A Practical Guide to Travel, According to Ratul Puri

Travel advice can sound inspiring but be difficult to implement in real life. It mentions concepts like wonders of freedom and discovery or mentions moments that can not be forgotten. However, there is little guidance on how to make a trip go as smoothly as possible and be wonderful. It is true, Practical travel is not about rules that are unbreakable or too strict, but about making decisions that create clarity and reduce friction.

This is where Ratul Puri's method is different. His travel guides are based on how travel works in the real world. He looks at how goals break down, how people travel, and how people enjoy traveling. He is not aiming to perfect travel, but to look at how travel can be better.

This blog is about Ratul Puri's Practical travel, where he discusses strategies that make traveling better no matter the destination or the travelers style.

Start With Intent, Not Itineraries. 

Travelers can start planning with lists. These can be lists that include sights, activities, and routes to drive. These lists can be organized in a number of different ways. These lists can be organized in a number of ways to achieve goals. However, there are better ways to plan.

According to Ratul Puri, Practical travel is starting with intention. Before a traveler starts to create a destination or an agenda, he or she must first determine the intention of travel.

Questions to determine intent include:

• Am I seeking rest, change, learning, or movement?

• How much structure is comfortable for me?

• Do I want familiarity or novelty right now?

• It is time to start making plans once the intent is clear. Decisions self-filter, and the complexity is eliminated. 

• Select Movement That Accompanies the Journey

Movement is an essential part of travel. Instead of thinking about it as an inconvenience, treat it as a design choice. 

For Ratul Puri, the manner in which travellers move between places is a strong influence on how they experience those places. Long and unpredictable transfers tend to create disinterest. On the other hand, seamless and controlled transfers create excitement. 

Practical movement planning includes:

• Avoiding back-to-back long travel days

• Choosing predictable routes over overly complex ones

• Allowing time to mentally adjust after arrival

• When thoughtfully framed, movement shows the accessibility and simplicity of destinations.  

• Comfort Is a Tool, Not an Upgrade

Comfort, for Ratul Puri, is a valuable thing. Many people abstract the concept of travel 

Comfort is a tool. It helps focus attention and improves mood. It is clear that the discomfort of travellers, in any of the ways listed here, reduces the ability to enjoy, observe, and appreciate the travel experience.

Practical comfort decisions might include:

• Selecting travel times that help to reduce fatigue

• Focusing on rest-conducive surroundings

• Reducing preventable stressors

• Comfort does not negate authenticity. It allows for deeper connection.

• Keep Daily Plans Simple and Flexible

Overplanning is one of the best ways to generate travel dissatisfaction. When days become overly packed with activities, the travellers can end up feeling rushed and unfulfilled afterwards.

Ratul Puri advocates for simplicity in the daily lay–out. Rather than suggesting full itineraries, he proposes identifying a handful of anchors, such as key activities or intentions to help guide the flow of the day.

A practical daily plan:

• Has a laid-back beginning

• Has uninterrupted time

• Is free of stress

• Is adaptable

• It is easier to respond to interest, energy, or unanticipated situations.

• Watch how decisions build on one another

Travel reflects a series of decisions, each one creating a context for the next. Small actions, such as staying out late, getting up early or moving around a lot, often slide under the radar, but they start to build on one another.

From Ratul Puri’s perspective, practical travel means assessing the trends:

Are days getting longer and more exhausting?

Is the enjoyment getting less as the trip goes on?

Are decisions getting more tiring?

If you can identify these signals before they become a source of frustration, they will help you build a more enjoyable travel experience.

Minimize the situations where decision fatigue can occur

Travel is full of decisions. Although some will be fun, others will be tedious and time-consuming.

Ratul Puri advocates for less decision fatigue for filers by:

• Pre-selecting a few trusted routines

• Avoiding daily re-planning

• Accepting “good enough” choices

That way, once all of the trivial decisions are out of the way, they are able to immerse themselves in their surroundings.

Stay Present Instead of Performing the Trip

Today’s modern travel is often about capturing every moment. While this is important to some, it should not become the central focus of the experience as it interrupts the flow of immediate experiences.

Ratul Puri suggests practical travel as one where presence is prioritised. Travellers can enjoy the experience of deciding when to document something and when to simply be an observer.

Presence is heightened when:

• People limit their use of devices

• Experiences are allowed to unfold without interruption

• Attention is directed towards an experience instead of its representation

• When prior documentation is not relied upon, travel feels better.

• Use the Advantage of Repetition

Travel does not have to always be about experiencing something new. Experiencing the same thing multiple times can be enjoyable as well.

Ratul Puri suggests allowing some repetition when travelling by:

• Visiting the same place multiple times

• Taking the same route

• Doing the same activities

Relying on the same things can and should be enjoyable. The same activities can be done as well.

No trip goes exactly how it is planned. Things will change, preferences will shift, and new things will be discovered.

For Ratul Puri, a constructive travel mindset sees adaptation as part of the experience. Flexibility does not mean abandoning plans. It means being responsive in a constructive manner.

This means:

• Losing overly rigid expectations

• Revising plans based on new inputs

• Letting the experience mature over time

• When expectations are flexible, challenges feel manageable rather than disruptive.

• Re-evaluate Throughout, Not Just After

• Puri believes that re-evaluating while still on the trip is important.

Small moments of re-evaluation, like at the end of the day or while moving, help travelers understand what they are experiencing as they go.

Re-evaluation helps travelers:

• Understand what is working

• Adjust what needs more attention

• Understand what they like or dislike more

• When re-evaluation is continuous, the purpose of travel becomes more clear.

• Let Practical Choices Lead to Meaning

Traveling with meaning comes from a lot of tedious, small, practical decisions made over time.

For Ratul Puri, meaning amplifies when:

• Travel is in accordance with personal values

• Energy is conserved

• Attention is focused

• When the trip is practical, there is no need to look for meaning. It will come automatically.

• Practical Travel is Personal

Not everyone can relate to the same approach. What seems practical to one traveler may feel liberating to another.

Ratul Puri highlights the importance of self-awareness. Being practical in travel means knowing your own rhythms,limits, and preferences.

Good travel decisions are those that suit the traveller, not those that seem perfect in theory.

Ratul Puri's practical travel is not about rules or travel hacks. It is about clarity, simplicity, and thoughtful decision-making.

Travel becomes more enjoyable when it is designed around human needs—energy, comfort, and attention. Practical decisions create space for experience.

Meaningful travel is often the result of practical travel, not the other way around.