, in our rental apartment on Lanzarote, in my cosy bedsit in Notting Hill, and in basically every hotel I had the pleasure of staying in. To me, in a way, hotels can feel like home. And when at home, I sleep very well.

Sleeping Outside

I also have a weakness for sleeping outside. One summer night at the age of four, I got the impulsive idea of sleeping on my grandmother’s balcony. I can still remember the crisp and fresh air, hearing the birds chirp, and the peacefulness of sleeping near nature. Another summer a few years later, some friends and I decided to sleep by the sand dunes near the beach. I loved hearing the sound of the lapping waves before falling asleep.

At 17 or 18, during a particularly warm night after a party near my parents’ summer cottage, I slept in my sleeping bag outside in the garden rather than in my bed inside. And a winter night a couple of years ago, I slept outside on the porch — under a full moon and a sea of stars that lit up the sky. But when I woke up shaking (despite having put on extra clothes, a hat and gloves) at 5 a.m. in the morning, I went inside.

As for future sleeping experiences, I would love to sleep outside in the desert, on the deck of a cruise ship or sailing boat, in a national park surrounded by wildlife, on a beach somewhere warm and in a hammock on a tropical island.

How about you? Where did/do you sleep best? And where would you like to sleep?

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Kami, Iran

Waranee, Thailand

Osman, Kurdistan (Turkey)

Murani, Iran

I wonder how many different nationalities are represented in Johanneberg, my current neighbourhood in Gothenburg.

How many nationalities are represented in your neighbourhood?

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You know you have stayed in luxury hotels too long when you….

1. Forget that you need to make your own bed in the morning.

2. Notice how hard the floor is to walk on without a wall-to-wall carpet.

3. Wonder why your meal has so few courses.

4. All of a sudden realize that no one calls you Miss/Madame or Mr anymore.

5. Wonder why your apartment isn’t cleaned when you come home from work.

6. Keep looking for your bathrobe and slippers without realizing you have never owned any.

7. Wait for someone to knock on your door in the evening and ask if you need turndown service.

8. Wonder why your bed is so small and where all the pillows have gone.

9. On several occasions have found yourself about to go to the club room.

10. Try to remember the number to room service before realizing you’re at home and not in a luxury hotel anymore.

–

If you know of any travel related versions of “You know you have __ too long when __ “, feel free to share a link.

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“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.” — Emily Dickinson

“Free your soul?”

The woman selling handmade jewellery by the road side in Greenwich Village read the text on my tank top.

“Free your soul? How do you do that?”

I wish I can remember what I answered and the dialogue that followed.

Later, a cashier asked the same thing, as did other people I met in Manhattan throughout the day.

Have you ever worn a clothing item with a thought provoking or inspiring message that caused someone to strike up a conversation with you?

What we wear can truly act as great conversation openers.

Pictured above, tank top bought in ButtaFly Unlimited on 325 Lafayette St, New York.

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When I saw the exclusive promo video for Peugeot’s new logo and brand platform yesterday, I realized the four key words can relate to travel as well as any car. Lifestyle. Communicating. Entertaining. Passion.

Travel equals different things depending on who you ask. Escape. Relaxation. Happiness. Comfort. Sightseeing. Backpacking. Work. Pleasure. Volunteering. Luxury. Partying. Business. Learning. Adventure. Discovering. Fun. Inspiring. Bliss. Or even… Life.

What single word best describes travel to you?

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You get to bundle up in warm clothes, mittens, coats, hats and gloves. But skip the real fur please.

When you wake up after an unexpected, heavy snowfall.

Fruits! © Jan Magne Sæther

Clementine season. What better smell than a freshly peeled clementine?

Winter is often a peaceful time of the year.

The comfort of a cup of hot tea after you have been out in the cold.

Shining branches.

Comfort foods such as warm, newly baked bread and steaming hot soup.

Winter © Claudia Meyer, sxc, Paris

The sound of walking on hard snow.

Snowy plants © Roi Pihlaja

Snowy plants.

Snowflakes & cold textures © Roi Pihlaja

Frost and crisp air.

Sometimes, a winter landscape can seem like a magical fairytale.

The full moon looks far more beautiful in the winter.

Besides, there’s always the prospect of spring and summer.

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Wouldn’t life be more fun and interesting if everyone broke into spontaneous song once in a while? Just imagine, people breaking into one of their personal favourites in the subway, on buses and trains, at the airport, in cafés and restaurants, at work, while waiting in line, or even in grocery stores.

The video above features one of many Improv Everywhere missions. Read the full background to the mission at Grocery Store Musical on Katie Sokoler’s brilliant blog.  Not everyday people get to hear a musical while shopping for groceries!

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I can admit having blogged about places I’d only seen in my imagination when I started out in 2007. I wrote about destinations I wanted to visit, places that inspired me. But when you haven’t seen a city with your own eyes, experienced it, walked through it, absorbed the atmosphere, and met the people who live there, you haven’t gotten a real sense for it. Hence, there’s a risk your text will lack that genuineness you can only obtain from having first-hand experience of a place.

To ‘come clean’, I want to let you know that I wrote about 5 reasons to buy your second home in Panama, Boston’s leading day spa, French beach destinations, travel tips from Marseille, the best of Bordeaux, the best beaches in Mexico, two hotel gems in Bangkok , Mexico’s best design hotels, Nicoya in Costa Rica and Berlin without having travelled to any of these places. Not to mention the press releases I did for various PR firms and agencies. However, since the beginning of 2009, my policy has been to only write about destinations I’ve experienced in person.

How about you? Have you ever blogged about a destination you’ve never visited? If so, why? If not, would you consider it?

Pictured above, row of sun palapas in Mexico.

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Thought on being at home garnered a few responses on Twitter.

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Yesterday I came across someone’s thoughts on living the Hawaiian way and wanted to share them with you.

“Living the Hawaiian Way”

Never judge a day by the weather.
The best things in life aren’t things.
Tell the truth — there’s less to remember.
Talk softly and wear a loud shirt.
You can get rich by making more or desiring less.
The beauty of nature is rejuvenating.
Beauty is internal – looks mean nothing.
When confronted with humidity, forget neat hair-dos and makeup.
Without rain, there are no rainbows.

Clearly worth repeating.

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Do you ever get bored when traveling, or when you’re at home? Except for during some classes in school, I can barely remember the last time I felt bored. If I’m not mistaken, it was in 2008 or earlier this year when I updated my Facebook status. (Hence, I haven’t updated my status since then.)

Someone recently told me, “People who easily get bored have high standards.” Partly true, but I believe that they also don’t make the most of the situation. Not getting bored is not a question of settling for anything. That’s not the case at all. I simply put the responsibility on myself to make sure I never feel bored — at least not for more than a few seconds. If I don’t enjoy something, I either do something/go somewhere else, or (if I am obliged to stay for whatever reason), I’ll make it fun.

Even if you’re stuck on a 7-hour train ride, a 25-hour bus ride, or a long flight, why give into boredom when you can have fun? It’s a mindset. Why don’t we just ditch the words “boring” and “bored” from our vocabulary and make the best of everything, no matter what?

To give you an example, not too long ago I saw a video on YouTube of a flight attendant who clearly didn’t want to work his shift. Yet, he chose to take matter in his own hands to cheer himself up and started rapping the airline safety precautions. The video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Tribune, but you can see a shorter version below.

Lesson learned: if you do something/are somewhere that makes you feel bored, change the activity/location or change your mindset.

Note: Video first seen at foXnoMad.

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