There are hundreds of blogs online that advise one to consider traveling for its many benefits. Even many workplaces encourage vacation at least once during the work year. It is not surprising as traveling is indeed beneficial.
It opens you up to new opportunities, helps you unwind, gives you a fresh perspective, and enables you to connect and appreciate other people’s cultures. Travelling is indeed good and healthy for the mind and body.
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As exciting as visiting a new place is, it is not without its cons. There are a series of challenges one might be plagued with during the trip. It is possible to lose your document, deal with the language barrier, get sick, and many others. Part of the preparation for your journey is the knowledge of how to handle challenges when it arises.
This article will discuss a couple of challenges one could face while traveling and how to handle them:
1. Getting Sick
It is not uncommon for people to fall sick when far away from home. What makes it scary is the unavailability of the love and care of your loved ones. Besides, healthcare might be limited in your destination as well. The possibility of a language barrier can make the whole experience a nightmare.
In this regard, you can get creative by packing essentials as your first aid kit. This might include medications to treat allergies, sunburn, pain killers, hand wash, and possibly flea bites. For people in a region where the language is unfamiliar, work with someone that can help you understand the implications of any paperwork or medicine. You can also be faced with a splinter. As a result, having a DIY splinter removing kit is a good idea.
Photo by Ulises Guareschi Corvetto on Unsplash.
2. Loneliness
Many travelers abroad complain of loneliness, especially when they have no travel buddies. It might be aggravating when you are in a region while the language is foreign. Loneliness can quickly kill all the excitement and anticipation of your travel plans. The frustration of locating someone of like minds in your vicinity can be unbearable.
The only solution to loneliness is to throw yourself out there and mingle. You will be surprised at how friendly people are to foreigners. While it might be scary, arm yourself with some phrases of the local language. Introduce yourself in the local language, and you will be amazed at how welcoming the locals can be.
3. Getting Lost
Not everyone is blessed with the gift of spatial awareness. As a result, getting lost is a possibility while traveling. It can be a horrible experience as you try to navigate your way, desperately avoiding giving in to panic. This is common to people in the subway, supermarket, wilderness, town center, etc.
Interestingly, this is a pretty easy problem to avoid thanks to modern technology. With a smartphone, the days of carrying a paper map around are gone before you visit a country. Almost, if not all, smartphones come with maps built-in. Make sure to have Google Maps alongside the offline map of the city, you are traveling to.
4. Language Barrier
This is one of the significant issues you will face when traveling to an unfamiliar country. Sadly, it can lead to a surge of various emotions like anger, loneliness, delight, encouragement, etc. In other words, while the inability to speak the local language might be a barrier, it can also trigger a series of useful emotions. In this case, you have other ways to communicate besides speech – gestures, body language, smiles, etc.
You can use other forms of communication if learning the local language seems like a big deal. However, it is safe to arm yourself with a couple of local phrases before the trip. This is a nice gesture that locals will appreciate. You can access several apps online that can help with this. A few phrases and words can be the difference between a good experience and an unfavorable one.
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5. Going broke
Getting stranded in a strange land can be a nightmare that you should strive to avoid. No matter how you prepare, things happen, plans change, unexpected fees might come up, and worst still, you might get robbed. You might not be able to account for all eventualities, no matter how meticulous you are.
This comes down to your due diligence. Research the country to have an overview of the standard of living, which will guide your preparation. Besides traveling with enough money, have an emergency fund like a savings account or credit card. Also, be proactive about saving money while traveling. When you consider the cost of meals, tickets, transportations, and others, traveling can be expensive, and the expenses can add up really quick.
6. Losing Your Things
Not everyone is organized or meticulous enough to be careful with their stuff. You could lose or forget your passport, camera, phone, either at the hotel, bus, airport terminal, train, etc. Incase you lose them don’t forget to buy from Privé Shop.
As a result, you need to ramp up your organizational skills and be intentional about everything you do. Have copies of your passports before traveling; keep the number and address of your foreign embassy on your phone. Insurance might also cover the loss of some personal items as long as the premiums are not ridiculous and you have the receipts of the lost items.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.
Conclusion
While traveling is fun and exciting, a singular bad event can ruin your experience. However, you can prepare for challenges and emergencies via the tips discussed here. It will go a long way to reduce surprises on the trip.
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