Ti House
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Let's talk about travelling. If you have any travel stories to tell, email me! Meanwhile, here's my current travel story of the week.
New faces, new places
When you go to a new country, do you look for all things familiar?
TRAVEL broadens the mind, so the old saying goes. I think it's true. When you go somewhere, you realise that some things which is weird to you is normal to others.
It's all right to feel that way. After all, that's what travelling is about - discovering new things.
What I don't like is, when someone goes to another country and tries to live their lives as if they are still back in their home country. I'm sure you know the type.
Why do they speak their own language even when there are others in the group who don't understand them? I asked a friend and he said "Oh It would seem pretentious if I didn't speak my own language to my fellow countryman." Well, what about me, then? I'm standing there, not understanding a word. It's just good manners to include everyone in a discussion. If they don't know your language then speak one which everyone understands.
Another bad habit: They always try to eat the food they know. Don't they realise that one of the joys of travelling is to discover new cuisines? What a loss it is, to go to an exotic place and look for McDonalds because all the street food seems unhygenic. I'm not advocating eating snakes and monkey brains, but surely there are lots of food out there which is worth a try, even if it may seem a little bizarre at first.
People travel for many reasons. I have a friend, who is in his 70s and is still visiting countries around the world with his wife. Another friend is in his 30s and has been to about 20 countries at last count. He only stops long enough to get some money. Then he moves on. These people really love travelling and do it fulltime. But for the rest of us working-class people, travel means planning, saving and taking a trip once a year (if we're lucky).
So, don't you want to get the most out of your visit? The reason you are going somewhere is because it is DIFFERENT from where you usually live. That being the case, isn't it ridiculous to try to do things that are just the SAME as back home?
Things to do before you go on your next trip:
- Read about the place before you go so you don't spend your days going to the shopping area and back to the hotel. Discover what else is around.
- Practice speaking the local language, even if it's just a few words like "thank you" and "where's the toilet?"
- Be prepared to eat local food. Get your diarrhoea tablets ready. That which does not kill you will make you stronger.
- Do things the locals do. If they don't go to the beach, then what are you doing, spending all your time there?! Don't just follow the tourist trail.
Remember, it's not the destination but the journey that counts.
Cheers!
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