There is a phrase in Swedish that refers to the essential “P’s” of travel packing list that can be roughly translated as passport, pounds, and poarding passes (pass, pengar, och piljetter). The almost-alliterative list is supposed to help you remember the items you absolutely cannot travel without: ID, money, and tickets. If you remember these, at least you can address anything else you forgot later. In a nod to 2018’s sweeping wellness travel trend, I’d say the new “P’s” are passport, pounds, poarding pass, and push-ups. And I hate push-ups.
Travel is an opportunity to rejuvenate both your mind and your body. Away from a desk (desks can kill, you know) or other aspects of daily life, you can shake off the distractions, poor habits, and pressing responsibilities that can pull you away from the self-awareness and personal care that can seem too time-consuming. According to the New York Times Travel section and other travel news writers, hospitality providers across the travel industry -cruises, tour operators, hotels, airlines, airports, and more- are looking to both capitalize on and serve that opportunity this year. Destination wellness has arrived to help you, as Princess Cruises’ tagline used to say, escape completely. From yoga rooms in airports to far-flung bootcamps, the world is your workout in 2018.
However, you do not need to book a meditation cruise through the islands of Indonesia (though a friend did this recently and said it was fabulous) to incorporate the representative pushups into your travel “P’s.” There are a number of ways to incorporate wellness into your travel plan at moderate, minimal, and no costs.
Pack a reusable water bottle. While this is not a mind-blowing travel tip, this basic addition to your packing can have a ripple effect on your trip. From not needing to wait – or stay awake for – in-flight beverage service, not to mention avoiding a temptation-laden trip to the magazine/souvenir/candy shop to purchase an overpriced water, to having a receptacle to take advantage of the increasing amount of fill stations in hotels and cities at large, you’ll be ahead of the game on hydration.
Carry on a home-cooked meal. One of my favorite in-transit travel food experiences happened on an Alitalia flight from Milan to JFK. The food service, which was actually quite good and rounded out with a gelato cone, was in progress and the wine had already been served, and a very tall, burly Italian man had gotten up to get something. It ended up being an enormous and clearly freshly baked, homemade sandwich, which he set aside a part of for himself and then started asking his neighbors if they wanted a piece (and a piece of that enormous vitto was the size of a regular sandwich). Soon, it seemed like half of the plane had been doled out a piece of that sandwich, and friendly conversations were flourishing. Even if you’re not planning on sharing, take a cue from this man and pack something delicious from your kitchen rather than relying on the mixed bag of selections in the airport, train station, etc. or onboard. Mangia bene!
Run to explore. This is one of my favorite approaches to travel wellness: select accommodations somewhere central in a city or scenic with trails or beaches, and then go for runs to explore your surroundings. Research top sights and attractive neighborhoods to set a destination, check for any odd terrain, and go on an adventure. When I first arrived in San Francisco, I did this all the time to take in my new home. On my very first run, I chose a path that looked like a straight shot to the waterfront, but it actually went up and over Russian Hill- a very large, steep hill, I might add. A tip: make sure you have Uber, the Starbucks app, and Apple Pay or another mobile pay app set up with payment information on your phone. If you run too far (or up too steep of a hill), Uber can take you home, or a Starbucks will be nearby for an ice-cold water. The app economy absolutely has its perks.
Enjoy experiential eating. Take vacation as an opportunity to unleash your inner foodie to experience your meal rather than eating when rushed or distracted. Research shows that paying attention to and savoring your food rather than eating at your desk with work or watching TV leads to less eating overall. Aim for three satisfying and unique meals per day and be present in the moment and mouthfuls.
Book away excuses. With the extensive resources of ratings and travel review websites, there is no reason to book a hotel without a decent fitness center. Even trendy, pared down millennial and pod hotels like Marriott’s Moxy brand offer fitness centers. For older hotels, make sure the fitness center is in your building, and not accessible through a partnership with a hotel or gym across the street or a few blocks away. In that case, the odds are against you actually going, especially if you’re traveling during a season with unfavorable weather.
Hop on the bandwagon. Research the hot new fitness craze- aquacycling, anyone? – at your next destination and give it a try. Unlike a gym membership, most of these classes have an option for a single class (or a small class package, if you’re feeling committed during your stay) purchase, and many have a first class or first week discount. Go wild!
There are truly endless options for embracing the wellness travel trend in 2018 (doing body weight exercises in your room, using rental bikes, and opting to walk are just a few more ideas). I hope to incorporate all of these tips into my next trip, push-ups included. What’s your healthy and fit travel plan for 2018? Let me know in the comments below.
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