HOW TO FIND ADVENTURE: WHEN TRAVELLING IS NOT AN OPTION

And here is the most overly photographed waterfall in all of the Pacific Northwest, people. Now, if you are a regular reader you will know that I am a firm believer in the "anyone can travel" mantra. However, there are definitely circumstances in which travel is made much more difficult. If money is your reasoning behind why you don't think you can travel please head on over to my Easy Ways To Save Money For Travel post that has helped me put away 7k in just seven short months. If you have other obstacles in your way or you, like me, or just counting down the days until your departure date then here are a few tips on how to find adventure when you can't travel abroad.

Start Planning
I'm listing this one first because this particular technique has helped to satiate my wanderlust. Start planning your next trip and spend your time pouring over the fascinating details. Look up destinations on Pinterest, read up on the history of where you want to go, check out travel books from your local library, start making an itinerary, etc. I understand how this can seem "pointless" when your next opportunity to travel is pretty far away but I can tell you from experience it works. I've spent the last year planning for, talking about and romanticizing for when I leave to go backpacking at the end of this Summer.

Take A Day Trip
I wouldn't necessarily call this a "staycation" because you can stretch out a day trip to really count if you want to. When I'm starting to feel suffocated by my normal life I plan a little day getaway and either pull an all nighter or wake up suuuper early to make the long drive out to somewhere new. I pack some snacks, my camera and my hiking boots and usually set off in a Westward direction (generally to the peninsula) to do some exploring. It's easy to overlook beauty when you see it every day, pretend like you're experiencing your surroundings for the first time and try to see things with fresh eyes.

Themed Reading
This one sounds weird. I promise, it isn't. I haven't done this since around Christmas, but another great way to satisfy Wanderlust is to do what I call themed reading. Back in December, I was really having a hard time staying focused on my goals of working hard so that I could travel. To help kindle the fire I bought a bunch of different books that took place in Germany/Norway/Sweden region. They were mostly fiction, some historical fictions and some period type pieces - but being able to mentally submerge yourself into a culture is a great way to feel like you're experiencing some kind of travel when you aren't. I recently bought a bunch of Parisian and Tuscan themed books and plan on take a few picnics with some french bread, assorted cheese and sparkling wine to help enhance the experience.

Impromptu Weekends Away
Have a weekend off work and want to make it count? Call your favorite airline (or use Skyscanner - they have this feature too) and ask for the next domestic one way flight under say $150. This will get you somewhere relatively close but still somewhere you may not have been before. Spend the flight researching the area, booking a room, setting up an activity or scoping out a good hiking spot. There's something really beautiful about the curiosity that blossoms when you're exploring somewhere new. It's one of the best feelings there is.

Get Creative With Your Hobbies
Another one of my favorites. Take up a new hobby! I recently started experimenting with paint and for some reason, this helps. I like to try and channel certain countries or regions with the colors I choose and find some appropriately matching music and voila! My own little getaway. I love the colors of India so I went out and purchased a bunch of paints along that color scheme, brewed some Moroccan tea and turned on some relaxing Indian music (cue A Little Princess soundtrack). If painting isn't your jam, try taking up a new language, learning to play an instrument, dance lessons or even cooking classes. The possibilities are endless!

I hope that you find a few of these techniques helpful and if you have any of your own please share them with me! I'm always looking for new ways to keep myself occupied while I sit through the never ending countdown of this Spring and Summer. I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and happy Monday!