What has travel taught you?

[Mattg]

Say, hypothetically, you were asked to talk to a group of high school students about the number one thing you have learned through travelling overseas. What would you say?

 

[Bundy Bear]

The world is a big place.
Also some celebrities eg music artists can gain so much money because of their worldwide appeal.
I remember walking around Japan in 1999 and listening to US music videos being played on these massive LCD screens, in English even though most people were talking Japanese.

 

[aikman]

Australia is a very nice place to live in. Don't take it for granted.

 

[Seat0B]

Plan, plan, and plan some more. Things will not always run to plan, but you won't be worried because you will have lots of information and so many options already researched. Paradoxically, planning allows for spontaneity during your travels. Plus learn to love that planning phase for all the things you will learn.

If I were allowed more than one thing I've learnt, I would add:

• things are different. Not better, not worse, just different.
• people are people, wherever you go. There will be absolutely amazing, kind, generous and lovely people, and there will be total asshats. That is a reflection of those individuals, not of their country, culture or religion. They might just have had a bad day too.
• influencers don't know everything - be bold and find your own places and activities.
• try local foods and drinks - cheaper than eating like you were at home and often amazingly delicious
• when things don't go to plan, breathe, and then make the best of things. If a flight or train or bus is cancelled, it is cancelled. And having a tantrum or a panic attack won't get it uncancelled. Use some of your prior planning to make a new plan, and then enjoy what comes your way because of the new opportunity.
• if you can afford it, book things that allow for free or cheap cancellation - this gives you a lot of flexibility and some peace of mind.
• ask for help if you need it. Better to ask for help while an issue is still small than let it escalate.
• if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford the trip. And read the boring but important small print about things like having a motorbike licence to ride a scooter in Bali, the effect of too much alcohol on your ability to claim for related injuries of lost property, the need to declare anything at all that you have seen a doctor about in the last 12 months, etc etc.
• read smart traveller for lots of good advice.
• you will come back a different person after a trip overseas. You will see your home country differently (for better and for worse). Other people, including your parents, may not realise this, which can make it hard to be home again.
• watch out for the travel bug. Once it bites you, you are addicted for life.

Useless advice: have fun!!

 

[kpc]

[*]read smart traveller for lots of good advice.

If I believe everything Smart Traveller states, there will be lots of places I would be too scared to go to! The site tends to portray the worse case scenarios! Last month I spent an amazing week in Medellin and Bogota in Colombia...if I believed everything Smart Traveller states, I would never have gone to Colombia and that would be a great shame!

 

[elanshin]

Plan, plan, and plan some more. Things will not always run to plan, but you won't be worried because you will have lots of information and so many options already researched. Paradoxically, planning allows for spontaneity during your travels. Plus learn to love that planning phase for all the things you will learn.

My partner has now learnt this is how I plan despite some things not being "booked" immediately and we've had some very good deals (also missed a few things though) and places because of it. It also means when plans go askew I have plan B, C, D, E or come up with backups on the spot.

If I were allowed more than one thing I've learnt, I would add:

• things are different. Not better, not worse, just different.
• people are people, wherever you go. There will be absolutely amazing, kind, generous and lovely people, and there will be total asshats. That is a reflection of those individuals, not of their country, culture or religion. They might just have had a bad day too.
• influencers don't know everything - be bold and find your own places and activities.
• try local foods and drinks - cheaper than eating like you were at home and often amazingly delicious
• when things don't go to plan, breathe, and then make the best of things. If a flight or train or bus is cancelled, it is cancelled. And having a tantrum or a panic attack won't get it uncancelled. Use some of your prior planning to make a new plan, and then enjoy what comes your way because of the new opportunity.
• if you can afford it, book things that allow for free or cheap cancellation - this gives you a lot of flexibility and some peace of mind.
• ask for help if you need it. Better to ask for help while an issue is still small than let it escalate.
• if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford the trip. And read the boring but important small print about things like having a motorbike licence to ride a scooter in Bali, the effect of too much alcohol on your ability to claim for related injuries of lost property, the need to declare anything at all that you have seen a doctor about in the last 12 months, etc etc.
• read smart traveller for lots of good advice.
• you will come back a different person after a trip overseas. You will see your home country differently (for better and for worse). Other people, including your parents, may not realise this, which can make it hard to be home again.
• watch out for the travel bug. Once it bites you, you are addicted for life.

