The season is turning. It’s been decades since I went to school, but I still get that back-to-school feeling every September. The difference is that now I get the urge to plan and to indulge myself so I’m fortified for the busy months ahead.
- Invest in transport on tap
Splash out on something that affords you to travel whenever you feel like it. That could be anything from a campervan or a canal boat to a stand-up paddleboard or a tip-top pair of hiking boots.
Thelma & Louise Club member MichiganMarsha bought a Hobie Mirage kayak with a drop-in pedal drive when a neck injury meant she could no longer paddle or sail: “I've peddled her on my inland lake in Michigan; Thousand Islands, New York; Lake Thompson, Maine; and even in Alaska, reaching out to touch a glacier. I was even able to rig her with a small sail, which isn't so tough on the arms/neck. I call her, ‘Serenity’.”
- Book a Fear of Flying course
A limited audience for this one but what a difference it can make if a fear of flying is preventing you from travelling more, travelling further or travelling calmly.
Møira Jones highly recommends it: “The first time [I went on a Fear of Flying course] was 1988 but flying was expensive so I didn't practise. The second time in 2012 did the trick. I now need a course on how to make more travel money!”
- Expand your mind
We’re talking cultural experiences that align with your interests, not mind-bending drugs. Although if you have any travel-related stories about the latter we’d love to hear them too!
Take a leaf out of Ana’s book: “My greatest gift to myself has to be tickets to Carrières de Lumières to see Van Gogh's art projected on to the walls of giant caverns in October. South of France, here I come!”
Another of our members cited a cultural and village experience in Scotland, Wales and Ireland as her greatest self-indulgence. If culture is your bag, get annual membership of your local gallery or museum.
- Take that once-in-a-lifetime trip – or at least write that travel bucket list
Imagine a life filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Fulfilling, adventurous and, yes, budget-breaking. But let’s start with the dream and figure out the logistics later.
Safaris, Paris and cruises come up again and again when we ask our members about their dream destination. Here a 5 once-in-a-lifetime trips ideas from fellow Thelma & Louisers to help get your travel bucket list started:
- “Paris: the most luxurious hotels with private tours of the Louvre, Versailles and other places.”
- “Safari in the Serengeti after a week of chilling out in Zanzibar.”
- “Safari in Kenya and visiting a Maasai village - wonderful experience.”
- “Solo river cruise.”
- “Antarctica cruise.”
- Okay okay, go to a spa. But not just any spa…
I couldn’t write this without mentioning a spa! It’s the obvious way to show yourself some self-love. Time to yourself (or shared with a treasured friend), a massage or three, a sensational view, food and drink at the click of a finger: what could be better?
A couple of our members recommend Arenal Springs Resort and Spa in Costa Rica, which comes with the bonus of hot springs and hummingbirds. “Wonderful!”
What has been your greatest travel indulgence so far?