New Years Motorhome Travel Resolutions & Goals

The new year is a great time of year to reflect and set yourself new improvements, ambitions, or challenges! If you want to take focus on travel goals and resolutions here are some ideas to get you started!

 

Make a Bucket List

If you’re unfamiliar with a bucket list, it’s a list of experiences or achievements you want to fulfil! Everyone’s wants are different, so the items on your bucket list are entirely personal to you. You can make it as thrilling and adventurous or as relaxed and laid-back as you wish.

If you’re unsure where to start with your motorhome bucket list here are some ideas to give you some inspiration.

Motorhome Bucket List Ideas

• Attend a festival or concert
• Redecorate your motorhome interior
• Travel to a country you’ve never been to before
• Explore the Scottish Highlands
• Witness the Northern Lights
• Cycle through the Netherlands
• Tour the English countryside
• Participate in a bird watch
• Visit a historic town
• Explore Germany’s castles
• Participate in an arts and crafts workshop
• Take a ride on one of Britain’s Heritage Railways
• Visit the Skogafoss waterfall in Iceland
• Journey through the Italian Lakes
• Visit the beaches of Portugal’s Algarve

 

Take a solo trip

A solo trip in your motorhome can do wonders for building confidence and independence as a traveller and can be a great way to really get to know yourself.

Image source: BullRun – Adobe Stock

With solo travel, you’re free to set your own pace, location, and itinerary without any of the distractions or compromises that can come with travelling in a group or with a partner. Whether you are looking to explore a peaceful forest off-grid, navigate a lively booming city, or enjoy a picturesque coastline, your solo adventure is sure to be a rewarding and enriching experience!

A solitary road trip is the ideal time to focus on reflection, personal growth, and can help you understand yourself better. As you navigate your adventure, you’ll likely start to identify your preferences and strengths as well as areas to develop and work on, perfect for setting goals and resolutions.

The idea of a solo trip can be daunting at first, that’s why we’ve compiled a guide on Tips for Solo Travel, taking you through topics from planning and packing to enjoying your own company!

 

Be a Tourist in Your Own City

You don’t need to travel abroad or journey far to have fun, excitement might be right around the corner. When you’ve lived in an area for a long time, it’s easy to assume that you’ve already experienced everything there is to offer, but often that’s not the case. There are likely tonnes of fun activities waiting for you if you know where to seek them out.

Google is a great starting place to look when looking for things to do in your area, use the following searches to help find activities or locations to visit:

• Historic landmarks in [Your area name]
• Things to do in [Your area name]
• Events in [Your area name]
• Shows in [Your area name]

Sites like Tripadvisor will also give you a good scope of activities and local attractions to visit.

But there’s a lot that you likely won’t find through a Google search, often events at the heart of the community can fly under the radar. For example, performances and shows from local theatre groups or a local band playing a show in a small venue or pub may not appear online, yet they offer fantastic opportunities to enjoy and support the community.

A good way to find out what’s happening is by joining a local community page, these groups are often found on Facebook where people will share information about shows, events and groups in the local area. But if you find that your local area doesn’t have a community page you could always start one yourself!

 

Go on a Food Adventure

If you’ve set a resolution to try new things, and you’re looking to expand your pallet this next idea is for you! Embark on a culinary taste journey and try a new local cuisine in every place that you travel to in your motorhome.

Surprisingly, through the regional cuisine of an area and the stories behind it, you can learn a lot about its history and culture. Whether you’re sampling fresh seafood by the coast, indulging in a hearty stew in the countryside, or trying a new exotic dish abroad, each culinary experience will enrich your food adventure!

Great places to discover authentic flavours as you voyage on your culinary adventures are:

• Local festivals
• Locally owned restaurants
• Street food stalls
• Markets

Pro Tip: Don’t hesitate to ask locals for food recommendations! Locals will often know of hidden gems or can suggest tasty traditional dishes of the region.

 

Connect with Nature

A recent study found that the average adult in the UK spends approximately 76% of their waking hours online! If you’re looking to set yourself the goal of spending less time online and more time connecting with nature and your surroundings, a rural escape could be the perfect adventure in your motorhome.

Whether you want to commit to a fully off-grid experience or prefer the convenience of an electric hookup for your campervan, camping away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immersing yourself in a more natural setting provides the perfect peaceful reset.

Here are some great ways to connect with nature on your getaway:

