The BLT Guidebook

As spring is fast approaching, I gaze out the window and wonder about all of the possibilities out there- trails to hike, places to travel to. A planner by nature, my brain moves quicker than my finances and my inflexible schedule! I’ll be on one trip and thinking about the next one or in the middle of planning one trip and simultaneously planning another.

After changing jobs (twice), moving out of state, saving up and spending for a wedding in only a year and a half, physical wanderlust (did I use that correctly?) is not a financial possibility for me right now. It is also still winter, so most of my thoughts consist of activities that I could get to without a snow barrier.

Whatever your wanderlust is, there is a way to cultivate it without far travel, believe it or not! This is something I have been doing for the last year and a half since our move to Oregon. I guess I have been working through it even longer than I realized as I was writing this post.

Ways to Deal with Wanderlust (in no particular order)

Media- documentaries, books, podcasts

Media is a perfect way to learn about new places- we turn to places like Google, WordPress, and Youtube to learn a little more about the places we want to travel to or the things we want to do. Documentaries, books, and podcasts can give us that story we are looking for from the comfort of our car or living room! Sometimes these backfire on me because I want to go to the places I’m learning about. Other times I learn about an experience that I’m not planning on having (rock climbing in Patagonia, for example), but I can still go the digital adventure! I love reading historical fictions set in Paris (The Paris Library) and listening to podcasts centered about the outdoors (Dirtbag Diaries).

After Dan and I married three months ago, we decided to wait for a good time to take the honeymoon. Next winter we are heading to Europe! I’m already excited about it, so I googled documentaries related to where we might be going. We are not in the planning stage yet, but it’s just as fun to get excited talking about ideas.

Walking

After work I take a loop around my neighborhood. We have the type of neighborhood where deer live year-round. Even though I loop the streets of suburban homes, I can see nature blooming in yards during the spring and the living in the color of the leaves in the fall. I still get excited when I turn a corner and a new bud is on a tree I passed 100 times or a deer is in a neighbor’s yard eating the leaves from bushes. Sometimes I drive a bit to walk, too. There are two towns within 30 minutes that have small shops and nature trails. Walking can be a stress relief, lends me to focus on listening to that new podcast episode, and reminds me of the beautiful world around me.

This sounds picturesque, but I also lived in the bay area, too, so I want to point out that I would do the same thing through streets of desolation, homelessness, etc. A street or two over from where I lived was a canal trail and I would take my bike or run down the trail. I think it’s really important to appreciate the little things and get to know the place around you.

Hiking (also walking)

Hiking a nearby trail doesn’t always scratch the itch of hitting a new trail and seeing what it’s all about. Finding the right trail close by may be hard, but it might be everything you are looking for and a place to return to again and again. When I think of a trail, I typically want some type of climb, to be easy to get to, and I want to see views. I luckily found a trail like that 20 minutes away from my house where I could go there on weekends and get what I need- a peaceful walk with views of the valley every step of the way.

If I’m looking for terrain, I can travel 30-40 minutes to take in the new scenery. If your goal of traveling is to hike, you can find a spot in nature that’s close by and have those moments of solitude, good views, or whatever it is that you are looking for!

Staycation

This has been a popular option for people lately. Staycation can mean anything from staying home to unplug, relax, have a spa day, etc., to being a tourist in your own backyard.

When we were living in California, my husband and I constantly day tripped to find hiking, fishing, and beer spots. Since moving to Oregon, our weekend window is a little smaller. One thing we did last year was plan a staycation 35 minutes from our house and it was one memorable weekend! Even though we traveled to this town at least once a month, we only stayed for a few hours at a time. This time we booked a hotel, walked around new neighborhoods, and agreed to only go to restaurants, coffee shops, and beer spots we had never been to. The great thing about this was we didn’t need to drive very far or stress about how to maximize our time once we got there.

Restaurants (and other eating & drinking establishments)

I made this a separate category because it depends on where you live! We live about 20 minutes from restaurants (worth going to) and breweries. Sometimes wanderlust is rooted in changing your routine. One way to do this is try new spots or change them up from time to time.

We live in a valley with plenty of wineries and beautiful views. Sometimes we just want to hang out, so we’ll find a new winery to try. It also is a great talking point when you learn about the places around you. These places typically have some sort of live music, so that’s a plus, too!

Just last week, we went to a restaurant we’ve never heard of. It’s a popular place where the chef will cook in front of you. We don’t normally go out to dinner too often, but the experience was worth it. The food was good, too!

Day Trips

Day trips might look like what we did for our staycation without an overnight or it could be something a bit further. I can honestly say I have done a few three-hours-one-way day trips before and they are every bit as memorable and fun as a weekend getaway. Getting up early to go to Yosemite (or insert place close to where you live) for the day will still be worth it! Maybe not as cool as camping for a day or staying in a lodge, but you are still in Yosemite! The scenery isn’t going to be any different.

Hobbies

Investing time in your passions can also help with wanderlust. If your hobby is traveling (I get that!), your downtime between traveling can be focusing on your passions or to save money for traveling. It can also be a way to cultivate a skill- like photography! I love taking pictures when I travel, but I would be a better travel photographer if I practiced and took pictures on a regular basis at home.

Hobbies can also mean spending time with your loved ones, right? How do you spend your time? It might be just as important to you to make dinner with your sibling or a parent and create those memories with them.

Hiking small trails, walking, writing, taking pictures, spending time with friends, reminds me that there are other things in my life that are just as important as my wanderlust!

Gratitude

Wanderlusting can stem from many things- ranging from life complications to a genuine desire to experience other cultures and see new things. Sometimes I wonder about my wanderlust- is it because I think it’ll create more happiness? Is that place a check on the bucket list? Do I just want something new? I take stock of this when I can’t get away because of my restrictions and I pause to also practice gratitude. There are so many things to be thankful for. If I stop and pause for a moment, I recognize that everything I actually need and want is right here.

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When it comes to wanderlust, what do you think about? I think of national parks and exploring the PNW!

With gratitude,

C