Give Your Senses Equal Time When Planning Your Next Vacation.
I plan my vacations purposefully for the things I will see. I plan them for the thing my eyes will consume and the knowledge my brain will gain from what I observe. I even purposely plan dining experiences or cooking experiences. These must be my dominant senses or at least the ones I care most about.
However, in my life, music is a big deal. My professional working career started in the music industry. Our entire family sings in harmony. I've played instruments most of my life and care deeply that my children do the same. Contrasty, working in relative quiet is a big deal. I am keenly aware when there is silence in my house and when the kids take the volume to ELEVEN.
I don't ever remember planning a trip to hear things or planning a trip to feel things with my hands. I have planned spa treatments on occasion but never a tactile experience to purposely feel the earth. Musical performances have been a treat when I've accidentally caught them but I think I should have tried harder, for example, in Vienna to get to an orchestral performance, while traveling. For my nose, I am drawn towards gardens. I think that is mostly for their sprawling and spectacular visual lanscapes. It has accidentally benefitted from my eye's natural inclination to gaze upon luscious blooms.
This week, my guest is travel advisor Kevin Lowe. His recounting of his alternate experience while hiking the rain forrest and feeling his way through luxury properties makes me think I've been ignoring some of my senses. Or, rather, depriving my other senses of their fair share of the travel fun.
Thank you Kevin for making me aware of this. I am sure your clients have a well rounded sensory travel experience!
Are you guilty of this as a traveler or travel advisor, while planning travel? Let's do better by our senses and plan out a full spectrum of experiences on our next trips. Take some ideas from this episode of Travel Radio Podcast.