A Few Travel Myths Uncovered

As published on youthone.com, 2002:

1. Travelling is TOO expensive.

Yes. That can often be the case. If you want to purely travel, you need the cash and travelling with Canadian dollars in Europe, for instance, can be really expensive. The good news is, is that there are opportunities for working holiday visas across the globe. You can check with Travel Cuts (their SWAP program is good for the beginner traveller) or with the embassy of your choice. That way you can work and travel at the same time. Having a base in the UK is often good, since you can save in pounds. Also there are lots of cheap flights out of London through places like www.easyjet.com or www.ryanair.com.

2. Isn’t English the second most widely spoken language in the world? I won’t have any problems!

Even with the pop-up of English language schools across the globe, this often is not the case. When I was in Amsterdam, some people did speak English, but a few didn’t. Basically it’s not polite to presume that everyone speaks your language. If someone came up to you in Edmonton and started speaking in rapid Russian, would you not run away screaming? A lot of major cities might have people who speak some English but even in a capital like Paris, you are not necessarily going to be understood. And if you go away from the main tourist areas, you will definitely find a language barrier! Most importantly, all signs will be in the language of the country that you are in. As for English speaking countries-words often take on another meaning in other cultures (In the UK pants refer to underwear! That is a commonly laughed at mistake. So please don’t yell out in the bar ‘I just spilt beer on my pants!’ It’s quite embarrassing.)

3. I’m going to travel the world and make new friends in every country!

This can be possible but more often then not, the people you meet are other travellers. So don’t be disappointed if you are not considered a cousin in a Sicilian family by the time you leave Italy.

4. I don’t need to plan. Travelling’s about adventure!

You DO need to plan. The World Health Organization has a great site that deals with safety issues at www.who.int/ith. It tells you what to bring and what you need to be immunized against when travelling. For some of the immunizations, you need to have had them at least 4-6 weeks before departure! Also some countries have specific visa requirements such as China or the Czech Republic. Check with your local embassy to find out if you need a visa before you leave the country. It is often very difficult to get once you arrive. Do check out the forums on www.lonleyplanet.com —travellers asking questions and getting answers. Most of all, be prepared to experience cultural differences, some of which you won’t be aware. If you’re planning to see the Vatican, plan to bring something to cover-up in - no short shorts or tank tops. And you’ll find that in some Latin countries, men are very aggressive in their perusal of women. Find out how your dress and manner will be treated in other countries and what behaviour is considered acceptable in you and in those who live there.

5. I need to plan out my whole trip from start to finish. That way it’ll be way more fun!

Some planning is good but too much planning can be a knife in your back. Just because a place looks good in a book or website, doesn’t mean it’s the place for you. It’s all personal preference. If you are hostelling along the way, there are lots of opportunities to take side trips with other adventurers. Also if you over plan your days, you might find yourself too tired to enjoy where you are. Saying no to an unexpected street carnival just because you hadn’t completed your itinerary for the day, can leave you regretting it later.