I read a fantastic post recently titled “No, it’s not your opinion. You’re just wrong“, and it’s often tempting to scream this when given travel advice from those with a horrible misconception about anything related to travel!!
And you know exactly the people and advice I’m talking about. It’s the auntie who thinks that you’ll leave for your trip abroad and wind up kidnapped, murdered or raped. Or the grandmother who lectures that you should never touch food from a roadside stand. Mine told me I shouldn’t travel to Africa as it was likely I would return home with Aids!!
It’s the cheap backpacker who says not to bother buying bottled water because tap water is fine (the same guy who shows up 4kg lighter after having gone incognito for three days) or the drunk uncle who advises you’ll end up starring in the sequel to “Taken” or “Hostel”. Though granted, Liam Neeson can rescue me any day!
Sure, the majority of people probably mean well when they’re telling you this stuff, and they’re probably genuinely attempting to help, but the fact is they just aren’t! And to quote my new favorite article, it’s not even their opinion, most of the time they’re just wrong!
Sure, travel means different things to different people, and people travel in many different ways. And therefore because of this, travel advice is usually subjective. Meaning collect it, though if something sounds dubious or just completely wrong, feel free not to use it!
The following is a list of common travel advice you shouldn’t be listening to – the worst travel tips of 2015! Follow these tips at your peril!
Women Should Never Travel Alone
This is possibly one of the most overstated, over debated and most nauseating statements in travel. Horrible things happen in any country including that of your home; they happen to both women and men, and the best piece of advice for those worried about solo female travel is to make sure you’re traveling with common sense, be aware of your surroundings, trust your gut instinct, and don’t take any risks you wouldn’t take at home.
Sure, solo travel through some countries can prove to be a greater challenge for women than it is for men, and certain destinations do require extra safety precautions especially when traveling alone. But that doesn’t mean that women can’t or shouldn’t get out there. The world in general is a very safe place, and in reality no one ever really travels alone. You make friends and meet people along the way.
Don’t Go To (Insert Place Here), it’s Dangerous, You Will Get Kidnapped/Killed/Raped/Beheaded/Die Horribly
The second most nauseating statement in travel. Though a close contender for the first. If I had a dollar for every-time this had tumbled like word vomit out of the mouth of an extended family member or friend I would be sitting pretty in a luxury apartment on a cruise ship for the rest of my life. Like this woman. I should start a bad travel advice donation jar.
A few relatives even took it upon themselves before I embarked on my first trip to phone us and read the riot act to my mother and father for being irresponsible parents in letting their 18 year old travel alone. Seriously.
If your best advice is that we should stay at home for fear of being kidnapped/killed/raped/beheaded/die horribly, my advice to you would be perhaps you should never leave your house.
Take the Overnight Bus
Taking an overnight bus is an idea you can file under “seemed like a fantastic idea at the time”, when in reality it just outright sucks. Far more exciting in theory, the idea is that you’ll make it from one place to the other while saving on a night’s accommodation. Win-win right!! You couldn’t be more wrong.
Overnight bus travel has been described as a “nightmare on wheels” and this couldn’t be more spot on. It’s uncomfortable. You may think you’re going to sleep through the trip and wake up refreshed and ready to start the day in your new destination in the morning, though after barely getting any sleep, the first thing you do when arriving at your new accommodation is beg for an early check-in to get into the room. And your bright idea of making the most out of the next day is ruined with an afternoon nap which ends up wasting the day away.
After draping our sleep deprived body’s over the lobby furniture in the Amsterdam Swiss Hotel, the morning staff somehow made our room available at 6am. Though the majority of the time you’re going to be stuck in your destination early in the morning without any hope of check-in until the afternoon. “Eight hours to kill wandering around in a sleep-deprived stupor before you’re even allowed to check in?” Fun.
Never eat the street food
The world as you know it will never be the same. If you eat street food while overseas you’ll contract food poisoning and die. This has been described as the “worst piece of travel advice in the history of forever”, and once again, we agree!
