Travel deeper. That is, how to plan trips to develop and get more out of them.

Michał Maj is a photographer, traveller and web developer – on his blog Życie Jest Piękne [eng. Life is Beautiful] he talks about running a business and how our lives can always be more interesting. However, he is most associated with life on the road. If you think you don’t have enough time to travel, you’re in the perfect place. Sometimes all you need to do is change something small to start an adventure.

Travel killers – how to eliminate them.

There are many of them and they are lurking in your travel plans…. That’s why it will be good for you to get to know the most important ones. We’ll start with money, because the topic is important and it’s good to get it out of the way quickly.

Travel costs money. You decide how much. There are some things you have no control over, such as airfares. There are those where you deal the cards – at AskHenry, our travel specialists will find you the most ergonomic connections, prepare your documents and even check you in. If you care about comfortable travel and like to get a good night’s sleep when you travel – don’t pass up on incurring a little extra expense. Michael pointed out (and he’s been travelling for a dozen years!) that sometimes when we…. We want to spend less, we actually incur more costs – we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t get to see everything we wanted to see (because the bus didn’t come in Serbia, for example, and we assumed moving around by public transport).

Find your safe budget reserve. Evaluate your financial possibilities and see what you can and do not want to give up. You should not travel to come somewhere, but to be on the road.

Another killer of a successful trip is having too high expectations. Remember that in advertising brochures, on the internet or in a travel agency, you will usually see tweaked photos of sights and views. Think about why you are choosing this destination and not another. After all, it can’t be all about a friend’s Instagram. 🤭 Travelling is about getting to know: yourself, new people and places. It’s much better if you approach this trip simply with curiosity.

Remember: No expectations – no disappointments

What are your plans for your life? This is a question you usually hear from someone who doesn’t know you very well, right? In our opinion, for life you don’t need to have a plan at all. There are days when you can just high-five yourself in the evening for having survived them. But when it comes to travel, plans come in handy, although planning in too much detail can take away from the joy of spontaneously discovering places, cuisines and people. It’s great if you write down things you want to know, places worth visiting and dishes you really want to taste. Remember though – high expectations can bring even greater disappointment. Let the journey roll on its own, you will see that it will lead you to the most interesting adventures from which you will later build memories. There is no recipe for travel, because there is no recipe for one right life.

Do you know why we travel?

There are many reasons for this, but human nature is such that it tells us to keep discovering new things. By doing so, we sustain the natural evolutionary sequence that directs us towards development. Such discovery begins very early in our lives, as early as prenatal age. Later, if we are properly guided, we develop our interests and skills.

Discoveries can vary – sometimes it’s, for example, realising that the colours of dish sponges matter (if you don’t believe it, search the phrase: dish sponge colours!). Sometimes they are fundamental and concern, for example, a sense of identity. When travelling, it is useful to focus on such pure discovery, devoid of judgement. Judging is as natural as the desire to discover. It is a kind of defence mechanism, allowing us to better find our place in a new culture. Looking at another person by comparing ourselves is natural – but often fatal and hurtful to both parties.

Don’t judge the world, explore it.

Before you go!

Before you pack your backpack and hand over the care of your fish to a friend, do some discernment.

See what you can expect from the country you want to visit. So roughly. It will usually take you a long time and a few nights in front of the screen, but after all, you need to know where you’re going. If, on the other hand, you don’t like choices like fish or aquarium, leave the discernment to the racial experts – namely us.
- At AskHenry, we’ll find the most interesting places to visit (and it won’t be the Charles Bridge in Prague or the Eiffel Tower in Paris), we’ll take care of all your paperwork and sanity (passports, visas, forms, plane or train tickets, check-ins and other unpleasantness can spoil any trip, so really, leave it to us). If you still have time to spare before you leave, we’ll find you podcasts, books and programmes worth seeing before you go. Maybe you want to tour Italy along the trail of scenes from ‘The Brilliant Friend’ or see the locations where ‘Company of Brothers’ was filmed? No problem. A Trumpet Festival among the mountains of Serbia? How about finally eating gol gappa, salsify or going for a gogigui with your other half? We will find you options for every budget.

Life is beautiful – all you have to do is go on a journey.

Do you know why life is beautiful? Because there is no single good recipe for it and nothing tastes as good as discovering it. Travelling is one of the best ways to learn about the world and yourself. You don’t have to go away for a fortnight to experience something amazing. Sometimes three days in a completely new country, living among its locals, and sharing space and time with them can stir up much more excitement and energy for you than a month away from home.

We know that the most valuable currency today is time. So we have a deal for you… You find at least four free days in your calendar. Choose a destination you’ve always dreamed of. Let it be within a three-hour plane ride. That’s how to get started. At AskHenry, we’ll organise everything to help you make the most of your free time, and Michal May will suggest ways to make your life more beautiful.

Watch our webinar and make sure you’ve got sunscreen and hiking boots. If you don’t have it, that’s fine too – because you’ve got us 😊