5 Tips for Beating the Bad Weather Blues While Traveling
5 Tips for Beating the Bad Weather Blues While Traveling
Finding yourself in the midst of unpleasant weather on vacation can be daunting for almost anyone. It is important to remember that rain is often a great blessing to communities all around the world. But when thunder and lightning strike, here are some great tips to battle those rainy day blues and perhaps have the best day of your vacation.
Keep An Eye On The Skies
Weather is often cyclical and a little extra research can help you avoid storms. While on the road, keep a watchful eye on the local forecast so to plan rainy day activities on the appropriate days. If possible, wait until you know the weather forecast to book outdoor activity reservations.
Daily weather patterns can be predictable as well. Some locations have sun every morning and storms every afternoon, or visa versa. If you can not find this information online, call up the local visitor information center or a concierge at a local hotel and ask about local weather patterns.
Fortunately, weather may vary for cities that are only but one hour from each other. Rain may be falling in your destination city, but it may be clear and sunny in a city close by. Embrace the opportunity to see a place you didn’t even plan on seeing. Who knows, the spontaneous detour might be your favorite part of the trip!
Pretend To Be A Local
Chances are if you don’t want to be outside, the locals do not want to be out either. Find out their favorite places to be on a rainy day. Settle in a cafe with a coffee or a local pub with a beer and people watch. Journal about what you see or even try your hand at drawing your surroundings. Be aware of your reactions to what you’re experiencing and embracing. Use this downtime to explore a little more in depth how you feel about what you’ve learned on your vacation so far.
Never forget, there is always food. Trying local cuisine helps you learn about the culture and you also have the potential to meet new people.
Don’t Have Your Plans Set In Stone
One of the easiest ways for rain or snow to ruin your trip is by having your days booked solid. If you limit your must dos to about 50-70% of your trip, then you will have a some wiggle room for when you do run into bad weather. Keep a day or two of your trip open for either spontaneous fun or to squeeze in the plans you didn’t get to finish. Always be ready to rearrange your itinerary to make the most of the beautiful weather when it rolls around.
If You Can’t Escape the Weather, Embrace It
Travel fulfills a sense of adventure within us. What is more adventurous than bundling up to walk through a snowstorm to find a warm cafe with hot coffee? Or perhaps the heat is unbearable and it prompts you to find a local swimming hole you would have never found if it had been 70 degrees outside. Is it raining, pouring, and the old man is snoring? Roll up your pant legs, buy a colorful umbrella and take some very unique and memorable pictures in the rain.
Be creative and decide to have a little fun with your “bad” luck. Make a photo montage of the most ironic situations you can create. Say it’s raining at the beach? Take a picture of you in your swimsuit, sunglasses and applying sunscreen in the rain. Or snap a shot in your swim gear and the rain behind you and make the grumpiest face you can, then laugh at how silly you look in the photo and then take another. Perhaps it’s snowing outside and you take pictures of yourself in a t-shirt and shorts. Find the humor in difficult situations that come your way and you will go home with great pictures and great stories.
Look For The Silver Lining
Remember, when bad weather hits, it could always be worse. Always look for a silver lining! Everyone wants the perfect weather, but isn’t variety the spice of life? Hasn’t everyone seen pictures of the Grand Canyon on a beautiful clear day? What about a picture with a layer or snow dusting all of the beautiful red navajo sandstone? Sometimes the most amazing and unique photos can be taken when weather strikes.
Everyone wants to have the easiest and most beautiful vacation possible, but if you have a great trip or not, it is all up to you! Remember to be prepared, yet flexible. Embrace Mother Nature in all her glory and you’ll beat those bad weather blues far far away from you.