Travelling is not always easy and you will most definitely get into unexpected situations. However, some of these can be foreseen and prepared for. Here are 5 common travel challenges you will face while traveling abroad.
Being Unprepared
This is an over-generalization, but you get the point. Being unprepared is by far the worst thing you could do to yourself. It’s not even a challenge you will encounter because of the environment you find yourself in but rather something you inflict on yourself wilfully.
To avoid making this obvious mistake, make sure that you prepare everything way before your trip. Ask your friends and family to help you if you have no idea what to do. Make a list of things to get, book accommodation, read about the local climate and culture, plan your travel route, and so on.
Jet Lag and Other Sicknesses
Jet lag is real and will haunt you. Just kidding. But understanding that you may feel disoriented after the ten-hour flight is essential to preparing for jet lag. Get rest before and after the flight and try to adjust to the local timezone as soon as possible.
Staying healthy overseas is important and other sicknesses you may experience while abroad include:
- Motion Sickness: From the rocking of the boat -or bus! Just get some pills that will keep you from vomiting and/or bring a strong paper bag.
- Heat Exhaustion/ Heatstroke: May happen if you are exposed to direct sunlight too much and the temperature is high. Cool down someplace shady and drink plenty of water. Eating a small amount of something sweet and salty alongside the fluid will help recovery.
- Altitude Sickness: Happens when you climb too high (and usually too fast) in the mountains. You may not appreciate how high you actually are in a new country. Keep hydrated and eat light but high-calorie food. Avoid getting into zones of high altitude abruptly.
- Homesickness: If you travel for longer periods of time. It will pass as soon as you get back home. You may then get away-from-home sickness usually remedied by another bout of travel.
Not Knowing the Language
We all know the struggle. Sometimes you will simply not know what someone just said to you and you will feel either stupid or frustrated. There are some things you can do to avoid this common travel challenge.
- Before the Trip: While looking for information online, make use of a translation service like PickWriters for any website written in a language you don’t understand. Also, consider putting together a small dictionary/phrase list or buying one to use while abroad.
- During the Trip: You can even go as far as hiring a translator/guide to show you around ,especially if you travelling with a few friends Learning the language is also an option, so use Duolingo or a similar app to perfect your skill.
Sunburn and Insect Bites
Not everyone is used to hot weather and if you are going to a country with such a climate, you may not be well prepared. Along with heat exhaustion mentioned earlier, you may get sunburned. Take sunscreen with you and apply it every day to prevent that from happening.
Biting Insects are another problem. For some regions, you will need to protect yourself against the risk of malaria. Research this aspect of your destination and decide whether or not you need the extra protection of some sort. In most other circumstances it’s just an annoyance because there are so many bitey things and your body isn’t used to that. Cover up bare skin as much as you can at peak biting hours and use a deet-free repellent.
Food Poisoning
Last and perhaps the most disastrous is the much-dreaded food poisoning. Once you get food poisoning, the only thing you can do is wait for it to pass. However, there are some things you can do to prevent it:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before every meal. Or at least disinfect them with your sanitizer. In fact, make washing you hands something you do more regularly than usual.
- Avoid eating food that has been kept warm and rather eat the one that is piping hot.
- Drink, and wash fruit and veg using water you know is clean.
- Be careful with all meat and seafood, particularly if you can’t tell how fresh it is.
The cause of food poisoning usually stems from the food itself. If it was kept improperly or wasn’t cooked well, there is a high probability that it will have pesky bacteria in it. Food that is left out for too long or isn’t reheated correctly can also cause food poisoning, so be careful at all times.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there is nothing you should be particularly afraid of. In fact, if you decided to go to a different country you are already pretty brave. Just remember the 5 common travel challenges, keep in mind this advice, do your own research and get ready for adventures early on.
Author Bio:
Donald Fomby is a freelance writer for Best Writers Online. He has written custom content for various websites and has worked in various marketing efforts and campaigns.
