#hourglassconversations #womenoverfifty
Being a tourist again
After two years of minimal travel during the pandemic, we took a trip. We flew to Vancouver, B.C. We were a little rusty–what to pack, figure out where to get a rapid test before entering Canada, wore a mask throughout the airport and flights, and had to show our vaccine cards in several places. A reminder that Covid is still very present in our lives.
As guests in someone else’s country, we were especially friendly and chatty to these “locals” we met throughout the day.
We didn’t mind getting “lost” since everything was new and different anyway. “It’s just an adventure” we commented as we explored the everyday places available to the locals.
The small differences fascinated us.
We had no timetable except for flights, so we never felt rushed.
We felt a shift in perspective from the “normal” way we go through our days back home.
Better than souvenirs, we brought back a few fresh ideas…
- We were present to the everyday people we met, chatted with them and made eye contact.
- Don’t overbook your day. Whether its travel or your daily life, things often take longer than you expect.
- Learn to appreciate the unexpected.
- Look around and explore your surroundings. Be curious.
- Find something new and interesting to do or learn every day. You feel more alert.
- Take time everyday to relax and reflect.
- Pretend you are a visitor in your own hometown, the ordinary and everyday in your familiar surroundings can feel interesting and fresh.
