How I Nourish Myself While Traveling

Prior to the April Blogging Challenge, where I focused on Journaling A-Z, I wrote a six post series on Leading a Student Tour to Europe. This series coordinated with my fourth trip, where I took 38 students and adults on a whirlwind tour of London, Paris, Florence, Rome, and Sorrento. We traveled from March 10-21, 2017, and had a fantastic time!

This post will conclude that series and then segue into the highlights of each of the visited cities.

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For those who regularly read this blog, you know my word for 2017 is NOURISH: to supply what is necessary for life, health and growth; to strengthen, build up and promote. I want to live life to the fullest, and that means maintaining a healthy, fit body and mind.

While this is a focus for everyday life - I also want to practice nourish during the "exceptional" times as well. That would include an unusually stressful week, an unexpected event, or a special holiday.

I think most of us know it is nourishing (and essential) to stay hydrated, eat a proper diet, exercise and get plenty of sleep.

For the purpose of this post, however, I will discuss how I nourish me while on an extended trip.

We are all different and unique. We have different likes and dislikes, we embody different temperaments, and we see the world from various perspectives. It is essential to know ourselves in order to provide the necessary nutrients to reenergize and rejuvenate.

For me, I need to schedule alone time - my husband refers to it as "I" time (as in Introvert). I like sharing experiences with others, but I need to get away and process. Sometimes it might mean a coffee at a cafe in the middle of the day, or a quiet stroll through a museum, or a restful half hour on a park bench. It's not so much the place, or the amount of time, but this is a non-negotiable part of the itinerary. Otherwise, I can get a little testy, which frustrates myself as well as others.

In addition, I need to schedule reflection time at the end of the day. Ideally, I would spend about an hour after dinner in the hotel room, uploading photos and journaling the highlights of the day. I like processing the events while they are fresh on my mind.

Later, once I'm home and have resumed a normal routine, I will reread those journal entries and perhaps craft a few blog posts. The additional time and distance allow me a more objective perspective.

I also need to pay close attention to my diet. While I enjoy the English fish and chips, the Parisian patisseries and the Italian gelatos, I know my digestive track is particularly sensitive (and uncooperative) when I travel. I make sure to include lots of leafy green salads, vegetable and fruit juices, and a probiotic yogurt. I don't completely deny myself the local delicacies (this is, after all, a vacation) ... but I do monitor what I eat.

Finally, I know when I return home, I will need some extra time to decompress. I extend my vacation another one-or-two days to recover from jetlag, catch up on laundry, and restock the pantry. I relish this return to routine. Once I recover, I begin to sort through the vacation photos. I decide which ones to discard and which ones to keep and edit. I don't rush the process, but instead, allow myself time to reflect on fond memories.

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My list of travel nourishment is certainly different from yours.

In what ways do you reenergize and rejuvenate while away from home?