6 things you don’t realise about travelling
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First and foremost, travelling is an amazing opportunity. You’ll make life-long memories and friends, have unique experiences and learn a lot about yourself and the world. But there are quite a few things people don’t tell you about travelling.
We’ve picked six of our favourites:
1. You need to back up your important documents
It’s no good just printing two copies of everything. What happens if you lose them both, or you get pick pocketed? You’ve got to back up digital copies of your passport, heath cards, travel insurance, visas and other vital documents onto cloud storage that you’ll be able to access anywhere.
2. You won’t like everyone you met
The cringe-worthy couple, the person who is constantly home sick, some old guy, the person who brags about everything and the guitar player – these are just some of the types of people you’ll meet travelling. Of course, you’ll get on with most people you encounter as you’re bound to have loads in common. But what people don’t tell you is that you’ll also hate some of them and want to avoid their company at all costs.
3. You’ll be exposed to new diseases – so get vaccinated
Travelling to foreign places exposes you to bacterial, fungal and parasitic illnesses that you might not be accustomed to back home.
Poor sanitation and unwashed food in warm and moist countries are the likeliest culprits when it comes to harbouring the growth of organisms, but diseases are often passed on from insects and bug bites, flies and even swimming in contaminated water. Get vaccinated at least six to eight weeks before you travel for any diseases you might encounter.
4. Apps can help you out in almost any situation
Take your smartphone with you and you won’t regret it (as long as you’re on the right contract and don’t end up paying a fortune for data roaming). It’s your map, your camera, your entertainment, your tour guide, your connection with home and so much more.
You can download an app to help in pretty much every situation. For example, if you’re struggling to work out if something is a good deal you can use currency exchange apps like XE to find out how much it is in your usual currency. 
5. Tours are rubbish
According to Entrepreneur, all seasoned global travellers will tell you that the experience is enhanced when you self-guide your way through destinations. So ask locals where they would go for a meal or a day out, rather than relying on tour guides.
6. Going home is hard
At first, going home is exciting as you’ll get to see all the people you’ve missed while travelling. But nothing can prepare you for the sinking realisation that you’re not off on a plane again anytime soon. It feels strange to wear socks again, you’ll actually miss sleeping on a bunkbed, and the thought of finding a job is soul destroying. These are just some of the strange things you’ll feel when you return home from long-term travel.
Have you been travelling? Share your realisations with us.
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Yeah! It is better to back up your documents where you can save it and have an easy access on it. Also it is true having shots first and be protected before you go to a certain country so you will not acquire any disease that is rampant in a specific country. Lastly, yes it is better to ask a person who lives in that country where to eat or to go: which place they prefer to go if they want to be relaxed and exhale the stress brought by the responsibilities being an adult 😀 Thanks for this info 😀
Yes, you won’t like everyone you meet! so true! but fortunately we can keep on our way and avoid those people. A few negative aspects for people traveling for a few years: – It’s hard to make friends who last for more than three days, you’re always treated like a tourist, and sometimes you feel like you don’t belong anywhere – Otherwise, traveling is the best thing in this world!
Cheers,
Miguel.
Miguel recently posted…Annapurna base camp trek: Step by step guide
If you visit countries where internet is hard to find in the outskirts, i think it is also important to have a manual compass and a map. This has helped me a lot.
However the above article is an interesting read 🙂
Asad – Off The Beaten Trails recently posted…5 Day-Trips Around Dubai To Plan Your Perfect Dubai Holiday
These tips are very practical and useful! Keep up the great work!
Agness of Fit Travelling recently posted…The Upscale Adventurer – 3 Fitness Holidays for the Bigger Budget
Interesting tips for travelling. Especially the going home is a hard one I think. 🙂
Interesting post. I almost always put my data off because it’s so expensive. And when I do leave my hotel/air BnB free wifi zone I do struggle.
oh yes, going home afterwards is hard:)
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…Sunday in Trieste (May 2017)
#2 and 5 – yes, so true :). Honestly, you don’t like everyone at your office, right? Why would you on your trip? Tours are my pet peeve. At first, I thought that I was incredibly unlucky, but I never enjoyed any tour. Perhaps, it could be a personal preference or an independent streak. Whatever the reason, I prefer exploring on my own. You learn more, remember what you learned and get more satisfaction. Besides, with the proliferation of services like Viator, the quality of tour guides significantly decreased. Sadly, too many “aspiring” guides, too few inspiring ones.
Elena recently posted…Tainan Walkabout
whole heartily thank you for giving out valuable information