It’s fairly common to avoid holidaying in the country you reside in; it’s a shame really, I don’t think you can really be in touch with your surroundings in another country until you fully appreciate your own. How often do you miss what’s going on around you because you’re too busy travelling to work? Or perhaps even miss out on days out or weekends away because you’re too focused on what needs doing at home?
The benefit of any holiday or vacation is that you are in the driving seat to see and experience whatever you want. If I could pass on any bit of advice, it would be to open your eyes; both at home and abroad.
After realizing that I was more than a little bit guilty of doing that very thing, I made sure I took a bit of time out in the UK, mainly to appreciate my own culture, before organizing a fly drive in California. No more sunning myself on a run of the mill beach holiday; this was going to be a package holiday with a difference!
After arriving in California I think it would be stating the obvious to say that the heat is one of the first things to hit you! Unless you’re traveling from a similar hot climate, and of course depending on the time of year you travel, be prepared for some seriously good weather. If you’re embarking on a fly drive, make sure you get as much rest as possible; because you’re going to need it.
The first word out of my mouth, when I saw the beauty of California was; WOW. You are thrown into the deep end from Day 1 with optional walking or driving through San Francisco with other recommendations on what to take part in during the rest of your day. True to my own word before leaving the UK, I spent the day enjoying my surroundings and just feeling the vibe of the city. What became quickly obvious was how different the Americans are to us Brits! Everyone I met was outgoing and enjoying their city; they certainly weren’t too busy to appreciate the day and what was going on around them. I’ve found when you take time out, or really just take the time to appreciate what you’re seeing, you notice so much more.
California has roots of Spanish and Mexican culture and they play host to cuisines from all over the world as well as numerous languages and traditions. With their fabulous weather they are able to produce a diverse range of food produce; helped by the fact they have the most fertile soil in the world. Is it really any wonder that the food tastes so much better abroad?
It is often billed as some kind of American paradise. According to Emma from Timeless Travel they’re not wrong; it’s sunny and dry all the year round and thanks to the Beach Boys it’s been pushed the ideal of laid back surfers. It’s truly a melting pot of culture; but is your own country really so different?
At your most relaxed on your holiday, you’ll be lucky enough to observe people’s behavior, habits and in some cases how people conduct their work life or businesses. You won’t be the one on display like you are in your own country; enjoy it and make sure you take your new open mind back home with you. Appreciate what’s on display every day and compare your own country with others you have visited; you’ll realize that all that culture you soak up on holiday is right there on your doorstep back home if you’ll only open your eyes. I did and my life has changed because of it; appreciate what you have back home because it’s free and the richest culture of all.
Citations:
- used for California related resources
- used for resources (official California tourism site)
- Wikipedia resources used
This is a guest post by Sam Linkers. Sam loves to travel, but only does so on a budget. When traveling, Sam encourages everyone to look into online discount vouchers as they can really help you save!