Let’s be honest – street food is far safer than many people would lead you to believe, and it’s highly unlikely you’ll spend your entire vacation huddled over a toilet just because you’ve made the bold choice to venture outside the doors of a Western restaurant and dig into the fry pans sizzling on the street.
Sure, there are many countries where you should practice heightened precautions when choosing your vendor, though open air stalls have the advantage over traditional restaurants of being able to watch your food as it is prepared, and locals won’t be eating at places that make them sick.
Street food is the tastiest, cheapest and easiest way to get a taste for local cuisine, and is generally the most direct route to forming a sense of a country’s culture. It’s an inexpensive way to eat, and will present you with foreign flavors which will blow your mind.
If you’re still uncertain, look for a place which is busy where there is a high turnover (means food won’t have a chance to fester), where one person is handling the money and another is cooking the food, and travel with a small hand sanitizer to use before you touch your food.
Carry Travellers Checks
No, don’t. In fact, do they even make those any more?! Travellers checks are incredibly expensive and now that we’re living in 2015 they are super difficult to redeem. Most banks aren’t even willing to cash them anymore. Trust us, you can see the New York attractions without them!
International ATM networks now are now the most convenient way to access your cash while abroad, so make sure you’re covered for emergencies with a few back-up cards. Having a hidden stash of cash in a preferred currency is also a good idea.
Split everything up into various pockets across different bags, and only carry your main credit cards and 1-2 days worth of cash with you in your wallet at any one time. If something gets misplaced, lost or stolen, you then have emergency funds and haven’t lost your whole stash of cash.
Buy a Selfie Stick
Please don’t. Anyone who tells you to buy a selfie stick cannot be trusted. And anyone who uses one, well, they have questionable judgement.
Let’s skip the fact that you look ridiculous and everyone is laughing at you on the street. It’s fairly safe to say that common sense is effectively dead, and as such the use of selfie sticks is becoming a safety hazard across the globe. A growing number of landmarks, attractions, and even whole destinations, are beginning to ban their use.
You piss people off when you attempt to use them in large crowds, cause massive offence when using them at holy sites, and these sticks have a way of highlighting the inner idiot in people.
People using them unsafely on Disneyland rides mean they’re now banned in every park, and a growing number of people seem to decide it’s a good idea to pose for close up selfies with wildlife, turning their backs on wild bears and other unpredictable animals in the wild.
Well, one couple found themselves gored by Rhinos in 2013 for getting too close for a better shot. This is why we can’t have nice things.
There’s No Way I’m Flying out of the Country with All of These Terrorist Threats. I’m Staying Right Here in the US of A
Rolling my eyes. Recently, more than 60 people have been killed across three continents, during separate attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait. Tourists were among the wounded in the Kenya mall massacre of 2014, and in the last 12 months the world has seen attacks in Belgium, Australia and the United States.
Yes, global terrorism is a fact, though staying “right here in the US of A” isn’t a foolproof plan for avoiding a terrorist attack. Because we’re living in 2015 and terrorism is happening EVERYWHERE. You know what you do? You travel anyway. You should not let extremist activities stop you from doing what you do.
Because it’s not travel which is dangerous. It’s life. And generally the world is a relatively safe place. Just make sure terrorism coverage is included in your insurance policy and this is the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe.
Wait Until the Kids are Older Before You Take Them Anywhere
I mean, they won’t remember it anyway right? Why spend all that money.
First of all, kids can learn all kinds of things from traveling, even if they aren’t old enough to remember. Traveling with children can also lead to the most rewarding travel experiences, and it often teaches them more about the world than they will learn from a formal education.
And while you may think it’s a daunting concept, the reality is that parents are out there traveling with their kids on a daily basis – some even opting to travel with their kids full time, homeschooling them on the road. In fact, this one family travels full time with nine!
