I’m always inspired and refreshed by travel, I feel like I set a reset energy button each and every time . I realized my travel philosophy revolves around six travel mantras.

This article is inspired by a current trend on social media right now : “Be a traveler not a tourist”. It inspired me to sit down and think about MY way of traveling, wondering if I was a either a tourist or a traveler. I figured out that I was neither of those, and that I am not really on board with this kind of labelling.

I am a firm believer in individual freedom without judgment. Of course the articles are not to be taken very seriously, but still. If being a “tourist” is making you happy, then be a “tourist” as long as you don’t disrespect the local culture. So, here are my 6 travel mantras of making the best out of my travels:

1.Project yourself

I like picturing cities in a “what if we were living here” kind of spirit, it makes the experience more authentic and personal. I play the game of identifying my go to places for breakfast, which neighborhood we would live in, or even companies I could work for (close to the place I would live in obviously)…

2.Document & Empathize

I am always thinking of what annoys me the most about the tourists coming to Morocco. I simply try to NOT do those things when I am traveling. Basically show respect to the foreign culture, avoid stereotypes and document a little bit before traveling to a country, which is very easy now thanks to all the travel blogs and the countless websites available on the internet. I try to learn some phrases of the local language as well, it is always well perceived.

3.Experience 

I am done with marathons of top ten things to do in a city lists! I’d rather just get lost in the place and improvise. Experiencing the vibe, “people watching” and relaxing.

4.Walk

This is the best way to discover a city, I can compromise a lot in comfort when booking an accommodation, but I am very picky with the location. I need to be in the heart of the city, and walk my way around.  It also has the good side effect of burning the calories of food splurges during the trip.

5. Challenge yourself

Traveling is the perfect occasion to try a new way of life. If you are not comfortable on a bike for example, rent a bike and try strolling around, taste the local food: ALL KINDS of it, take the public transport and try whatever new activity you’ll have the chance to try. Travelling good energy, is the ideal opportunity to challenge yourself. And most importantly adapt, and don’t compare with your way of living in your country. Nobody wants to hear about that anyway.

6.Smile 

A smile to a stranger can magically warm the heart, (works for non-strangers too by the way), smile for the sake of smiling, spreading love and enlightening someone’s day. This is also the best way to meet people. A smile means: I notice you as human being, I like something about you, I want to connect, I am approachable, and all kinds of positive messages. We tend to forget in our own self-conscious behavior, that people are sometimes just scared to talk , because they are struggling with THEIR own self-consciousness, so be the bold one and do the first step.

Thanks and love

Dalal

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