Travel tip: Minimize regret

“I should have gone there” is a phrase you will invariably hear from travelers returning from their latest excursion. That special dish, historical site, or music festival was somehow forgotten, and a feeling of incompleteness plagues the memory of the trip. Excuse the melodrama, but the pain of travel regret should be vigorously avoided. Here’s how.

Play the ‘what if’ game

Before beginning a hypothetical trip to France you should ask yourself: What if we get back from Paris without ever seeing The Louvre? Imagine you miss every destination or activity that you hoped not to miss. Let the uneasiness set it, and then plan accordingly.

That is, instead of making a list of all things you would love to do, make a list of what you would hate to miss. The difference might seem insignificant, but planning from this perspective will sharpen your focus. Thinking about what you would love to do can lead to giddiness and the excited exclamation, “Everything! I want to see everything!” You will have plenty of time for unbridled excitement during your trip, but effective planning is how to maximize the experience.

This regret-minimizing perspective is not meant to rain on your touristy parade- quite the opposite. Traveling can lead to fulfilling and revelatory experiences, and the traveler is wise to provide him or herself with the best opportunity to have such experiences. Do not make the mistake of equating preparedness with rigidity.

Smart spontaneity

No traveler should strive to adhere to an itinerary of diplomatic proportions. That is, you are an ambassador of smart traveling and good times- not a foreign country. Always leave room on your regret-minimizing plan to get lost and discover that hole-in-the-wall restaurant or scenic trail that the guidebook doesn’t even know about it.

Veering off the indelibly beaten path of tourism can reveal hidden treasures with unlimited potential for producing great stories- and enviable Facebook albums. The special steps you take in planning for no regrets, along with a healthy does of spontaneity, makes for a wonderful mélange of travel experience.

Je me souviens

The official motto of Quebec (a great travel destination) is rich with historical context, but more superficially, its literal translation of “I remember” offers the traveler important insight. While photo albums and artsy trinkets will come home with us, memories prove to be the most valuable and endearing remnants from a successful trip. The goal of every traveler should be to make his or her trip an adventure worth remembering. Anything less is a waste of airfare.

So, think hard about regret, minimize it in your travel through smart planning, and most importantly have fun.

Bon voyage!