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When we think of traveling, it’s the adventures, sights, and good times that come to mind. However, while they’re by far the biggest factors, they don’t tell the whole picture. There are other, less fun elements of travel that you might also have to contend with when you go on a trip to a far-flung part of the planet.
You can’t always avoid low periods when you’re traveling. But what you can do is control how you respond. In this post, we’ll run you through some of the headache-inducing elements of being on the road, as well as offer advice on how to prevent them from derailing your fun.
Packing Stress
What — and how much — you pack will impact various elements of your trip. The problem most people make is taking too many clothes. When you’re sitting at home, it’s easy to imagine that you’ll wear a million different outfits and a host of travel gadgets. In reality, you’ll end up wearing the same things over and over. You’ll find everything much easier to manage if you’ve packed lightly. Of course, you’ll also want to ensure that you’ve packed appropriately. If you’re going to a popular destination, then ask on online forums — Reddit is a good place to look — what people are currently wearing. Even hot destinations can get chilly in the evening, so you might need to pack some layers.
Early Departures
The appeal of an early flight is usually pretty obvious — they’re cheaper, and you get to arrive at the destination early in the day. However, there’s one pretty big downside, and that’s that they are early. In some cases, they’re so early that you have no other choice than to get a taxi to the airport, which can offset some of the savings you made by booking an early ticket. They can also just be physically and mentally grueling; no one wants to be on their way to the airport at 3:30 am.
If you have no other choice than to take an early flight, make things as easy as possible for yourself. Load up on snacks, wear comfortable clothing so you can sleep on the plane, and just broadly accept that it’ll probably suck.
Airport Chaos
There’s nothing better than a clean, spacious, and quiet airport. Alas, with more of us flying than ever before, those types of airports seem increasingly hard to come by. You’ll have to deal with a lot of other people. And in some cases, you’ll have to deal with a lot of other people, and that can make the whole airport experience pretty difficult. First of all, if you think that you might encounter delays at security, then get there early — you’ll be happier spending thirty minutes browsing the airport shops than nervously waiting to see if you’ll make it through security to make your flight.
Also: you’ll be happier if you accept that airports, at their worst, really do suck, but they’re only a stepping stone to more fun adventures.
Arrival Tiredness
You’ll be eager to begin sightseeing once you land at your destination. Alas, sometimes, the journey will have wiped you out a little, especially if you’ve had to cross time zones. If you have the time, then it’s recommended to have a relaxed first evening once you land. In some cases, it can even be better to stay at a hotel close to the airport and then make the journey to your eventual destination in the morning, when you’re fully refreshed.
Also, don’t trust your mood when you land. They say first impressions count for everything, but that’s just not the case when you’re tired and cranky.
Unsure Where To Start
In some instances, not knowing “what to do” is fine — if you’re going on vacation with the sole purpose of lying on a beach for a week, then you won’t need to build an itinerary. However, if you’re visiting a happening destination, such as London, Paris, or New York, then it’s recommended that you do so. Those big cities can be a little overwhelming, and it’s not uncommon for first-time visitors to spend the first two days walking around aimlessly. If the place you’re visiting is in any way popular, then there’ll be a host of blogs outlining the best way to spend your first days there.
Hotel Issues
We cannot stress this enough: search for hotels on platforms that provide reviews. A hotel’s website might look great, but then again, they would make it look great. Previous guests will give you their honest opinion. If everyone’s saying that the place is great, then you can trust that you’ll have a great time when you’re there. Small note: while you can search for a hotel on booking platforms, it’s best to actually make your reservation with the hotel directly to ensure you get the best rates.
Language Barriers
The ability to explore and observe other cultures is one of the joys of traveling to far-flung destinations. However, those trips do bring a pretty big obstacle: you very often won’t know the language that the locals speak. While English is spoken in a lot of places, it’s not as widespread as many people believe — take a trip to, say, Istanbul, and you won’t find too many English speakers.
So, what’s the solution here? First, learn how to say a few words in the language. It’ll go a long way. Second, have a translation app downloaded on your phone. It can make everything much more straightforward.
Falling Ill
It’s unlikely that you’ll run into any issues whatsoever when you’re traveling, but there’s always a possibility. In fact, it’s possibly more likely in certain destinations, since you’ll be trying foods that you may not have before, and that can always cause an upset stomach!
You can’t always prevent illness or injury (though do try to minimize the risk whenever possible). The best approach is to know where to go in case you do have a medical emergency and to have extensive travel insurance — it’s one of those things that’s easily overlooked, but you’ll be thankful you got it if you need it.
Journey Boredom
The vast majority of your trip will be taken up by good times and fun adventures. But if you’re traveling for long enough, then there’ll come a point where you need to take a long train journey, have a long layover, or otherwise spend some hours doing less-than-fun things. You can beat this boredom by having a few games ready to play. There are websites where you can play solitaire, minesweeper, pool, and other classic online games. If you’re traveling with a larger group, then pack a deck of playing or Uno cards. They’re perfect for passing thirty minutes or so.
Falling for Scams
The bulk of the people you meet while on your travels will be absolutely lovely. But there could be a few who have less than honest intentions. Scams can be targeted at anyone, but they’re most commonly directed towards tourists, since it’s much easier to scam someone who is unaware of local customs. It’s worthwhile reading up on common scams before you travel. If you do fall for a scam, then try not to let it ruin your trip — you’re not the first to fall for it, and you won’t be the last, either.
Managing Moods and Disagreements
People are affected by travel adventures in different ways. Some people get cranky after a long flight; some people get a little grumpy when they can’t find any food that they like eating. When you’re traveling, there will be highs, but there’ll also be some lows. When they strike, it’s best to take a sympathetic approach. Nothing is made better by telling someone that they should be in a better mood. You’ll probably be in a bad mood at some point during the trip, too, at which point your traveling companions will cheer you up.
Runaway Expenses
You can tell yourself that you’ll keep your spending under control before you hit the airport. But when you’re actually on the road, things can shift pretty quickly. For one thing, the destination you visit might be more expensive than you thought it would be, or perhaps there are unexpected expenses that dramatically increase how much the trip costs you in total. The best approach is to try to create a realistic budget before you go. Don’t promise yourself that you’ll have a shoestring budget — you either won’t do it, or you’ll just have a miserable time while you’re traveling.
Post-Vacation Blues
Finally, there’s the matter of post-vacation blues, which, yep, is a real thing. It can be difficult to go from having an outstanding time one day, and then back to the office the next. You can beat the blues by, first, booking an additional day off work for when you get back home after the trip. It’ll give you a day to enjoy at home. The other solution? Look at booking another trip for a few months down the line!
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