I will tell you the truth, folks. When I decided that it was time to write this very article, I was unsure how to begin. I already knew the message that I wanted to convey however did not really know where and how to start. So I made a Google search to see what travel tips others give for travellers to do and to take before the trip. I came across some very useful tips and some others made me chuckle.
I remember some travel experts go as far as giving people advices such as ‘make sure to put your alarm clock on so that you won’t miss the flight’. Some other traveller Gandalfs profoundly tell you that you have to take your passport and some cash. And socks as well. Wow, thanks captain obvious. Why don’t you tell me where I should go to for the flight? Have been pondering over and still haven’t been able to figure out… Was it train stations or airports where airplanes land and take off?
Okay. So you have already realized that I am not going to advise you to get a sturdy luggage for the trip. I am not going to tell you that you must lock your flat’s door while you are leaving for the trip, neither I am going to assume that you are a complete retard who would not put the alarm clock on in order to be able to wake up for the flight early in the morning. Well, it is not my intention to mock those advices and travel experts… Wait a second, I think actually it is. Because, it offended me as a reader. 🙂
Anyways, I rather would like to talk about something that you are obliged to take with yourself wherever and whenever you travel. Something that is inevitable and essential. Something that you cannot leave behind even if you like to do so. Something more fundamental than your socks, flip-flops, underbra wallet, travel guides and maps. You can get all those at your travel destination, perhaps at a much lower price than home. Besides, I am certain that you are going to take your passport if you are travelling abroad and have your flight / accommodation information ready.
I would like to talk about a force! which is a way more important driver for the course of your trip;
yourself, your mood, your energy!
Your personality, your attitude, your thoughts, your good or bad mood is going to be standing by yourself the whole trip. You are going to bear all of your personality traits wherever you go, whatever you do. If you are grumpy at home, you are most certainly going to be grumpy and complain left and right on your trip as well. If you let yourself down with the slightest problem at home, I assure that you will get frustrated on your trip a lot. And the worse is that it may not be only you. If you are not travelling alone, you will also kill the spirit of your travel partner(s) with your doldrums. Great job, thanks…
Flight cancellations, lost belongings, sickness… If you are planning to become a frequent traveller, things will go out of your control occasionally and one of those is going to happen to you for sure. At the worst, you may get exposed to a super combo of those three. How prepared you are for those challenges and the way you handle them will decide if the trip is going to be a good memory or a nightmare.
If you tend to experience an emotional breakdown and start screaming around after a flight delay or cancellation, don’t go further dude. Retrieve your luggage and go back home. I can imagine your reaction when the room you booked at the hotel doesn’t turn out to be the way it was seen on the pictures, which happens very often.
I am not saying that you must have super human abilities for not to feel frustrated, sad, upset or down. As a human being, you can’t escape those feelings when there is a trigger. But you should be quick to recover and get back in the mood to cheer your trip.
Leave your complaints at home, be open minded and prepared for the challenges. Remember that you planned this trip way ahead and probably already spent some good amount of money for it. So detach yourself from the grouchy and gloomy self within for at least several days. Try to stay on the bright and positive side, would you?
And last but not least. I know that what I am going to say may defeat the purpose of this blog but I will be honest and tell you my sincere opinion; you shouldn’t know a lot about the place that you are about to travel IMHO. Do not kill the feeling of uncertainty and obscurity. Isn’t it what travelling and exploring about? The urge and excitement of discovering somewhere/something that is ever far-off to your knowledge and experience.