There is something about traveling that inexplicably calls to me. It’s a call to adventure, a journey to new lands, and above all, a learning experience. I love everything about visiting a new place; the rich history, the vibrant culture, the local food, the idyllic cities, and the breath-taking landscapes. It is a beautiful world out there, and I want to see as much of it as humanly possible. In my opinion, traveling is an experience that not only benefit an individually mentally, but also spiritually. It has certainly done wonders for me. It is for that reason why I believe that everybody should travel at least once in their lives.
In general, I don’t think that there is a wrong way to travel. Whether you are doing a rugged backpacking trip through the mountains or you are taking a luxury cruise through the Mediterranean. Everybody is different, so it only makes sense that everybody has different ideas of what an ideal vacation would be. That being said, I believe that there is a wrong way to act and a wrong attitude to bring when you travel. Visiting a place just for the sake of social validation and being able to say that you’ve visited a place is pointless. There is absolutely no point in traveling to a destination if you don’t actually have an intention on learning, even just a little bit, about the place that you are visiting; the same goes for not being willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. It does nothing to go to a KFC, McDonalds, or a Taco Bell when you could go to one whenever you want back home. Those that refuse to see the place that they are visiting as an actual location where people live, filled with culture, history, and tradition, and instead just view it as a “selfie-spot” can just stay home too. The same goes to the tourists who refuse to respect the cultural wishes of the places they are visiting. Traveling is great, but when tourists refuse to treat their travel destinations with respect that I believe that traveling is no longer beneficial, but also rather detrimental.
With that being said, and under no authority except for the experience I have, I have developed some “rules” or “tips” or whatever you want to call them to help maximize your traveling experience:
- The best way to optimize your travel experience is by immersing yourself into the local culture as much as possible. Even if you’re staying at a resort, it is still possible to engage with the local culture. If traveling is a learning and spiritual experience, then the only way that can be achieved is by engaging and learning from the local culture.
- For the most part, children do not have the mental or emotional maturity to travel. I don’t think children under 16 should travel internationally. This is not to say that they should never travel. I think there is great value in showing children your country and all it entails. As a child, my parents took my family on huge vacations that I absolutely loved. however, I only faintly remember these trips, and I most definitely was too young to appreciate them. For example, what is the benefit of taking your eight year old child to Rome? They are far too young to understand the spiritual significance of the Sistine Chapel, nor could they understand the grandeur of the hundreds of ancient historical sites of Rome. Let them stay behind while you go off to Rome without them; both of you will be grateful for it. In addition, I don’t think kids under the age of 6 should travel unless its to the beach or Disneyworld. Although I don’t have kids, I just feel like failure to abide by this tip would just result in a waste of money and a diminished experience.
- Learning the language of your host country separates you from other tourists. Even if you learned just a little bit of their language, many locals view it as a sign that you are making an effort to learn about their culture and they will appreciate you for it. Even if it’s something as simple as learning how to say hello.
- The best way to see a country is by car or bus. These modes of transportation are relatively fast and you end up seeing far more of the country than if you would by plane.
It has only been through experience that I have learned these tips. I have travelled quite a bit throughout my life, starting from a young age. As a child, my parents would take us on road trips across the country. I participated on an archeological excavation in Italy when I was 18 and subsequently took a cruise around the Mediterranean. I convinced my French teacher to take us on a trip to Paris when I was 16. I visited Jamaica with my best friend when I was 19. I took a road trip with a few friends down to Key West to get scuba certified when I was 20. However, it was only when I travelled alone to Australia to study abroad for a semester that my perception of travel really changed. This is where I started writing these travel essays.