Related: The Cutest Traveling Kids of 2014
“Why go to a Foreign Country when you can Visit the Disney Replica Instead? It’s Safer.”
I refuse to dignify this with a response.
Book the Hotel When You Get There
Says the traveler who spends all day wandering the streets searching for the last bed available in Rome, with a 20kg pack weighing down on their back during which time you’ve already checked in, caught a free walking tour of the city, grabbed some tasty street food and perhaps even had a nap.
I’m all for being flexible with travel plans, though this I could never bring myself to do.
Do it While You’re Young
Granted, this is fantastic advice. You should absolutely do it while you’re young, able and have the chance. The flaw with this advice, however, is that it suggests that travelling is infinitely harder once you’re older, and infinitely limits your opportunity once you start getting up there in age.
So while you should absolutely be living for today, and jumping on that opportunity to travel if you are in fact young, don’t think that you’ve missed your opportunity to travel just because you’ll never again be 22.
Carry Your Passport With You at all Times
This is fairly horrible advice, because you shouldn’t be carrying your passport at all times. Granted, certain countries (like Thailand) do actually require foreign tourists to carry their passports at all times, so check if this is the case, though an all important document which facilitates your international travel, if you lose this while abroad you’re fairly screwed.
So it’s important to know when to carry it and when to leave it behind – and not to automatically carry it with you at all times.
Obviously, you’re going to want to carry your passport with you on transit days – you’ll need it for when you are flying or taking ground transportation across any international borders.
But when you’re traveling locally you should leave it at the hotel in a secure location like a safe. An exception would be if you are staying in a hostel or hotel without a safe where it is at more risk of being stolen in a shared room.
In all other cases, travel with a photocopy instead of the actual document. And store digital copies in your email too. If your passport gets lost or stolen, with copies you can generally make do.
Don’t Trust Anyone
Travel will teach you that kindness exists in the world, and that kindness is the real fuel that drives humanity. Travel will renew your faith in the bonds that connect people, restore your faith in humanity and teach you that strangers are often generous, kind and helpful.
Experienced travelers will tell you that they’re often the target for a stranger’s generosity and unrequited love. Trust your gut instinct when relying on the trust of a stranger, as always, safety here comes down in large part to common sense, though if you travel abroad with the attitude that no-one is trustworthy, you’re in for a very lonely trip.
Pack Clothes for Every Season
Hell no! Bring versatile clothing. Whoever gives you the advice that traveling with more clothing will save you doing laundry has obviously never traveled.
For a start, doing laundry abroad is pretty straightforward, and it usually only costs $1 or two. Or you can learn to hand-wash. Also, the more clothes you cram in your bag the heavier it is, and the more trouble you’ll face when it comes to long overland trips and airline excess luggage fees. Take it from the girl who wore 5kg of clothes onto a flight from Prague to Milan to avoid paying EasyJet overweight bag penalties. There’s a video.
You Need a Lot of Money to Travel
See “How to Travel Cheap. The Ultimate Money Hacking Guide For International Travel“. Because this statement is a lie.
Travel Without Insurance
Likewise with the overnight bus, anyone who gives you this advice is a horrible human being. And you should absolutely send them your $50,000 bill should you find yourself needing an airlift out of the Amazon.
Travel insurance is one of those things that you never want to understand the value of but, if you have to, you don’t wand to regret having brushed off its importance.
We interviewed a frequent adventure traveler who has found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time…5 times…having been caught up in coups, wars, political crisis, demonstrations and violence in several countries, as well a woman who was fire twirling in Thailand when she set herself alight (my sister. She was pregnant at the time which made the situation far less amusing than it could have been).
One traveler lost his vision on a river cruise of the Rhine, and another found herself receiving stitches after an Asian air-conditioning unit decided to attack.
So make sure you get proper and extensive coverage. When things go wrong you don’t want to have to worry about payment or about not getting adequate treatment because your insurance didn’t cover you for this.
