Travel isn’t an experience isolated to the destination. Perhaps like you, as a kid I dreamed of traveling the world. Now that I’ve grown up to become a world traveller, I’ve often thought about the question: what is the best way to travel? Of course there is no straight textbook answer, but since you’re reading my blog, you may be interested in a couple tips I’ve picked up along the way.
- Know your own culture:
Culture clashes come in all shapes and sizes. On a small scale, this can mean not understanding why fries are chips and chips are crisps (it makes no sense, a waffle chip?). On a larger scale, it can mean stumbling embarrassingly through broken French, begging the waitress to take back the plate of raw meat when I assumed boeuf tartare meant cooked with tartar sauce. As a traveler you have be clear with who you are, what you like, and most importantly what you cannot stand. Some like traveling with a companion, because it can feel hollow if they don’t have another to share the experience with. Others are perfectly fine venturing off on their own, preferring the freedom of autonomy. Some need an itinerary (the if-we-keep-to-the-time-we-can-visit-everything schedule), others prefer to unleash their own spontaneity (i.e. burning that aforementioned schedule). Understanding your culture is key to not only planning the logistics of your trip, but also selecting a destination. Are you okay if the country’s native language is not your own? Do you prefer public transit to renting a car? Are the local customs contrary to your personal beliefs? Can you respect that? These are all questions that need to be asked of yourself before you decide on a destination. The world is not a one size fits all, so doing a bit of research both introspectively and online is worth the time.
- Treat yourself:
When you’re on a tight budget, logistics don’t always get the attention they deserve. For those of you planning to go very far away, read twice as closely. There are two ways to get around the world: the long way, or the short way. As someone who is constantly working just to scrape enough money together for a ticket, I don’t say this lightly: if financially possible, always choose the shorter option. As a frequent traveler, I have lost more time and money taking the cheapest way out (I’m looking at you, Spirit Airlines) than if I considered slightly more expensive options. It’s hard on a tight budget, but if you’ve got any wiggle room, treat yourself to the convenience of a shorter flight. It’s logical, a shorter flight means there is less time for something to go wrong. For example, minimizing layovers decreases the chance that your luggage could be lost or damaged. Even more importantly, your body will thank you. Being cramped up in a three-foot space for 21 hours is not fun, no matter how many movies are available.
- Don’t Screw Future-You
The Boy Scouts say “be prepared” but I like my title more. You never know what might happen when you’re abroad so don’t screw yourself by being unprepared. For example, on my way to France, I never expected to be in a situation where I would purposely pretend not to know French. Yet that’s what I had to do to escape, because I also never imagined that a father asking for directions would actually be a man using his baby as a trick for starting a conversation to hit on me (I’ll never forget that baby). Should anything go wrong (a traveler’s mantra), always know your basics: how to contact help, how to get home, and always have cash. Contacting help isn’t always easy. If you don’t know the language, keep certain local words and phrases written down either on your phone or a piece of paper (like ‘help me’ or ‘do you speak [insert language]?’). This will help you communicate without pronunciation affecting the message. Getting home isn’t always the same getting there, so make sure if you’re traveling far from where you’re staying that you have a definite way of getting back. Often public transit closes down after a certain hour, and taxis are harder to find in areas with fewer people, so planning ahead can make a huge impact. A good habit to get into is memorizing landmarks around the area you’re staying in, this way if you need help and someone doesn’t know the address, they still may recognize the area. Finally, always carry some cash with you. Not everyone takes cards, but everyone always takes cash. In a pinch, you might not know what you’ll need it for, but you’ll be glad you’ve got it (surviving is part of the experience, right?).
From transportation to culture, there are plenty of factors that can make traveling an unpredictable adventure (which is part of the fun). With that said, there is still a lot within your control which can help keep ‘unpredictable’ fun. It may seem that traveling is all about getting on a plane, and stepping off into an adventure. Truthfully, that’s most of it. For the rest, these tips are here to help.