The Active Traveler’s Guide to Ultimate Relaxation
Mastering the fine art of chilling by the pool. (Photo: Jessica Festa/Jessie on a Journey)
Being given the opportunity to travel as much as you’d like but not being able to relax is kind of like being given a delicious steak dinner but having your jaw wired shut. Sure, you can eat it if someone blends it into a smoothie for you, but it’s just not the same. OK, so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but sometimes it really does feel that way.
Case in point: I remember going on a beach trip with a boyfriend in college. As soon as we got to the beach, I pulled out an array of activity items — a Frisbee, a football, and a deck of cards.
“So, what do you want to do?” I asked, probably a little too energetically.
“I’m just going to lay out,” he responded.
“You’re just going to … lay in the sand? The whole time we’re here?”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
I couldn’t comprehend it. We had slept all night! I didn’t need to “lay out.” I was rested. The sun was shining. I needed to move around. I tried lying still, tossing and turning like someone having nightmares, but then he asked me to go swimming (i.e., to get away from his towel so he could relax).
Relax.
It’s just not something I’m great at, although I guess that depends on your definition. While I’m an expert at settling into a place, being adaptable, and becoming at ease with my surroundings, the idea of doing “nothing” as well as not being stressed about work (i.e., what to put on the blog) is difficult for me.
Relaxing in Colombia. (Photo: Jessica Festa/Jessie on a Journey).
On a recent trip to Colombia, I was excited yet frightened to visit Tayrona National Natural Park. For some reason, when my friend first mentioned going camping in the park, I just assumed there would be a ton of hiking trails and lots of early days climbing and trekking. But about two days before the trip, she said something that made my hairs stand up.
“I can’t wait to do nothing for three days.”
“Why would we do nothing?” I replied. “We’ll be hiking, right? RIGHT? RIGHT??”
My voice got louder as I started to panic. “Well, we’ll be hiking into the site, but then we’ll be lying in hammocks on the beach for three days,” she answered. To almost anyone else, that chill atmosphere — soft white sand, palm trees, swaying hammocks, no Wi-Fi — might have sounded like complete serenity. A dream. But to me, it sounded like a nightmare.
Surprisingly, the visit to Tayrona ended up being the highlight of my Colombia trip, and the one that inspired me to want to learn to relax. Once I was there, I found plenty of ways to keep myself occupied — hiking to pueblo ruins and distant beaches, snorkeling, playing manhunt with other travelers, journaling. But there was also something about falling asleep and waking up to waves lazily slapping against the sugar-sand shoreline that glued my body to my hammock. The slowed heart rate, the genuine smile, the ability to simply enjoy where I was without needing to be entertained — it was all such an awakening experience for me. It just felt … right.
But relaxing is still something I need to work on, and I am. Here’s what I’ve discovered so far about the art of relaxation.
1. Get by with a little help from your friends
While I’m a huge advocate of solo travel, there are times when traveling with friends has its perks. For me, traveling with my close pals helps me relax in the way they would relax — especially if they’re not travel bloggers. While I like to think we travel bloggers are an awesome bunch, the truth is, we’re often up early editing photos and video, constantly taking notes, checking our phones to answer post comments and social media conversations, and turning the trip into work — because that’s what travel is for us. Part fun, part work. While that’s great, it also makes it hard to relax.
It’s much easier to relax when you’re with great friends. (Photo: Jessica Festa/Jessie on a Journey)
Nonblogger friends, however, truly savor every chance to enjoy their limited vacation time to the max. They’re all about forgetting about work and home stress and just relaxing to the fullest. Even if you’re someone like me who has trouble doing this, it’s hard not to have even a bit of that mentality rub off on you.
I remember traveling with my New York friends to Cartagena. After the day’s activities, I was getting ready to transcribe my notes, but they all agreed that we were skipping showers and immediately heading to happy hour. “But I was going to work on my notes from the day,” I said, immediately wishing I could take my words back as I saw their mixed looks of disgust and confusion. How often would I get to enjoy a trip abroad with my best friends? In this case, peer pressure was a good thing, as they forced me to put down the laptop, pick up the beer mug … and relax.
2. Disconnect
I’ve written before about how, at times, technology is ruining travel, as it sometimes distracts us from being totally present in the place where we are. I’ll admit this can be a problem for me, as well, especially as a blogger whose livelihood is based on the Internet. So for those times when you feel you won’t be able to resist being plugged into your devices, choose a place where you won’t have a choice.
