Keep Creative while travelling
I'm about to go to Italy!!
I'm really excited but of course there are now considerations about what creative materials I can pack, where I'll be able to sit down and do my creative practice and when I'll fit it into my travel itinerary. I've encountered this many times on work and personal trips both overseas, outback camping and interstate visits to family so in this episode I share some tips on keeping creative while travelling.
The tips are:
Pack smart
Create a routine
Pivot.
Take a class
Just try some new things
Take photos
Journal
TRANSCRIPT
Well, hello everyone. And welcome back. Uh, the day, this episode is released, I will be preparing to go on a solo trip to Italy, and I'm very, very excited about it. Um, Italy has been on my bucket list for many, many years and. I'm finally going and yeah. Going by myself. Probably the first time I've traveled solely by myself, Although I am meeting a group, which I'll talk about later in this episode, but yeah, it's all, um, it's all pretty exciting. Um, but as you know, I'm on a daily creativity streak, so I'm committed to doing at least five minutes of creativity every day. And I know from past experience of traveling, either for work or leisure, that traveling can be a big disruptive habits that we normally practice daily without having to think about them. Things like exercise meditation. Taking vitamins, journaling, et cetera. And without putting in some extra time and thought and planning, these activities just might go by the wayside until you get home. Um, and look that might be planned. You might intentionally decide to give your body a break from intense training or if your journaling is on your laptop, you might forgo it for a bit in line with your holiday digital detox. But if you're like me and creativity is a non-negotiable daily thing, then in this episode, I'm sharing some ideas to help you keep creatively engaged while you're away from home and away from your usual routine and your usual creative materials. So here we go.
Tip number one, pack smart. So your first consideration is probably what materials or tools you can feasibly bring with you, especially if you're flying as opposed to taking a road trip in a car. But then there is the issue of how much space you'd have to actually do your work when you get to the destination. If you're staying in a hotel or an Airbnb, or even a caravan, you might at least have some desk space, but if that's not the case, Then just scale down. If you can't bring a laptop to write your novel, how about a notebook to journal or jot down ideas for upcoming chapters? If you can't bring your big musical instrument, like a keyboard throw in a guitar or a ukulele for your musical practice. Obviously that might not work if you're flying, but yeah, if you're driving the car, it's easy to pop a ukulele in and have a little strum when you get to your destination. If you can't bring your large canvas and paints, pack a sketchbook and a case of pencils or coloured pens.
Or go digital with an iPad and an app like procreate, which is especially good if you were going to bring the iPad anyway and then it does double duty, which is a good travel hack.
Personally, I always travel with an A5 sketchbook and a black fine liner a pen in my carry on so I can do some doodling on the plane or while waiting in transit. It's my go-to creative thing. And while I do miss working with colour after a while, these two basics will get me through my travels every time. And that includes car trips and camping, which we do a lot of. Obviously not while I'm driving.
Uh, tip number two is create a routine. So yeah, when you're traveling. You're usually out of your usual routine, but you can create a temporary one for the travel period. So set a regular time of the day. For example, first thing, when you get up or last thing at night, Or maybe it's that moment when you return to your accommodation from the day's adventures, whatever works for you, but just pick a time to sit down and be creative. And remember it doesn't have to be longer than five or 10 minutes. But even that amount of time will reconnect you to your creative practice. You'll probably find it to be quite a grounding activity, especially if you're like me and you're inclined to feel overstimulated when in a new place or doing lots of socializing. And this tip is really for folks like me who want to practice every day. But if your trip away is specifically to have a total break in routine, then that's okay too. Enjoy your break without guilt.
Tip number three, pivot. Now I believe the rules on what you can take on an airline now include knitting needles. But there was a time back in 2010 when I wanted to knit, but I could only take a crochet hook on a plane. So I learned to crochet in anticipation of this flight and I ended up making a cute little Buray for my newborn nephew, who I went to visit in New Zealand. And similarly, if it's impossible for you to practice your preferred craft outside your studio take the opportunity to pick up something new, even just for the travel period. Because doing something new keeps your creative practice fresh anyway, and it might bring a new perspective to your usual practice.
