Travel Well

Wellness Makes Adventure Possible:
 

Some of my favorite travel experiences have also been some of the most physically demanding. When I studied abroad in New Zealand, I spent entire days hiking—sometimes eight hours at a time—through mountains, trails, and some of the most incredible landscapes I’ve ever seen. Those were some of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy them the same way if I didn’t take care of my body when I was at home. That’s what wellness means to me. It gives me the ability to climb the mountain instead of wondering if I can make it. It lets me swim in the ocean, walk around a new city all day, wake up early for an adventure, and still have enough energy to enjoy the next day.
 

Finding Wellness Around the World:
 

One of my favorite things to do when I travel is find ways to move my body in whatever environment I’m in. Sometimes I’ll wake up early and find a local gym before spending the day exploring. Other times, I’ll take a yoga class, try a new workout class, or even build a trip around a wellness or yoga retreat. And I genuinely love going to gyms in different countries. It might seem like a small thing, but I think it’s one of the coolest ways to experience a destination beyond being a tourist. You get to see how locals actually spend part of their day, listen to the music they work out to, meet new people, and experience a tiny piece of everyday life. For an hour, you’re not just visiting a country—you’re participating in it. Some of my favorite gym experiences have been in Southeast Asia, where the gyms were definitely not what I was used to at home. A lot of them didn’t have air conditioning, just a few fans blowing around while the humidity made everything feel about ten times harder. I could be weightlifting and end up completely drenched in sweat. Those are some of the experiences I remember most. Wellness while traveling doesn’t have to look exactly like wellness at home. Sometimes it’s a beautiful yoga studio overlooking the ocean. Sometimes it’s a sweaty workout in a muggy gym with fans blasting. Sometimes it’s hiking for eight hours, swimming in the sea, or walking 20,000 steps through a new city.
 

Fueling the Adventure:
 

Food is another huge part of how I travel well. I love experiencing different cultures through food and trying new things, while still paying attention to what makes my body feel good. I prioritize whole, nourishing foods whenever I can because I’ve learned how much my energy and overall experience can change depending on how I fuel myself. I don’t believe traveling well means following a strict routine or saying no to everything outside of your normal habits. It’s about finding a balance that allows you to enjoy where you are while still taking care of yourself. Because I travel to experience things. I want to climb the mountain, swim in the ocean, hike until my legs are tired, explore a city for hours, try the local food, and wake up the next morning ready to do it all again.

Taking care of my body at home gives me the freedom to do all of that when I’m away.

To me, wellness isn’t separate from travel—it’s what gives me the ability to travel the way I want to.