The Truth Behind These “Travel Myths”

written on December 11th, 2015 by Rafia Abubakar

You will hear all sorts of opinions, advice and misconceptions about travel. Some are practical, some dubious and others you’ve probably already known, tried and tested. When traveling away from home, this is natural. You do your best to be aware of so many things just in case.

But how much of these things are actually true? In this article, we look at the most common travel myths.

Travel is expensive.

This is one of the main myths that turn most people off from traveling. Sure you will have to spend some money, but a decent budget can last you a long way. You just have to know where to go, when to book and what to spend on. There are lots of options for the studious traveler; cheap lodging, budget airlines and even alternative means of commuting to name a few. Food is the easiest to budget and if you know where to look you can find yourself with a filling meal that wouldn’t cost much.

Planning your itinerary ahead can help you come up with your travel budget. And honestly do you really need all those souvenir finds at the shop?

You must visit everything…

It is tempting, but this might not be the best way to go about your itinerary. Sure you can say, “This doesn’t happen often.” But you’ll miss out on a lot of things when you hurriedly hop from one site to another hoping to visit every amazing spot your friends have told you to check out.

So little time so many sites to see, yet jam-packing your itinerary defeats the purpose of immersing yourself in a new place. Take your time. Choose the places you want to see for yourself. Who knows there just might be a next time?

If you’re going to be away on a long trip, pack everything you’ll need.

Here’s an idea, they sell stuff in other countries too. If you can buy some of your necessities (i.e. toiletries, etc.) while you travel, then it’s best to leave the extra baggage space for something else. You also don’t need to pack a month’s worth of clothing if you’re going to be away for a month. Pack according to your itinerary and the places you plan to visit. You won’t need a dress if you’re going camping.

English is the common language.

Some countries have a wide grasp of the language, some don’t. Although you are likely to find people who can understand English, you may not always be lucky either. In many countries, it’s possible that locals far from the tourist spots may not be able to read or speak English. Have a photo of the name of the place you’re staying in or the sites you want to go to, especially for places that have their own scriptures.

Though no one expects you to learn a new language instantly, knowing the basics can go a long way. Locals will appreciate you trying to communicate in their own language.

Airplane food is bad. Recycled air in airplanes will make you sick. And all other airplane related warnings.

The fear of flying is a common phobia. Sometimes the best way to tackle your fear is to face it, as cliché as that may seem. Giving in to the fear only hinders you from exploring new places. Airplanes aren’t as dangerous as you might think. You’ll be surprised what a little research can show you.

Airplane air will not make you sick; otherwise there would be a lot of sick flight crew. The food may not be homemade but recent advances in food preparations have made them better. Still, food taste is subjective, so if you still don’t fancy airplane food you can pack your own.

If you’re afraid of getting sick during travel, your first step should be to practice good hygiene. Little things like washing your hands, or using hand sanitizers.

Street food is not clean and not safe.

You’ve probably heard this many many times. Your mother may have been one of the first to plant that seed into your brain. While it’s always good to practice precaution, generalizing that all kinds of street food are unsafe is a little over the top.

This advice is best to take with a grain of salt (no pun intended). Your best bet is to be observant at how the food is prepared and how clean or fresh the ingredients are when ordering street food. Some of the best food comes from local street food, so why miss the chance?

What other travel myths have you heard? The less you know the more you need to learn. A little research goes a long way, but there is only so much you can learn in front of a computer screen. Go out there and travel. Experience the world. Just heed the warnings and take precaution, but remember to have fun and relax.