by Ina Winslow

Created on: February 13, 2008

The excitement of visiting a new or favorite place is just part of the allure of vacation travel. Relaxation is another, and few things make us feel more relaxed and peaceful than the comforts of home. You can enjoy both the excitement of travel and the comforts of home at the same time if you just plan to pack a little of home along with you before you leave.

Surround yourself with little touches of home as much as you can, from your favorite soap and shampoo, to your comfortable pajamas, familiar alarm clock, and even that wonderful old pillow that always gives you a pleasant night's rest. No detail is too small to add to your feeling of comfort: if you plan on buying new beach shoes and some good, new walking shoes before your trip, be sure to also take along your favorite old flip-flops or slippers to wear in the evening as you settle down after a busy day. You may be surprised how much this one little touch of comfort will make you feel at home.

Take along a favorite framed family photo and set it up in a prominent place in your hotel room, beach house or cabin. It will serve as a small, frequent reminder of enjoyable times you've shared as a family that can help set the tone for a happy family trip.

While incorporating the sights and material comforts of home, don't forget your sense of smell. Pleasant, familiar scents can evoke wonderful memories that will make you feel warm and welcomed. If you have a favorite room freshener, potpourri or even a closet or drawer sachet, bring it along.

Do a little extra research before your trip, by reading up on the area you plan to visit. Naturally, you will already be familiarizing yourself with the specific sights and activities that you're interested in, but look a little further into the area's history, culture, architecture, environment, or any other attributes that catch your interest. This little bit of "homework" will go far to make your vacation spot seem familiar, even if I you're visiting it for the first time.

As much as possible, stick to your comfortable, familiar daily routines while you are traveling. This will help to ease any "out of place" sense you may find yourself feeling while you're away. Try to keep to your usual patterns of sleeping and rising so you will feel rested and fresh as you start each day.

Maintaining your familiar daily routines as much as possible can add greatly to your enjoyment and comfort while you're away. For instance, if you typically exercise in the morning before breakfast, stick to your workout while traveling. If the hotel gym fits into your exercise plan, be sure to take advantage of it. If there is no gym, improvise with floor exercises or a yoga or jogging/stretching workout.

If you usually read to relax before going to sleep for the night, take along a book so you can continue your evening reading while you're away. Better still, start reading the book a day or two before your trip, so that the story will already be familiar to you when you pick it up again to read in your hotel room.

Take a little time to organize and prepare in advancewith a bit of attention to the favorite things that make you feel comfortable and secure at homeand you'll add a tremendous sense of comfort to your next trip. You'll soon see that you truly can enjoy the comforts of home even while experiencing someplace exotic and new.

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