Travel is something which gives you dual feeling. On one side you are sad and not sure if to leave your comfort zone while on the other side there is excitement to be on the other parts of the world. The excitement and the thrill usually overcomes the sad and the uneasy part and you make your way through it.
People, usually our elders are the ones who says a lot of things to scare us not to travel. It is not always that these people have travelled far and wide that they exactly know how unsecure travelling is. Also, it can be that they are always protective of us and don’t want us to encounter anything which is inappropriate during our travel. But it is always best to overcome such fears and trust your instincts on that matter. Even, if these people scaring you might have travelled, they might not have had the luxury of the internet-of-things. Because of the modern GPS apps on local transportations and Google maps and hotel and hostel booking apps you can not only be confident of losing your way but also make your travel a cheaper one.
Myth no 1 # Travel is expensive
The first thing that comes to mind when you talk about travelling is ‘the budget’. Choose your travel destination according to the budget you want to spend. There are places where food, lodging and transportation are way too expensive (e.g. London, Switzerland, etc.). You can always skip these sorts of places in the start. Research well about the affordability of the place you are looking forward to visit. The three basic components we spend while travelling is food, lodge and travelling through the city.
You can’t do away with food, however, if you are on a tight budget you can visit cheap fast food restaurants. Also, you can buy a day’s ration like water, energy drinks, fruits, biscuits or cup noodles etc. from the local supermarkets as you will save a lot doing this.
To save on travel around the city, make sure you have downloaded your offline Google map and you remember the name of the place you planned to visit. Taxis are expensive. Even Uber and Grab Taxis are not reasonable as compared to the public transport like buses and trains. In places like London you get a good option to travel by buying a ‘daily or weekly or monthly travel card’. While in Bangkok cheaper methods are using the BTS train, local buses or Grab Taxi if it is urgent. Make sure you have the place name in their local language so they understand you.
To stay a night you can find any cheap hostels from numerous booking websites. Or you can as well travel at night and sleep during the journey to save on lodging. However, by doing so you get so tired that you must get a proper sleep in a bedroom after 2-3 days of doing so. ‘Couchsurfing’ is another tool in the internet which lets you save on lodging. This website helps you find a hosts who would be happy to entertain you and provide you food and lodge for days that you want to spend in that place.
Myth no 2 # Travelling is unsafe
Unless you are so unfortunate that the plane you are travelling is hijacked or a random terrorist activity occurred when you were at that particular place. Accidents can happen anywhere, you just need to be extra cautious. You need to trust your guts about where you should be or you should not be at some particular time.
Wearing expensive jewelleries, watches and stuffs attracts burglars towards you. There are examples of people getting robbed in Brazil. Especially when you are walking in the streets at night, be very careful about it. So far I have not encountered any such dreadful events but being extra cautious is the key to protecting and safeguarding yourself. Also check our previous post on ‘Travel Security’ which enlightens you on what to be careful of while travelling.
Every people on this planet are prone to aggression. When you keep your profile low and behave properly with everybody, you are less likely to get into trouble. Else you can’t escape the trouble in your country of origin as well. Good organization and common sense helps you keep away from troubles. And if you made a few solo travels than you are experienced with how to keep yourself safe and away from troubles.
Myth no 3 # Travel is for people who are young and single
For people who are old and have a family might think that their travelling age is far from over. However, this is not true. Old people and also family people may take once in a year to visit places to have fun with their kids and loved ones. They just need to do a rigorous planning and seek for extra luxury than young people which could be a little expensive. I have during my travelling seen few families together backpacking and some driving in the RVs all around the world. It is just the fact that your mind should be ready for it.
Myth no 4 # You feel lonely when you travel solo
Many a times I have travelled alone, where I walked the streets alone, sat in the restaurant alone and slept alone. But I never felt alone. I was always travelling with beautiful sights, talking with fellow strangers who were also travelling and carrying all the beautiful moments I encountered and was expecting to see more. I was always excited for the new and the unexplored that you never get time to feel that you are alone.