Bear in mind that hospital bills, even in developing countries can be outrageous and put you into serious debt. Though sometimes, depending on the country you travel to, traveling without insurance may not even be a choice.
Pro Tip: If you haven’t yet purchased international travel health insurance, obviously make sure you do. We go through Timothy Jennings at Individual Health for insurance with #GeoBlue – a worldwide insurer who offer the most complete set of benefits and services in the industry, and make their best attempt to arrange direct payment no matter which medical provider you see.
For more information on insurance with GeoBlue contact Tim Jennings at sales@individualhealth.com or click for a free quote.
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Photo credits: Feature by elPadawan. Pinterest images by Jean-François Gornet & Mapping Megan. Overnight bus by Harsha K R & Jonathan Tellier. Travel cheap by Images Money.
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128 Comments
Thank you for writing this! I loved it. My husband and I have travelled a lot – together and independently. We have heard most of these from well-meaning relatives. It’s hard to explain that a)the world is awesome and giant and b) living in DC is probably more dangerous than most places we visit. Since having a baby, people have gotten even more aggressive with their travel advice. I love it when I hear encouraging things about traveling with small children. We’re planning a safari for next year – he’ll be 18 months! I’m sure you can imagine our family’s reaction (bless their hearts). Take care!
So glad you enjoyed the post Jen! And absolutely – I’ve heard from a lot of people that their relatives and friends get more agressive when there’s a baby involved – it’s almost as if they think you’re at risk of harming the child…when really, if they opened their eyes and mind just a little bit they would see that travel is one of the best things you could ever do to raise a well rounded kid.
So glad to hear that you’re able to set their advice aside! It’s hard when there’s so much negativity surrounding your decision to travel, but ultimately you quickly realize it’s one of the best things you can ever do :)
Have a fantastic time on Safari! Share photos from your trip!
Really liked your blog Megan. I hate selfie sticks as well and I learnt there is nothing like having a hotel or Bed and Breakfast booked in advance especially in Europe. I try to avoid the overnight bus journey’s now that I am older. I also would say with street food if the same person is handling the money and serving the food then walk on to the next street stall.
Glad you enjoyed the post John! It’s so tempting with the selfie sticks lol but people just can’t use them properly!!! It blows my mind how such a simple concept can pose such a huge safety and security risk. People be crazy :D
Glad you relate to all of the advice :) Happy travels!
These are certainly advice not to listen to. Usually this advice comes from people who have never done, can’t even think of doing, or something else, so they tell you not to.
Totally agree with you – the question everyone should pose after hearing any of this advice is “so when was the last time you traveled?” :D
This is great! I especially agree about overnight busses and trains. Talk about exhaustion! Thanks for the humorous take on travel tips :)
x Amy
Psyched you enjoyed the post Amy :) Happy travels! … and avoid those overnight buses and trains :D
Great tips, Megan! I couldn’t agree with you more on all the statements apart from one: booking the hotel in advance. Of course, you are right that looking for a place to stay with a 20 kg rucksack is a pain, but you can definitely find better deals on the spot and not on the internet. In most places there are plenty of accommodation options, especially the family-run low-key ones that don’t advertise on the internet and you can only find them (or they find you) upon your arrival. But of course, if you go to Rome (or other such touristy places) in peak season, it is smart to book in advance.
Thanks guys! The booking hotels in advance is obviously one of those that comes down to personal preference, sure you can definitely find great hotel deals at the last minute online, and now that we’re living in the age of the internet I guess technically you don’t have to lug your bags around in search of a place to stay anymore.
Though from working as a receptionist as a hotel I’d see too many people coming in on nights where the whole town was nearly sold out and it was the opposite – that last minute rooms were going for an arm and a leg, so I’ve never been willing to take that chance :)
But I do love the romanticism of the concept of just rocking up and rolling with it!
