Have you ever regretted taking a trip?
If you are like me, you probably get some anxiety before going on an extended trip somewhere. Not only do you need to get so much done before you go that your head starts spinning, but you also have doubts and reservations about your destination. You might not feel that way if you are visiting a familiar or a very comfortable destination, like Cancun or Hawaii. But the backpacker that you are, you long for unchartered territory that puts you way out of your comfort zone, and knowing that your time off is a precious commodity, you probably start double-guessing your destination choice.
Well, I don’t know about you, but despite having all these concerns before almost every prolonged trip I took in the past 10 years, I have NEVER regretted taking that leap of faith and travelling off to that far away land I set my eyes upon. You know why? Because I thrive in new places, places I haven’t visited, the ones that pose a challenge for sure, but also make me feel like a true explorer, even if others have visited that place a million times before me.
Being an explorer is never easy. Imagine how it was back in seafaring days, when voyagers on ships not only had no idea what lands they were going to discover, there was a strong chance they wouldn’t come back alive!
Well, in the modern day, even the world’s most remote corner is likely to have a familiar feel in some way. We are, after all, connected and aware of each other way more than ever before. So if it’s missing your loved ones that you worry about – they are only a click away on your computer or smart phone, if it’s getting around that makes you feel uneasy, well, there are various online translators, and if you are scared of getting lost – online maps will guide you almost anywhere you need to get. And most importantly, if you are an English speaker, you will find your way around almost in every country.
I will talk more about various languages that are useful for travelling in later posts, as well as packing lists and other topics to make you feel at east before any journey.
One thing to remember, however, is that on every journey,the first step is the scariest one. It’ll be much easier and more fun afterwards, I promise!