Five resolutions you can actually accomplish in 2014
Happy 2014 to you all from chilly Delhi! I’m back to base after a much-needed break, enjoying the warmth and pampering at home but a new year has begun which means my head is just bursting with food ideas and travel plans. Snug under the covers with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, I had an interesting idea — Resolutions. It’s not earth shattering I know but every January I’ve seen my friends make these elaborate plans of fitting into THAT pair of skinny jeans, losing just those last few pounds, travel more… Well, most of them give up a few weeks into the new year. I realized you need simple and doable goals if you really want to accomplish everything on your list. So, with the first week of January coming to an end, here is my list of simple, very doable resolutions for the travel minded and gastronomically inclined!
Start a travel fund
You could be a budget or high flying traveler but when you’re on the road, it boils down to how much you’ve managed to save to enjoy the places you’re going to travel to. I often hear people say how they wished they could travel more but unless you prioritise, you won’t end up doing it. So, begin a small travel fund. Decide how much you want to save in a month and put it into the account. DO NOT withdraw unless it’s for traveling purposes!
Going to sleep in Sydney!
Make a wish list
It sounds ambiguous but if you have a full time job and other commitments, start small. In your travel wish list put in a minimum of 14 places you want to travel to this year. Believe me, if you have 14 names (one or two in each month), you’ll end up travelling to at least 9-10 of them. They all don’t have to be trips abroad or far away. Start with that weekend getaway you had been planning for ever but didn’t get around to going. Once the travel bug bites, it stays!
Guess where! Camp Nou was on my wish list in 2013!
Get out of your comfort zone
If you’re in Japan, don’t eat at McDonalds, but try the incredibly delicate sushi. If you don’t like it don’t eat it but don’t be afraid to try. Move out of your comfort zone. India is so diverse geographically that the cuisine changes at almost every train station. Get out try the food. You don’t like it, you don’t like it. Same goes for travelling. If you’ve never travelled solo, try it. Don’t say no before even trying something new!
Escargots! Delicious!
Start cooking
Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner, you need food to survive. So why not try something at home. Go through cookbooks or watch tv shows to get ideas. Or if you’ve eaten a wonderful meal at a great restaurant, try recreating the flavours at home. Good food makes anyone happy. And when you feel happy you’re ready to take on the world! Start small, say cook once a week, but do start. (My favourite part of travelling is breaking bread with fellow travelers. One die-hard curry-hater even fell in love with Indian food after sampling home-cooked vindaloo in Munich!)
PS: Cooking at home will ensure more travel fund money. Win-win situation!
Attempts to recreate the Wiener Schnitzel but with lamb!
Share experiences to inspire
Whether on social media or with friends, start sharing what you loved or didn’t work for you on your trip. Your words may help someone else plan their travels or inspire some to go where they hadn’t thought of before. Start using travel friendly websites to stay or meet new people in different cities. You won’t regret making new friends this year!
To friends, old and new 🙂
What are your 2014 resolutions?
Sharmi on the Trot 