Really great list, and I got a good laugh at some of the jokes. I would disagree with the overnight bus travel. I actually really like them. You definitely need to make sure you know what time it arrives at your destination though. If you do happen to get in at like 4 a.m, then yeah…that’s not what you wanna do. But if you have a sleeping pill, and something to use as a pillow, I’ve always found them to be really handy. I just hate spending a long time on a bus during day time.
Glad we could make you laugh a little Jones :) The overnight bus travel seems to be one which a lot of people are enjoying, so perhaps I’m in the minority on that one :D Maybe I should be utilizing the pharmacy more and going for those sleeping pills!!
I’m one of those people who can read on a bus without feeling sick, so I usually pop open a good book and the travel time flies… Definitely each to their own though :)
Some great advice here Megan! When we first started traveling we learned quickly to tell our family where we already went versus where we would be going. It saved us from quite a bit of advice about why we should not go! I know it is all out of love, but still…
We learned the overnight bus lesson the hard way. Having booked a train in Thailand, we were re-routed to an overnight bus because of a rail strike. We were actually a bit excited about it until the all-night bubble gum pop karaoke started. ALL NIGHT LONG!
Glad you enjoyed the post Cheryl! And what a fab idea about telling your family where you’ve been instead of where you’re going! I imagine that would cause a lot less hassle and stress!!
And sounds like you had it worse on the overnight bus … at least we didn’t have any bubble hum pop karaoke going on – I cant even imagine how horrendously awful that would have been!! Note to self – if ever stuck on an overnight bus in Thailand, pack noise cancelling headphones!
I always hated night buses! Getting from A to B is part of the trip and I like to see the landscape, how people are living, the hustle and bustle in some countries, spot wildlife in other countries. Now we travel in our own vehicle which is MUCH nicer, as I can stop where ever I like to take photos or go for a short exploration (providing I find a place to pull off the road).
As to selfies: I always laugh when entire groups of people turn their BACK to where the attraction is! Nowadays it seems more important to have the photo to prove than the nice memories of a place.
Totally agree with you Juergen about the bus situation; that’s actually a great point for day travel over the night – some people have mentioned that long trips during the day waste a day of travel, though you really do get to see a lot of the countryside this way, and parts of the everyday lives of rural communities which you wouldn’t otherwise see.
But we usually opt for renting a car and driving ourselves too. MUCH more flexible :) Great minds think alike!
And totally agree re the selfies!! What’s the point of having a photo if you didn’t actually spend time seeing it yourself! :D IT’s an amusing world in which we live!
Ahh I hate selfie sticks, too! I have refused to buy one so far and don’t plan on it! Great tips here, I agree with all of your points :)
We have a GoPro extender lol which is basically the same thing though :D My dad usually says that – he tries to claim it’s a GoPro extender and not a selfie stick … not buying it :P
I agree with all except the overnight bus. If you’re reasonably well rested before hand, I’m sure you can handle missing one night’s sleep. Arrive at your hostel/hotel and leave your bags, have some coffee and go exploring. You’ll just sleep really well the next night. I’ve done lots of overnight buses. One in Peru was particularly bad as I’d wake up thinking the bus was going to tip over. Maybe travel should be saved for when you’re older and don’t need so much sleep? ;)
I think the overnight buses thing is definitely an each to their own, though you do make a good point about being reasonably well rested before hand. Perhaps this is where my logic fell down!
I’m liking the day buses better just because you get to take in the landscape of the country as you travel, lol and for some backwards reason I can usually actually catch some sleep on those!!
