Traveling abroad is a wondrous adventure. It gives an extremely busy city dweller an opportunity to break the chain of routine and fill their hearts with new emotions, feelings, experiences and impressions. Today many people tend not to cooperate with travel agencies. They prefer to travel independently because they find it more interesting, adventurous and cheaper. If you are one of them and the idea of exploring the world independently does not sound intimidating to you, then you should pay attention to these wise pieces of advice that will certainly keep you out of trouble.
1. Increased reliance on electronic technologies
Modern people are so used to electronic technologies, e-services, and gadgets that they find it difficult to picture a life without them. It is easy to book a ticket or a hotel room directly from the smartphone that has an access to the Internet.
However, not all countries are as developed as yours. There is a high possibility that the people who live in remote places have never heard about credit cards, electronic tickets and do not know about the novelties of the technology worlds. If you do not want to get into a mess, always keep the paper documents and a little cash in your pocket.
2. Excessive trustfulness
The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who are sure that this life is full of deceit, and those who wholeheartedly believe that everything will be okay and look at this life through the prism of optimism.
Though it is better to be an optimist, your trustfulness and naivety can play tricks on you during the trip. You should always keep your eyes open and listen to your heart. If someone makes you an attractive offer, but you are awfully worried, even for no reason, you would better reject the offer.
3. Fast pace and high expectations
Every time we cross the border of a new country, it seems that we enter a new world full of interesting people, lifestyles, traditions and extraordinary things. We do not know what places of interest to discover first and automatically start raising high expectations for the trip.
The desire to try and see everything usually gives birth to fast pace, haste, stress, and tension. Traveling is a kind of relaxation that should bring a great deal of pleasure, experience, and positive emotions. You should decide what places of interest you really want to see in advance, and focus on them only.
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4. Careless roaming
If you have never been abroad, you should know that mobile roaming is a very expensive and dangerous thing. Some of my friends who did not take the mobile roaming tariffs seriously during the trip abroad experienced a bill shock on arrival. If you do not want to make the same mistake, you should either use programs that provide free voice call and video chat services or familiarize yourself with the roaming tariffs and use its services consciously.
5. Ignorance of the local law and traditions
We live in a multicultural and democratic world where every person is free to do what they want, but remember that a new country has its own laws, rules, values, social norms and traditions. If you break the law and tell that you know nothing about this law, it will not help you escape the responsibility. The law is equal for everybody – whether you are a local or a tourist. Before you decide to go to a foreign country, try to learn at least something about its culture and laws.
6. Excessive expenses
Many inexperienced travelers go to a foreign country, forget about all troubles and plunge into the world of entertainment. They start going on a spending spree since they believe they deserve it. They start buying pointless trinkets and going to expensive restaurants. Surely, positive emotions make the trip unforgettable, but make sure you spend money consciously.
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7. Absence of medical insurance
While it is wise to hope for the best, no one can be confident about tomorrow. No matter whether you are absolutely healthy or not, you should purchase travel insurance for your own well-being and safety during the trip. The medical insurance will help you overcome the fear of getting sick in a foreign country. Plus, you will obtain medical care and get all necessary medicines in case of a disease.
If you stick to these rules, you will be able to make your independent travel pleasant, memorable and safe. What other important things should inexperienced travelers know?