Useless advice: have fun!!

I was about to start typing until i realised you covered most of what I was about to say.

Ill just add:

Travel within your means of affordability. Just because you saw the Instagram post of an Emirates First flight doesn't mean you should blow everything on it, book the Wardorf and come home broke. If it means travelling on Jetstar and staying with hostels, it may still be worth the trip. Its a different experience and can be just as fullfilling.

If you find trustworthy local guides, ask them for for suggestions. Some of the better restaurants and places we discovered talking with locals.

 

[Seat0B]

If I believe everything Smart Traveller states, there will be lots of places I would be too scared to go to! The site tends to portray the worse case scenarios! Last month I spent an amazing week in Medellin and Bogota in Colombia...if I believed eeverything Smart Traveller states, I would never have gone to Colombia and that would be a great shame!

Yes I understand your point very well about some of the security and law and order recommendations.

However, I do think some of the advice there is helpful eg re visa requirements, health and vaccination requirements, local laws (eg not wearing camouflage clothing in some countries such as zimbabwe, quirky laws about taking photos etc), road conditions and travel times etc.

 

[Seat0B]

Travel within your means of affordability. Just because you saw the Instagram post of an Emirates First flight doesn't mean you should blow everything on it, book the Wardorf and come home broke. If it means travelling on Jetstar and staying with hostels, it may still be worth the trip. Its a different experience and can be just as fullfilling.

This is such good advice.

At 65 years of age, I now have the luxury of being able to afford premium cabins and nice hotels, but believe me it was not always like that!

The first trip I took with Mr Seat0A in 1982 (before we were married) we flew the cheapest Y ticket we could get to Europe, travelled using a Student/Youth Eurail pass (2nd class only) and stayed in some very dodgy cheap hotels - and also some very lovely affordable hotels and pensions too, and we had a ball. Some I remember include the hotel in Marseilles that did not have a single powerpoint in the room - but the ever resourceful Mr Seat0A had an adapter that plugged into the light bulb fitting of the bed lamp, and the place in Lech that refused to give us breakfast before the advertised time of 0700 when we had to leave at 0630 to make a train connection despite the buffet being all set up. All we asked for was a roll each and a couple of slices of cheese but they refused. As we left, I managed to pop a few rolls, plus some cheese and ham and fruit into my handbag! Sorted. In the mid 1980s (before kids), a place we stayed at (one night only, that was enough) in Las Vegas was clearly a "rent by the hour" hotel, if you know what I mean. And we travelled across the West of the USA by Greyhound bus - and yes, you meet all sorts that way. And we did all this without internet, reviews, booking sites etc. In fact I distinctly recall waiting for the Thomas Cook Train timeeable to arrive from UK by snail mail so we could plan out our Eurail trip.

And then, when we had a family, we took both kids on a trip or two to the USA, 4 seats across a row in Y on a B747 - still remember the lovely flight attendant who noticed I was WP and offered "whatever I wanted to make the trip more pleasant, short of an upgrade to business." So I enjoyed a few drinks, an amenities kit and some sympathy! Also to Europe, also in Y the whole way, where we rented a car and stayed on the outskirts/in the suburbs of places like Paris, Munich, Berlin and Prague to save a few dollars on food and accommodation. All great family trips.

 

[Forg]

If I believe everything Smart Traveller states, there will be lots of places I would be too scared to go to! The site tends to portray the worse case scenarios! Last month I spent an amazing week in Medellin and Bogota in Colombia...if I believed everything Smart Traveller states, I would never have gone to Colombia and that would be a great shame!

While this is true, the reality is that you also could have died, and people would have been unhappy as a result.

I guess the issue is one’s own acceptance of risk as well as one’s own ignorance about risk.

 

[VPS]

Plan, plan, and plan some more. Things will not always run to plan, but you won't be worried because you will have lots of information and so many options already researched. Paradoxically, planning allows for spontaneity during your travels. Plus learn to love that planning phase for all the things you will learn.