Great idea for an article and most of the advice is spot on! Street food is always the best. I do disagree with the overnight bus thing. Maybe it’s different in other parts of the world, but Megabus in the U.S. is good for overnight trips- it’s pretty quiet and reasonably comfortable. Yes, I do end up wandering around in a sleep-deprived stupor for 8 hours after I arrive, but I’m cool with that since it saves a night of lodging. I guess it depends on one’s individual tolerance for being a temporary half-zombie :)
Glad you enjoyed it Scott!Couple of people are actually disagreeing with the overnight bus thing, so I guess that ones an each to their own! I do give you all full credit for being able to sleep through – though that being said I haven’t tried the Megabus yet so perhaps that could be on the agenda for our next trip through the US :)
This article is AMAZING! I love all of these so so so much. Especially the Disney part. I live in Orlando and go to Disney all the time and constantly hear “why are you going to (whatever country)? You know we have that at Epcot right?!” That’s real life! haha. Seriously though I get the “that place is so dangerous” argument all the time! I just tried to get some friends of mine to accompany me to Cartagena, Columbia… it wasn’t pretty.
So psyched you’ve enjoyed it Mags :) It’s so ridiculous that that statement gets thrown out there as much as it does!! I genuinely shake my head and walk away lol. People don’t know what they’re missing. Their loss!
Happy travels!
Wow! Very good article. I get that a lot. The Africa part is very unfortunate, I get that a lot from my older friends especially if they forget I was born and raised in Africa. Very good way to think of it ” it’s not even their opinion, they are just wrong” amazing. I am gonna have to share this article.
Glad you enjoyed it Derek – though sorry to hear you get the advice a lot! I think it’s something we all deal with – just have to smile, nod and perfect the “mhmmmm” :D
Some great observations and tips here, Megan. I agree with most, with the possible exception of “Don’t go there.” There are some countries you should definitely not go to, especially solo women. You know which ones I mean.
Thanks Tom! I think that there are definitely countries where women should practice heightened precautions, though I know of really amazing women who have trekked across nearly every corner of the globe and have come back with generally only great things to say. So I think “Don’t go there” just needs to be changed to “take the right precautions”. Sometimes those precautions may be waiting to visit that country until a certain political movement has passed. Though I don’t like to wipe a country from my view all together. Each has so much to offer and show :)
LOL! The comment on Disney. I can not stop laughing. LOL!
Take the kids! Teach the kids! Learn with the kids. I OH, SO, AGREE! I write books to help keep the kiddos interested, engaged, and help them enjoy the trip even more and REMEMBER it!
Fantastic post. LOVE
It’s so bad!! Mags above said she lives in Orlando and literally gets this all the time!! Some people!!
And absolutely take the kids! A thirst for worldly adventures and curiosity for knowledge which expands outside of the country boundaries where they live is one of the best things we can offer them!
So glad you enjoyed the post :)
This is my second time writing this because the first time I mistakenly refreshed the page :(
Anyhow, I’m a 35 year old woman and I recently started traveling alone. I live in Colombia and this year I’ve traveled to Panama and Ecuador alone and I had the best time. I’ve met other solo travelers and some really great people and seen great sights. I was really nervous about going to another country alone but not anymore, I’m over it, and look forward to my next solo adventure.
As far as going with your gut instinct, couldn’t agree more. When I traveled to Panama my taxi driver couldn’t find my hostel because in Panama buildings don’t have numbers, only names. So after driving around for half an hour he dumped me off in front of a bakery and told me to figure it out myself. I went into the bakery and asked if someone could help me find the hostel. A very nice Bulgarian man who had been living in Panama for a decade said he would drive me around and help me find it. For a few seconds I was a little apprehensive about getting into a car with a strange man but I said yes and after about 10 minutes of driving around, he found it and dropped me off in front of the hostel. Women should normally be cautious but I made the decision to trust this man and it worked out well for me. Not everyone is a serial killer and sometimes people are really just trying to be helpful.
OH no!! I’m sorry Paulette…I feel your pain on that one, has happened many a times when I reply to comments – I actually copy and past the long ones I write now before hitting “reply” just in case the connection went out inbetween – which has happened once or twice before!!
So glad to hear that your fears about solo travel have been completely wiped away – I think that there is a huge stereotype which surrounds the concept, but once you actually break into it and start traveling you realize it’s this really amazing and liberating thing. I think people are afraid of what they don’t know, and unfortunately too many people miss out because they’re not willing to give it a go.
