Travel Articles

Travel brings me happiness. Although it's not essential in answering the question "how to be happy," travel can give us a different perspective on the world we live in. Often providing gratitude and connectedness. It's also a great way to learn about yourself and (if applicable) your travel partner.

How to Take an Awesome Vacation Every Six Months, 4 Tips on Finding Travel Deals

by Jared Akers

We met online and it was my first date in almost a year. Just after her margarita and my iced tea arrived, I asked my qualifier question, “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?”

Her answer, “Las Vegas.”

She didn’t even think about it.

I have nothing against Las Vegas, but I was hoping for something a little more exotic or at least outside of the U.S.

The following day I had another date with a woman named Emily.

Again, “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?”

Her answer, “Belize, because I want to learn how to SCUBA dive and hear the diving is good there.”
[Read more…]

5 Can’t Miss Tips on Travel and Life

by Jared Akers

EmilyAndJared_WaimeaCanyon — Emily and I, Waimea Canyon, Kauai 2008

As someone who loves traveling, I’ve discovered a few secrets on how to be happy in travel and why it’s an important aspect of happiness—at least for me and my wife. And in true How to Be Happy fashion, I relate travel tips to finding happiness in life.

Travel can teach you a lot about yourself and your potential partner or significant other. Experiencing other cultures is a great way of becoming more “a part of” the world.

Travel for me began in my late teens. Just after graduating High School I spent 3 weeks in the Soviet Union (1989 which I believe it was considered the USSR then). It was quite an experience and I realized just how lucky I was growing up middle class in the USA. A lot of things we took for granted were considered luxuries in many places we visited. [Read more…]

Just Breathe!

by Jared Akers

On our recent trip to Cozumel I had an interesting experience. On our second day of diving I had an issue with my regulator. The regulator, which consists of multiple parts, is what enables you to breathe underwater. Pretty important.

First a little background.

Up until a few years ago I had never gotten sea sick, but it seems that once I started diving, smaller boats seem to make me a little nauseous. Specifically during surface intervals (SI) (the time on the surface between dives to allow an excess nitrogen release from your body). SI’s are generally spent sitting on a boat or on the way to the next dive site which can be brutal. I’ve spent a few feeding the fish. I’ve tried everything, ginger pills, bonine, etc. but this time I had a prescription for the motion sickness patch you put behind your ear. I got the prescription last summer and tried the patch a few days while at home to make sure it didn’t have any weird effect and it seemed fine. The first day diving in Cozumel I was fine without the patch, the sea was calm and the boat we were on was fairly large. The second day was calling for choppy seas so the night before I put the patch on. In the middle of the night I woke up a little dizzy, the patch was making me feel a little disoriented and nauseous. I know… isn’t it suppose to prevent that? Being a recovered alcoholic, I’m really, really, really careful about taking any medication and never take anything that makes me feel “different.” I don’t like feeling different, I like having a clear head and connected spiritually. So when I woke up a little disoriented I immediately took the patch off. [Read more…]

Leaving for Curacao

by Jared Akers

This is my last week of school and my wife and I leave on Saturday (06/13/09) for a week vacation in Curacao.

I really wanted to get this awesome article I’m working on up before I left. However, it’s really turning into something I’m excited about and so I am considering making it a series. The working title is: “The Happiness Series: 6 Steps to Inner Peace and Happiness” “The Spiritual Serenity Series: 7 Steps to Inner Peace and Happiness” and it was inspired by this quote:

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
~Ghandi

The quote really resonated with me and I believe it to be right on! The article(s) will be about getting our thoughts, words, and actions in harmony.

Instead of rushing it (or deciding to make it into a series simply because I’m running out of time), I’m going to wait and finish when I get back from vacation. This week is pretty busy already and I really want to be present… especially with my wife as we get started packing and gearing up for our vacation. If I’m thinking about this article in the back of my head… well, I just won’t be as present as I need to be.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a few thoughts and quotations I have accumulated for article topics. I thought I would throw some out here and see what sticks! Let me know in the comments if any of these hit a chord or inspire you! Maybe they’ll end up as article topics someday! (We return to the States on the 20th, so look for a great new post somewhere around the 24!)

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
~Lao Tzu

“When I hear somebody sigh, ‘life is hard,’ I am always tempted to ask, compared to what?”
~Sydney Harris

“The idea keeps persisting that the instincts are primarily bad and are the roadblocks before which all spirituality falters. I believe that the difference between good and evil is not the difference between spiritual and instinctual man; it is the difference between proper and improper use of the instinctual. Recognition and right channeling of the instinctual are the essence of achieving wholeness.”
~Bill Wilson, As Bill Sees It

“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.”
~Lily Tomlin

photo credit: Erica_Marshall