In a workshop, spiritual leader Deepak Chopra related a curious incident. “I was stranded in a lift this morning. I decided to make the most of the situation. I closed my eyes and meditated for a while.
Then I thought I would call up one of my friends. We had a long and interesting conversation.” When he finally emerged from the lift, he was feeling refreshed. That was how he made the best use of the available space and time.
A lift, flight, car, train, hotel or a house becomes our living space—while we inhabit it. The time we spend in these spaces can be used for our wellbeing.
When my son used to travel in the suburban train, he and his friends had made their compartment their home. They would share each other’s stories, play games and even celebrate birthdays! So you get the point.
Long distance journeys
Long distance travel can become really tiresome. The only way you can keep oneself fit on such journeys is to keep the mind and body relaxed but charged. Here are some ideas:
- Stretch your hands and legs and rotate your ankles and wrists once in a while to regulate the blood flow in your limbs and also be alert and avoid getting cramps and stiff joints.
- Keep walking up and down the passage of your compartment. If you are on a train, take a light stroll on train stops.
- Consume more liquids than solids during long journeys to avoid indigestion and headaches.
- If you have to break your long journey, make use of the opportunity to exercise by walking at the airport. You can even have a bath, and shop in the meanwhile. You will feel refreshed and recharged for your next journey!
- Keep yourself occupied either by reading or watching good programmes.
- If you are travelling by car or train, take photographs of the scenery or interesting spots on the way.
Hotel stay
Once we reach our destination, the city of our visit and the hotel we are staying in becomes our home for the duration of our stay. It allows us to rest, refresh and recharge after a hectic day of sight-seeing.
That is why choosing a good hotel is imperative, also from a safety perspective. Here’s what you can do to make your stay comfortable:
- Plan your trip in advance. It gives you enough time to look for good, clean hotels and strike good deals.
- Make sure that your hotel is in a good locality with easy access to the market place, bus stop and restaurant. It shouldn’t feel like a strain to get back there or like a prison with no proper transport to get you out.
- Check whether your hotel room has good ventilation, clean toilets and comfortable beds.
- Ensure that it offers at least a decent if not spectacular view. Looking at the backside of other buildings when away from home is depressing.
- Select a room that allows for privacy. But make sure it isn’t too isolated for safety reasons.
- For the sake of your own hygiene, use your own toiletries and towels.
- Open the windows and air the place as soon as you occupy it to get rid of the unpleasant odours or other contaminants in the room.
- Insist that your bedding be cleaned and replaced every single day of your stay. Ensure that the laundry is freshly done.