All my days aren’t spent travelling. In fact, I think I spend more time at home than anywhere else in the world. Often, I get these long dry spells where I don’t really go anywhere (far from home) and I usually try to fill my days with activities that are just as interesting as travelling. So here’s a list of some ways I manage this travel downtime.
Finding new hobbies
In between sharpening my photography and French-speaking skills by taking short online/offline courses and multiple tutorials on YouTube, I am also learning to swim and do Yoga. In order to balance out these activities, I allocate different slots of time to them. For example, I listen to my French audio tutorials on my commute to work and I do yoga/go swimming on some weekends. I’m also looking to take sewing and cooking classes in the coming months.
Finding other activities you love and focusing on them gives you some level of satisfaction and also improves the quality of your life.
Exploring more places around me
This is definitely something I encourage everyone to do. Sometimes, because of certain constraints (which could be time or money related or just the hassles that come with applying for visas as a Nigerian citizen, it gets pretty difficult to explore places far away. And what do you do when life hands you pepper? You make pepper-soup!
And when life hands you pepper, make pepper-soup! Share on X
Exploring new places around me and revisiting old ones has definitely been a highlight of this travel year. And it also brought with it some opportunities. For example, earlier this year, I teamed up with Unravelling Nigeria, Folaswaka and Naija Nomads on a project for Travelstart Nigeria. We visited Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city and while we were there, we took a detour to Kaduna, where we visited the very beautiful Kajuru castle.
Vising the Abuja National Mosque certainly gave me Abu Dhabi vibes and Kajuru Castle made me feel like I was in Germany! haha!
Reading new books
Ah yes, new books! When this year began, I decided I was going to read 100 new books. And I actually started but I’m only about 25 books in, so it’s safe to say that that’s a failed goal! Lol. But you know what’s worse than reading 25 out of 100 books? Yes, reading 0 books.
I think I might get to 30 before the year runs out and the kindle I received from Mark is certainly encouraging me towards achieving that new goal. (Maybe I should stop calling it ‘a goal’ before I jinx it again!). Anyway, the first book I got was Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. I loved reading it and I loved it even more because I have been to Cape Coast and I could literally paint out the words in my head.
That's the thing about books, they let you travel without moving your feet! Share on X
I’m reading ‘The Alchemist’ again and keeping my fingers crossed for a trip to Egypt soon! 🙂
Spending more time with friends and family
And finally, more time at home means more time with my friends and family, which I am ever so grateful for.
So that’s it! Ways I manage my travel downtime. What about you? What are some of the thing you do when you’re not travelling?
![[Me after seeing glimpses of a certain streamer's visit to my beautiful country KENYA 🇰🇪] Nina furaha kukutana na wewe 💅🏾
I've tried to avoid watching any related videos of other countries 👀 but that's not how social media works! 😭
Anyway, it's Nyambura to you from now on. Thanks to @motherofpassports for bestowing this name upon me 🇰🇪💙](https://travelwithapen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/620327265_1629543314731655_3379033586039046390_n.jpg)
Like how many countries have u visited?
🙂 Not that many…
I loved Homegoing. One of my best reads this year. I got to visit Elmina castle a few months after reading it and it made the book come alive.
I don’t travel as much(like you do ☺) , and I’m much of a homebody but I enjoy reading (books and blogs)a lot….I get to travel in my mind while reading.
Thanks for sharing Tamie, the visit to the castles in Cape Coast really did make the book come alive.
PS: I’m much of a homebody too 🙂
Ah, when I’m not traveling, I’m being inspired by travel words (books or blogs) and travel photos. I couldn’t agree more with books being a way to travel without physically going anywhere. I read a book that made me want to visit Paris more than any photos I’ve seen. You couldn’t take my mind out of Paris while I was reading, safe to say it was a good book haha. I also spend a lot of travel downtime planning future trips!
Yes! I also spend downtime trip planning, haha. Did you get to visit Paris? Was it everything you expected after reading the book?
“Not every time Abu Dhabi, sometimes Abu ja”
Love it! And love the list! (and can’t wait to see pictures and posts on your next trips – downtime is necessary)
Thank you, LK! I’m currently living and seeing Guinea and Dakar through your eyes and also excited for where you take us to next!
Love all the things you do when you have downtime and I do all of the above at different point.
I also sleep and take things easy, because sometimes girl’s tired!! I’m really getting into podcasts these days and I’m loving it
I’d slacked on reading but I’m getting back to it and I’m compiling my list for 2018!
Oh, that sleeping is necessary! Do you ever feel like you need a vacation after your vacation? Haha!
Going to try checking out podcasts too. Any recommendations?
yessss to needing a vacation after vacation lol.
On podcasts I listen to Myliek, Oprahs Super Soul Sundays, ted talks, td jakes potters touch and the economist
Thanks Dee, I’ll go check them out..