Most everyone loves to travel, but while some do so as free as the wind, there are a few with hearts saying yes and brains are saying slow down. This can be because of inexperience, past events or just your personality and knowing what you’re comfortable with.
For whatever reason, you may be extra cautious traveling places drastically different from your familiar surroundings. Not surprisingly, big cities with unique cultures and languages can add that much more stress to an already hesitant mind. But don’t call off the excursion just yet.
You can relax a little bit more with these travel tips meant just for you.
Travel with a +1 (or Two)
One of the best ways to reduce travel anxiety is to go with people you feel comfortable around and can trust. You’ll have someone to help make decisions and someone to talk to if there are issues to solve.
Whatever happens, it can help you keep calm just knowing you’re not alone. You’ll want to tap shoulders strategically, too.
You may have a friend that’s an absolute blast to hang out with at home. However, they may cause you more stress if you get into a difficult situation in a faraway land.
Be mindful of how many people you ask along. One may not feel like enough, but more than five could start to cause you to stress in other ways.
It’s important to know what you can handle and plan for the best dynamic.
Join a Tour Group
Having a buddy along for the ride can do wonders for an anxious mind, but it might not be enough to allay your fears completely. Another great way to feel more secure is to join a tour group.
You can find offers where a tour company takes care of all your expenses, so all you have to worry about is showing up. Being with the same group of people with a seasoned tour guide for several weeks can definitely provide you the safe space you’re looking for.
If you’re afraid of getting stuck with a group of people you’re less than impressed with, you can also book tours by site and by city. And wherever you’re staying, there’s sure to be concierge services or a front desk that can help you navigate the time in between.
Get Travel Insurance
There are a lot of extreme circumstances a cautious individual might worry about when planning to explore a foreign land, including lost luggage and medical emergencies. If you don’t find the idea of looking for dentists while worrying about how you’ll pay for the care, find out more about travel insurance.
Often you can purchase flight and travel insurance along with your plane ticket, so don’t be afraid to weigh the pros and cons of spending a bit extra for some peace of mind.
Keep Emergency Items Close
A simple way to make sure you’re prepared for every eventuality is to pack essential emergency items in your carry-on bag. You’ll want the usual things like identification documents and a credit card of emergency cash, but you can also anticipate other needs.
Will you miss a flight? If so, it might be helpful to keep your toothbrush, and a change of clothes close by.
Do you have trouble with knee pain? Pack a bottle of Tylenol or ibuprofen along with your knee brace so you can still enjoy the trip.
Order Currency in Advance
Advice on the internet about exchanging currency and using credit cards in a different country varies depending on where you’re traveling from, where you’re going to and your comfort level.
For the anxious person, it’s entirely okay to order the local currency in advance through your bank. There will likely be an associated fee.
However, ordering it ahead of time means you’ll be more at ease when you finally step off the plane with money already in hand. It’s also a good idea to bring along a credit card that’s accepted universally in case of emergencies.
You can do some research on your particular experience beforehand as well. Finding out the best credit cards to use or where to find ATMs and whether they have surcharges will help you avoid surprises.
Travel can also put stress on our bodies from being constantly on the go and from unhealthy practices such as poor diet and lack of exercise. Get some highly actionable tips and tactics you can use to minimize the effects of your travel on your well-being.
Yes, the cautious traveller has everything planned in advance.
Not me.
On my two trips to Europe that did not include a young child, I had a rental car planned in advance. Have car, will travel…and there would always be inns and B&Bs (or at least parking spots) pretty much anywhere I went.
Hey David sounds like you’re more flexible in certain circumstances. Having lived in Europe for five years I think you can get away with the lack of planning in Europe as compared to the US. Thank you for sharing.
Gerardo