Benefits of different types of travel – solo, group, retreat
I remember the first time I travelled outside the US. I had just graduated with a fashion design degree and wanted to attend a summer program at a fashion school in Florence, Italy. The weekends would be spent travelling up and down the country in exploration. In Rome, my camera was stolen from my backpack in a hostel and I lost all the photos I had taken (back then there were film cameras!). Even though I had no physical proof that I had visited the Colosseum and the Pantheon, the memories were etched in my brain.
I remember travelling down the Amalfi Coast with my mouth agape at the beauty. These weekend getaways led me to say goodbye to fashion school and continue travelling. I was bit by the travel bug! I continued up to Switzerland, where my purse was snatched, which caused so much frustration and pain trying to replace my passport. I was not having much luck on this first trip abroad! But it didn’t stop me.
Every country I have visited holds similar stories of trials and tribulations. It took me many years of travelling solo to learn how to be a better traveller, the ins and outs of transportation, how to travel safely between countries, and most importantly, how to survive as a vegan. I did most of my travel solo, but when I visited the Middle East, I decided to do a group tour. This type of travel has its benefits: safety, no stress about transportation, seeing a lot of the country in one week’s trip, having people to chat with and learning a lot of culture and history from the tour guide. But doing a group tour is not relaxing. You are shuffled like a herd of sheep from one place to the other and you don’t get much choice of activities or restaurant options.
A different way to travel is to go on a wellness retreat. This has many benefits especially if you need a break from life and want to relax. Like group travel, going on retreat saves you so much stress because someone like me who has been through everything makes all the plans. But you won’t be on the go the whole time. So if you don’t want to miss out on seeing the world, are afraid of travelling solo, or just need a relaxing holiday then a retreat is right for you!
Top 4 Reasons to Choose a Wellness Retreat
1. Less planning, less stress
It takes hours and hours of research to find the perfect accommodations, make sure you’ll have vegan food nearby, decide what part of town you should stay in, figure out the transportation and customs of that country and plan a budget for the trip. When you go on a retreat everything is planned for you. You just show up and enjoy a vacation of a lifetime. That right there is priceless.
2. Connect with like-minded individuals
Retreats are perfect for solo travellers or those who don’t want to spend their whole vacation alone or get shuffled from site to site. Travelling with friends or family is not always possible, but that shouldn’t stop you from going to a magical place. If you go on a retreat, you instantly have 10+ friends and aren’t left alone with no one to share your experiences with. Even the most introverted will feel more secure on a retreat because all the activities are optional and you get plenty of free time to do your own thing. And who knows, these people may become life-long friends.
3. Come home better than when you left
Going on an organised retreat that includes yoga, mind/body connection and healthy food lets you return home better off than when you left. Remember that last vacation where you drank too much, ate crappy food and came home drained and felt like you needed a vacation from your vacation? Going on a wellness retreat will leave you feeling refreshed, recharged and ready to take on the world.
4. Say yes to you
Many put travel to the side because they are slammed with work, kids, projects, family, community, etc. Women in particular spend less time on themselves than on the people around them. I truly believe that happiness (and health!) develops from self-care and giving yourself time away from your busy life. When you step back you can devote some time to your needs. And in the long run, this makes you more helpful to others in your life.
I’m excited to announce that I will start offering wellness retreats again in 2025. You’ll get to visit my new home of Portugal and see why this country is so beautiful to me. Keep an eye out and be sure to sign up for my email list so you don’t miss announcements of my upcoming retreats.
