International Trip Ready- Feeling Yo’ Self

You are not afraid to get out there and explore but you are still a bit conservative and not ready to go on an all adventure. Your international curiosity has been peeked and you want to take that first time big trip abroad. I’ve been there. Playing it safe while doing something that most would consider adventurous. You’re kind of feeling yo’ self but not yet crazy.

Where to Start

We’ve already covered the basics in International Trippin. If you’re ready to take the next ‘biggish’ step, then I’ve got the tips for you. You don’t have to travel far to have some amazing experiences. That said, I would start somewhat easy. By that I mean, start with countries that aren’t as much of a cultural shock and that are easy to manage for people that need a bit of support. Let’s get you on your way.

What to do – Trips that work

Select an English Speaking Country. I know it sounds odd but if you’re looking for an adventure but are not ready to carry a language translator tool around with you this is where you want to be. There are roughly 67 countries that have English as the official language. But don’t get too comfortable with the fact that they use English. Deciphering accents on an international trip takes a skilled listening ear and it doesn’t help that not all references are the same. You’ll find this out rather quickly when you ask for fries and get potato chips, you are offered a biscuit and someone hands you a cookie or you ask for pants and get what we call underwear. There are enough difference to keep you on your toes.

Go all inclusive. Personally, I feel this sometimes defeats the purpose of going abroad to experience a different culture. Yet, all inclusive style resorts take the guess work out of travel. These type of resorts are accustomed to catering to the needs of tourist and generally have a wide variety of people on staff to support you in your native language. You can still get outside of the resort to explore and have a nice haven to come back to when you need a break. The Caribbean is the perfect region to find resorts that allow you to kick back and check out of it all.

Pick something that you love in any language. Like wine or music and organize your trip around that theme. In addition to doing something you love, you also get a ready made community of people that like what you like. Typically this style of travel comes with an itinerary so you can focus your attention on specific things to guarantee an amazing trip. Tour vineyards in France or attend a music festival in some other part of the world. I did the Montreux Jazz Festival as a solo traveler and had an absolute blast.

Leverage a travel company. There is an abundance of travel companies offering fully designed and fully guided trips. Companies like Globus Journeys, Intrepid and Abercrombie & Kent are a few of the ones I look to when deciding on a new destination. They take the guesswork out of what to do and how to do it. Organizations like these can book door-to-door adventures and all you have to do is show up. This type of service for an international trip will cost more but you have less thinking to do. Pro Tip: I sometimes and look at the itineraries of the travel companies and design my own trip to the destination without all the fuss of a travel company.

Do a cruise. Cruising is one of the least intimidating ways to discover a new country. You get to a departure point (cruise lines will recommend hotels). You board the fully stocked ship so your only decisions are where to dine and what events to attend onboard. And nearly every day you wake up in a new destination where you can explore a much or as little as you want (as long as you get back before the ship pushes off to the next stop). While there are a many upsides to this type of travel, there is also a bit of downside to it. Technically, you never really get immersed in a country. With only a few hours in dock you never have enough time to venture out for true exploration. That said, you do get to dip your toe in multiple destinations on one consolidated trip.

What Not to Do – Trips that might be harder to pull off

Solo trekking. This should go without saying. But setting off an adventure to trek the Himalayan mountains on your first trip abroad might not be the best decision. I’m not saying to steer clear of solo trips. I’ve done a few myself and have had the most amazing times. That said, you should always look to minimize dangerous excursions as much as possible even when you feel comfortable with an international trip.

Self Driving Adventures. I love to rent a car, grab a map and set out on some crazy adventure. However, that was not always the case. It took a lot of time to get comfortable driving in a foreign land and I am still nervous. I had a friend who rented an RV to do a wildlife safari in South Africa. Unfortunately they had a flat in the middle of the bush. There is nothing scarier than trying to change a tire while looking over your shoulder for a lion on the hunt. Save your self-driving adventures until you’ve developed a bit of confidence on the roadways and understand the driving rules of the country.

Summary

Once you get the hang of entering new countries and navigating successfully, you will be ready to take on anything. Give yourself a bit of grace and allow mistakes to become learning opportunities. With every passport stamp, you will become more proficient at international travel. Pretty soon you will be ‘feeling yo self”.