And this point kind of leads me to tip number four, take a class. Because learning about the traditional cuisine, the wine or the craft of a region is one of the joys of travel. So take a cooking class, an interactive wine making tour. A traditional dance class or a workshop in local textile crafts, ceramics, or printmaking. Not only do these activities connect you to the culture and the traditions of the place you visiting, but you might also get inspired to pursue a new form of creativity once you return. If nothing else, you’ve nourished your creative soul for a few hours and possibly even have an item you've made yourself to take home as a souvenir. The main part of my trip. And the reason I'm going at this time is to participate in an art retreat, led by UK artist, Camilla Perkins, and it's organized through a US based company called ACE Camps Travel. They offer a wide range of creative experiences in gorgeous locations, all over the world. And, oh my goodness. Looking at their website, I just wanted to go on every trip they offer because they all just look so amazing. Um, this is not an endorsement by the way. And of course I'm yet to actually live the experience. Um, I'll certainly report back on how it all went when I returned. But, uh, this is just to say that there are companies out there who offer tours based around creative interests, for those who want to have that focus on their holidays. Also Airbnb, as well as accommodation, they offer experiences you can book wherever you're traveling to. And many of those are creative workshops and events that are linked to the local culture. I'm sure there must be others you could Google, but classes or workshops are a great way to keep creative while on your travels.
Tip number five, just try some new things. You think it would go without saying, but when you're traveling, unless you're an intentional adventure seeker, it’s quite possible that we tend to gravitate to experiences that are not too dissimilar to our usual lives. Really. You know, we want to be comfortable and stick to what we're familiar with. So I tend to see myself as adventurous with food, for example, because there's, there's nothing really in Western food that I really don't like. But if I really think about it, I'd probably shy away from things like eye balls and crickets, because they're very unfamiliar and way out of my comfort zone. But. Outside the comfort zone is a place fertile with possibilities for the most memorable of life's moments. And these moments can be the inspiration for future creative projects.
So eat the eyeball, go hike, the unfamiliar trail. Book, the unconventional accommodation, and experience something Uh, other than the main attractions.
And number six, take photos. You’re probably already doing this when you travel, but if you approach taking pictures, being really observant, noticing the details, seeing the beauty in vast open landscapes. Centuries old buildings or even super modern ones. They can be cool to shoot as well. Things like a plate of unusual food, a cheerful table setting, locals going about their daily life or bustling vibe at markets. What else? shells on a beach. It takes a creative eye to notice these things. And when you do, you'll start seeing every ordinary thing is beautiful. And you’ll end up with stunning holiday pics.
Of course, you could go a creative step further and sketch these scenes. Write music or a poem about them. But taking photos either with an SLR camera or your phone is an easy and portable way to keep creative while on the go.
Tip number seven, journal. Another very portable and time friendly creative activity is journaling. And when you're traveling, there are so many new experiences to write about. So get it all down on paper, even if it's just dot point descriptions or of your accommodation, the excursion you went on, or the food you ate. Even if your trip is for work or visiting family, simply journeying away from your home and being somewhere different, brings a new perspective, worth noting in a journal. And this process could be the start of a brainstorm for your next big project.
So that's all for this episode. I'll be back in a couple of weeks and no doubt, I'll be filled to the brim with creative inspiration, not just about the techniques I'll be learning during the retreat, but also just from immersing myself in the Italian culture and the beauty and the experiences I'll have there. Oh my gosh. I can't wait. And so if you're traveling these holidays or planning to in the future, I hope these tips will keep your creative juices flowing while you're away. It's just a matter of setting some intentions and doing some planning before you go. So until next episode in a few weeks time, keep creative and bye for now.
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