Do you love to travel? Chances are, if you’re reading this, the answer is yes. Travel can provide a good time, relaxation, and fun. And, when you’re traveling (whether at home or abroad), there is a whole world to explore - chief of all, the chance to meet people, learn different languages, explore a variety of cuisines, and revel in new music, landscape, and activities.

When you travel, you are constantly presented with new opportunities to educate yourself. It really is a shame to take the ´been there got the T-shirt approach when you visit iconic cities, buildings, and natural wonders. You will remember your trip far more if you take the time to pause for a while and educate yourself about the places you visit. Doing so is far better than quickly whipping around the sights, taking a few snaps and leaving it at that.

Vienna is one of those cities that everyone has heard of, but few know much about. Most people are aware that it is the capital of Austria and has strong links with classical composers such as Mozart and Schubert, and, of course, the famous holiday market, but that is about as far as it goes. 

Want to know a secret to one of the best ways to travel? Using your senses. It is genius to incorporate a whole body experience when traveling, whether local travel (try it at your farmer's market!) or to far-flung destinations. Along with an inspirational inforgraphic from Kenwood Travel, here's how:

Alicante and the Costa Blanca are popular destinations in Spain amongst sun seekers from all over the world.

The Costa Blanca is known for its beautiful beaches, wonderful climate, and tourist resorts like Benidorm, Altea, Calpe, Gandia, and Javea to the north of the province, and Santa Pola or Torrevieja to the south.

It’s a pity, because the inland areas of the province offer attractive places and some real hidden gems to be discovered.

Aside from being able to see unbelievable sights and have time for self-reflection, outdoor backpacking also has numerous health benefits, physically, and mentally. The best thing about backpacking is that you get to make the rules – you pick the country, mode of transportation, and accommodations. 

Think of Japan, and you’re likely to imagine fast trains, sumptuous sushi, amazing technology and society and culture like no other. Welcome to the land of convenience where everything just seems to work, but there is more to experience than these for visitors on a trip to Japan. 

So, you’re planning your first backpacking trip? How exciting! There is a lot to consider, and it can be difficult to plan for since you haven’t gone on a trip like this before. Preparation is very different from planning a trip where you get on a plane, stay with a friend, or spend your whole time in one place. Fear not - here are 6 things to consider before you set off on your first trip.