If I were allowed more than one thing I've learnt, I would add:

• things are different. Not better, not worse, just different.
• people are people, wherever you go. There will be absolutely amazing, kind, generous and lovely people, and there will be total asshats. That is a reflection of those individuals, not of their country, culture or religion. They might just have had a bad day too.
• influencers don't know everything - be bold and find your own places and activities.
• try local foods and drinks - cheaper than eating like you were at home and often amazingly delicious
• when things don't go to plan, breathe, and then make the best of things. If a flight or train or bus is cancelled, it is cancelled. And having a tantrum or a panic attack won't get it uncancelled. Use some of your prior planning to make a new plan, and then enjoy what comes your way because of the new opportunity.
• if you can afford it, book things that allow for free or cheap cancellation - this gives you a lot of flexibility and some peace of mind.
• ask for help if you need it. Better to ask for help while an issue is still small than let it escalate.
• if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford the trip. And read the boring but important small print about things like having a motorbike licence to ride a scooter in Bali, the effect of too much alcohol on your ability to claim for related injuries of lost property, the need to declare anything at all that you have seen a doctor about in the last 12 months, etc etc.
• read smart traveller for lots of good advice.
• you will come back a different person after a trip overseas. You will see your home country differently (for better and for worse). Other people, including your parents, may not realise this, which can make it hard to be home again.
• watch out for the travel bug. Once it bites you, you are addicted for life.

Useless advice: have fun!!

I think you've covered most of the things I would have said but much more eloquently.

I've met some wonderful people of my travels - some are close friends more than 40 years later. Some I would have liked to stay in touch with and for many reasons it didn't happen. Others I never want to see again

 

[RooFlyer]

Hmmm... # 1 thing:
* Travel by yourself sometimes & really meet the locals and fellow travellers

Other sage advice

* Learn a foreign language if you have the opportunity

* Never travel without some insurance - especially to Asia!

* Never say never about cruising. You will be >40 some day (yes, seriously!)

 

[daft009]

I learnt a lot about myself in my early 20s backpacking by myself... Really brought me out of my shell and my personality changed too

Staying in hostels at that age is a must lol

 

[SYD]

* Learn a foreign language if you have the opportunity

Preferably the one they speak where you’re going!

Some Spanish goes a very long way.

* Never travel without some insurance - especially to Asia!

^this….it’s insurance! Just hope you don’t need to get your moneys worth TBH.

* Never say never about cruising. You will be >40 some day (yes, seriously!)

Never say I couldn’t go on a big cruise ship. Just research the ones that suit your needs.

But as a FF, most importantly - book early, book often!

That can be a lot easier if you monitor airfares and know what’s typical, what’s cough and what’s too good to pass up!

 

[clifford]

Travel has taught me to be vigilant and to expect poor service from anyone I'm dealing with in that industry.

If it turns out not to be the case in a particular instance, I'm quite relieved and thank the person I'm dealing with.

Of course, I don't thank bots.

 

[flyingfan]

One thing... that worldly travel can give you a different perspective about your own country and the people in it who surround you when you're home.

 

[Scarlett]

I’ve been around the world a couple of times, or maybe more. I’ve seen the sights, I’ve had delights, on every foreign shore. But when my mates all ask me, the place that I adore, I tell them right away: give me a home among the gum trees.

 

[I love to travel]

Never take it for granted, you never know when your last trip is. This applies whether you are 20 or 80 - injuries and life events that prevent travel can and do happen.

 

[jastel]

Take Twice the money, and half the luggage.

 

[Tiki]

Never take for granted the unique opportunity we have to travel the world. Appreciate the people you meet around the world, most of them will never have the opportunities we have just by virtue of being born in wealthy countries. It doesn't hurt to be able to collect points simply by buying groceries! I can't make my friends in Turkiye understand that I am not rich, especially by Australian standards. But I can churn credit cards in the USA and work Flybuys and ER and get almost free flights. I have never regretted taking a trip even if things didn't go as planned I usually have some kind of worthwhile adventure. I do regret not taking certain trips before aging slowed me down. Read as many blogs and forums as you can to learn about travel hacks and always have a plan B.