Travelling to foreign countries can be one the most fulfilling experiences you can ever have in your life. There are some people who consider traveling a necessity and others who consider it a luxury. Whatever the reason you choose to travel; for work (maybe a TEFL course – https://www.theteflacademy.com/course-option) or leisure, you need to be adequately prepared for the unique challenges that travel can bring. How much should you pack? Should you learn the language, at least the basics before travelling? How do you make friends quickly in a foreign land?

Choose Your Destination Carefully

The point of travelling is not to accumulate stamps on your passport. Whether you plan to visit 7, 11, 35 or even 50 countries in a specified period, you need to choose your destination based on what you wish to experience while in the country.

Aside from potential experiences, the country you choose to visit may also be determined by how much you want to spend on your trip. But take money out of the equation for a second and realize that even if you only get to visit one country in the world, the experience of seeing different cultures, different buildings, experiencing different weather patterns or even just hearing people speak a language you don’t understand is unmatched.

If you exhaust your dream destinations and get to the point where every destination feels much the same, you may want to take someone else with you. Seeing the new location from their point of view can significantly improve your experience.

Decide Why You Want to Travel

Most people think that the biggest decision you have to make when travelling is choosing the destination you want to visit. The destination is certainly important, but it is not as important as why you want to go here. Are you trying to prove something to yourself or others? Did something happen in your life that has pushed you outside of your comfort zone?

Your “why” will significantly shape the experiences you have while on your trip abroad. If your example you want to travel to a foreign country to broaden your view of the world, you may be more open to experiences you may have otherwise considered unconventional. This is why some people who leave home to venture into a new culture come back changed both physically and emotionally.

Ask yourself why you want to travel and with the right answer you can shape an unforgettable experience.

Be Prepared For Unique Challenges

Your friend’s latest vacation photos may look great but they hide the many challenges your friend had to face to get to the picturesque location you see on the photo. Every destination has its own unique challenges and knowing about them before you travel may help although being over prepared may also take something away from the experience.

There are certain expected un-pleasantries that you may have to deal with on a vacation. Thing like blisters and swollen feet and others are to be expected if you are on a hiking trp. You can also expect a few other challenges like food poisoning from foreign cuisine and even bed bugs.

But all of these challenges are what make the travelling experience one of a kind, giving you the perfect story to tell your grandchildren in the future. That and all the beautiful sunsets, savory meal share with new friends and solo strolls along some of the world most spectacular locations make the perfect vacation. Without all the bad stuff, it would be impossible to have a complete experience.  

The Travel Necessities You Really Need

The most stressful time of travelling is packing. What should you bring? If you Google travel packing lists, you can easily get essentially confused by the dozens of blogs and forums all claiming to know what you need to pack. Whether you are going on a two week trip or two-year trip, there are certain things that will make your travel that much easier;

• Tylenol
• Wet wipes
• Ear plugs
• A pocket charger
• A good book
• A notebook
• A camera

You must also remember to be patient with the people you meet but more so because you will probably never get anywhere on time. Buses will get stuck in traffic, flights will be delayed and you will have trouble finding a taxi. This is the other reason why flexibility is a requirement when travelling. Being able to alter any rigid plans (you should never have any) is perhaps the only way you can get to see or experience something the average tourist never gets to see.

And finally, keep in mind that every experience is unique. Don’t try to recreate the experience your friend told you about because you can’t. Instead be determined to have your own unique experiences on any destination you choose.