A hotel without Wi-Fi, for instance, allows you to relax in a number of ways. First, not being tempted to check email and social media means less stress with work and problems going on at home. Remember: This isn’t irresponsible. Everyone needs some time off to recharge. Without distractions, you’ll also have time to really understand the destination and strengthen your relationship with yourself. Take time to do the things you love — hiking, biking, meditating, snorkeling — and then unwind with a glass of wine (if that’s what you like to do).
3. Go for a wellness vibe
I always envy uber-health-conscious people, the kind who always seem to be eating organic fruit, looking lean, and wearing yoga pants. I have plenty of friends like that, who meditate daily, do yoga regularly, eat natural foods, and work to live a life of balance. While we all know these things are good for us, it’s harder to truly listen, comprehend, and believe; however, doing so can be life-changing. While I’ll never stop loving Doritos or be into yoga — I’ve tried it numerous times, and it’s just not for me — I do enjoy meditation, spa treatments, nature hikes, and cycling. I love being active in beautiful places.
It’s hard not to feel chilled out in the mountains of Vilcabamba, Ecuador. (Photo: Jessica Festa/Jessie on a Journey)
One place that put me into a wellness mindset was Vilcabamba, Ecuador, a truly budget-friendly wellness retreat. I literally felt a calm wash over me as soon as I entered the city, surrounded by mountains and filled with natural spring water and colorful flowers. I stayed at the serene Izhcayluma Hostel and Hotel, which has a beautiful spa with views of the outdoors, a pool, and hammocks for lazing with a book and enjoying the scenery. While there was Wi-Fi and I did do some work once in awhile in the early mornings and evenings, the holistic vibe of the destination was contagious, and I soon found myself wanting to seek the same peace of mind that everyone else seemed to feel. I do not regret for a moment neglecting my Mac.
4. Start the day with a workout
Even if I’m not totally immersing myself in the holistic world, starting my day with a workout — whether at home or away — always puts me in a more relaxed state of mind for the rest of the day. That’s likely because doing so releases endorphins, which make you feel good. It’s like setting yourself up for a successful day.
5. Factor relaxation time into your schedule
I know, I know. It sounds counterintuitive, right? Well, it’s not. For me, scheduling relaxation time into my day actually helps me relax, because I know that at a certain time, I will force myself to try my hardest to decompress. If I still can’t relax, I try to focus on something relaxing. Sometimes I might even make up a music video in my head to a song I like (this is what I do to make my runs go by more quickly) or try to replay a time in my mind that was enjoyable, like an afternoon bike ride with friends or a funny comedy show. Whatever you choose to think about, just make sure it’s pleasant and doesn’t induce stress.
Straight kickin’ it. (Photo: Jessica Festa/Jessie on a Journey)
6. Go to places where relaxation is part of the culture
For me — and I’m assuming for many of you — experiencing local culture is an important part of any travel experience. If relaxation is part of the culture, as it is in French Polynesia (beyond Tahiti) and Tobago, it may happen naturally for you. Or you may have to work harder to seek it out and have a more authentic experience. If I’m still having difficulty relaxing, I’ll often try to hang with locals. I use Couchsurfing forums to meet them — and then do as they do. If they’re in a relaxed mindset, it tends to help me calm down, as well.
7. Turn to ASMR
Some of you may have seen my ASMR Travel series. If you haven’t, ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is all about certain sounds, movements, and actions that cause a tingly sensation in your head and other places (I also feel it in my arms). Some common triggers for the tingles include whispering, personal attention, crinkling, tapping, scratching, splashing, and hair or face brushing.
I’ve had issues with anxiety and sleeping my entire life, and watching ASMR videos is the only thing that helps me. Often, both at home and on the road, I actually go to bed with headphones on while listening to my favorite ASMRists, and my stress literally melts away, putting me into a deep state of relaxation.
ASMR cover photo courtesy of Jessica Festa
Some recommended ASMR channels:
Jessie on a Journey Travel ASMR (my travel-themed ASMR channel)
I hope you are able to relax a little bit more after reading this because, trust me, it’s worth it. And if you have any relaxation advice of your own, let me know in the comments below.
Let Yahoo Travel inspire you every day. Hang out with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Check out our original adventure travel series, “A Broad Abroad.”
