My gap year was nothing like I thought it would be. I struggled to find work, a lot of my friends had already left for Uni and I never luxuriously backpacked across Europe. Seriously, why did I think I would be able to afford a trip to Europe? I felt duped and lied to about the whole gap-year experience – it was nowhere near as luxurious as I pictured it to be. But eventually,I learnt that you don’t need to pack a bag to go on an adventure. There’s always so many things nearby that we may never have visited, or never fully explored, so why don’t we take advantage of that? Being a tourist in your owntown is affordable, easy, and fun! Here are fivetricks I used in my gap-year to get to know my hometown that much better.
1. Search your local attractions OR visit a Welcome Centre
If your town has a visitor’s centre, go there! Grab alllllthe brochuresand ask the workers there what they would recommend doing. You’ll be surprised at all the hidden gems you missed in your hometown just because you never looked at it through the eyes of a tourist.
2. Immerse yourself in nature
In my hometown,we have a river, sandhills and (extremely small) red cliffs. My friends and I would go to a small Pakistani shop, buy $1 flatbreads and some dip and then walk to a spot to sit down and eat. I remember everything from latenight, teary-eyedconversations to loud cackling laughter with my friends sitting beside the river. It can be so easy to take the scenery around you for granted because you see it all the time but if you can find beautiful places outdoors to spend a quiet moment alone, or a loud moment with friends, you’ll grow to appreciate it more. Plus it’sfree, so who’s complaining?3. Go somewhere you haven’t gone since you were a kid
Whether it be to the arcades or tobowling, there’ssomething really fun that you just stopped doing as you grew up. Find a sweet nostalgic memory of a childhood birthday party and run with it.4. Experiment with what you eat
It’s no secret that we all have our go-to restaurants, my loyalty to fastapasta runs DEEP, but I challenge you to try something new! If you usually eat at Italian restaurants, maybe try that new Thai place down the road. The worst-case scenario is that you don’t like the food; thebest-case scenario is that you have a new go-to.5. Change the way you travel
There are so many different methods of transport – you can get to where you want to go by foot, bike, car, bus, train or maybe even boat – so switch it up a little! Whenever you take a route you don’t typically go downor travel another way; you’llsee things you don’t usually get a chance to see. I was fully unaware of an art gallery on the MAIN STREET of my hometown, simply because my turn was always before that block. Sometimes the cost of adventure is just a $1.20 bus ticket.So take a friend and a disposable camera and gobe intentional with your memories! Stop putting off things you say you want to get around to just because you feel like you lack time or money or opportunity. Being a tourist in your hometown can be so easy and inexpensive, you have no excuse not to goand have fun.
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