• Hiking – Hiking is a great physical activity to immerse yourself in natural landscapes and explore nature!
• Stargazing – Connect with the cosmos! Get away from city lights and gaze up at the stars. Take the time to lie back and look up at the illuminated sky, identifying constellations and if you’re lucky maybe you’ll even catch a glimpse of a shooting star!
• Bird watching – Motorhome travel will often bring you to a range of scenic locations from forests to coastlines home to a wide range of different bird species to explore. Bird watching is a great way to slow down and relax, and encourages patience as you spot and learn about different birds. You could even keep a journal to document all the different birds you spot!
• Nature photography – Similar to bird watching, nature photography encourages you to slow down your pace and connect with your surroundings as you look for interesting animals, wildlife and environments to capture. This is a great activity for travellers, as you explore different locations in your campervan you’ll likely encounter a huge range of different animals and natural landscapes to capture exciting snaps of!
• Have a Picnic – Packing your favourite foods and snacks, and finding the perfect spot outside with a view to dine al fresco, is a simple but effective way to connect with nature when
• Meditation or outdoor yoga – Find a nice peaceful spot and practise a mindful activity like yoga or meditation outside. The fresh air, the feeling of the sun’s warmth, and the peaceful view are the perfect way to unwind and relax in nature.
• Fishing – A day out fishing is the perfect activity to do in solitary or with family and friends, sitting out by the water and casting a line is a great way to immerse yourself in the natural world and to create memories with loved ones.
• Canoeing – Explore nature from a new perspective from the waters in a canoe or kayak! Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to stay active while exploring stunning lakes and waters, why not give it a try it could become your new favourite hobby?

 

Learn a New Language

If lots of European travel in your motorhome is on your radar for the new year, learning a new language is a great idea and can easily be practised during your free time! Whether you just want to learn the conversational basics, or you are setting yourself the goal of being fluent, a new language is a great skill to have.

What language should I learn?

Firstly, you’ll need to decide what language it is that you want to learn. One of the best ways to help you decide is to figure out your reason for wanting to learn a new language. Do you want to learn a language that has a lot of coverage and is a commonly spoken language across the world, do you want to learn an easier language to build a skill, or is there a certain place you want to connect and communicate in by learning a language?

 

Not including English here are the top 5 languages spoken in Europe:

1. French (Spoken by 210 million)

Countries where French is an official language include: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Monaco and Switzerland

2. German (Spoken by 170 million)

Countries where German is an official language: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland

3. Russian (Spoken by 160 million)

Countries where Russian is an official language include: Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Russian is also the unofficial language of Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

4. Italian (Spoken by 82 million)

Countries where Italian is an official language include: Italy, San Marino, and the Vatican City. Italian is also spoken as an unofficial language in Switzerland.

5. Spanish (Spoken by 76 million)

Although Spanish is the 2^nd highest natively spoken language and the 4^th most spoken language overall, in Europe, Spain is the only European country where Spanish is an official language.

 

Easiest Languages to Learn

According to Babbel, the easiest languages for English speakers to learn are Norwegian, Swedish, and Spanish.

 

Where to learn a new language?

Free resources

YouTube – This is a great free resource for finding online video lessons and connecting with a community of people who are also starting with a new language.

Free Apps – Duolingo and Memrise are language learning apps that provide lessons and engaging learning activities, making them perfect for getting started with learning a language.

Learn from a native speaker – If a friend or family member already speaks the language you wish to learn, consider asking them to teach you the basics. Practising with someone knowledgeable in the language will significantly help you in learning the rules of a language.

Paid resources

Paid app- Babbel is another highly rated language app, however unlike free alternatives, this app requires a paid subscription. With this subscription comes more comprehensive lessons and learning tools.

Paid classes – If you learn better with a physical teacher, you may consider enrolling into a class for the language you’d like to learn.

 

Tips for learning a new language

Practise regularly – Consistency is key when learning a new language. Dedicate a set amount of time each day to practise and learn – you’ll likely find that 15 minutes to 30 minutes daily is more effective than longer irregular periods for learning.

Immerse yourself –  Try to surround yourself with the language as much as possible. Watch movies and TV shows, listen to music, or read books in the language you’re learning. This will help in picking up the rhythm and rules of a language. When you’re starting out, looking at books and shows geared towards children will help you build your language skills without being too complicated.

Use Technology – Utilise online resources and learning apps, these can be accessed on your mobile making them perfect for on-the-go learning when you’re travelling in your motorhome or campervan.

Speak with Native speakers – Practising with native or fluent speakers can be invaluable when learning to speak a language. If you don’t know anyone who speaks the language you want to learn you could always look to connect with someone in the online language community to practise with.

Be patient – Learning a new language can be difficult, so be kind to yourself as you learn. Remember to celebrate the small victories and that mistakes along the way are bound to happen and are all part of the learning process so don’t get discouraged!

 

Document Your Adventures in a Travel Journal

As you travel on your motorhome adventures, set yourself the goal of documenting your experiences in a way that suits you!

Whether you prefer writing a diary of your adventures, creating a scrapbook-style journal full of photos, ticket stubs and other mementoes, or sketching the serine landscapes you encounter, this journal will home the cherished memories of your travels in your motorhome!

And if documenting your campervan journeys in a book isn’t for you, you could consider making a video diary or vlog of your adventures so you’re able to watch back all your favourite moments!

 

Travel with new resolutions & peace of mind

Before you set off for the new year in your Motorhome or Campervan, make sure to carry out a full check off your vehicle – check out our Motorhome maintenance checklist here!

And finally don’t forget your motorhome and campervan insurance! Get ready for your New Year’s adventures with a fully comprehensive policy, so you can travel worry-free as you check off your goals and create unforgettable memories in your camper!

Get a quote online or call a member of our helpful team for a quote today on 0208 984 0777!

 

Sources:

https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-language-learning-apps/