Glad to hear you were safe in the end in Panama – I’ve been in a similar situation in the past – meeting up with a stranger for dinner that I met at a bustop one day in Switzerland, we chatted just because we were both expats and thought it would be nice to share a meal, and then he drove me home. As you said, not everyone is a serial killer, and if travel teaches you one thing, it’s that people are generally quite kind.
But if your gut is acting up the don’t do it! That’s the one thing I do listen to and trust :D
Happy travels! Wishing you all the best on your continued journeys :)
Very, very wise advice. That Disney one is definitely not worth dignifying with a response, and while I think it is good to listen to others and take note of what people say, you have to make your own decisions and if we listened to all the contradictory things we were told, we would never go anywhere or eat anything! And yes, definitely leave those selfie sticks behind……
Absolutely Sarah! Who are we if we can’t make our own decisions in life! I’m all for listening to what other people have to say, though I’m glad that I ended up being raised to be strong enough to forge my own path and not need to follow advice just because it’s freely given :)
Otherwise we would never end up having lived!
I’m not signing up to take an overnight bus anytime soon. Have a hard enough time sleeping on a plane. Can’t even imagine a bus.
Lol saving yourself a whole lotta trouble there Erica let me assure you :D Not missing out on anything I promise! Happy travels :)
Thanks for writing this! So true!! We did the rickshaw run in India and everyone in India kept telling us it was not possible and that we would surely die along the way. even though we said many people had done it for several years with no major problems.
And ditto on traveling with kids i just want to scream when I hear people say “lets go when they will remember it”. Ok. i get the point, but you know what, they will remember it. they may not remember the exact day or what you did, but they will subconsciously know about things that they wouldn’t have otherwise. My 5 yr old is insanely worldly because of our travels. he knows where the great wall is, he knows what india is all about, he knows mexico and spanish when he hears it, etc all due to travel.
I could ramble forever. Thanks for saying what all of us travelers always feel!
Glad you enjoyed it Karilyn! And congrats on the rickshaw run in India! I have a few friends who are looking to complete it in January, so I’ll point them over to your site for sure :)
And I absolutely agree re the kids – I think that even if they don’t remember a specific trip, you’ve still enstilled that thirst for knowledge about the world in them. My nephew is 6 and has hit up around 5 countries now – his favorite present for Christmas this past year was the Lonely Planet Not For Parents Travel Guide. He loved it! He may not remember specifics about each trip, though he’s so into learning about Egypt, and about all the different cultures and countries of our world.
Curiosity is a wonderful thing :) Happy travels! All the best to you and your kids :)
This is great Meg! The part about the selfie stick cracked me up…”Anyone who tells you to buy a selfie stick cannot be trusted. And anyone who uses one, well, they have questionable judgement”…So true!
To be honest I rarely take travel advice because it all depends on your needs and how you want your trip to be.
I just forward this to a friend who is about to take off on a big trip. She loved it too.
Glad you enjoyed it Amanda! Haha lol it’s true re the selfie stick – I have a few people who try and tell me that they’re GoPro extenders but I’m not buying it – same category as far as I’m concerned :D
Glad your friend enjoyed the post too! And absolutely re travel advice, that’s what we’re learning too. It’s often important to find advice form a traveler with the same style as you, because advice really is so subjective and everything depends on what people are traveling for as to what they’ll enjoy.
Wishing you all the best! Happy travels :)
I roll my eyes and shake my head when some people think that traveling solo for girls is synonymous to getting raped, assaulted, mugged, etc.
Absolutely with you on that one Allan! Glad you agree!
Great points! I get the Wait Until the Kids are Older Before You Take Them Anywhere one all the time. At three years old, Athena has already been to more than a dozen countries. You’re so right; Athena learns more from traveling than I could ever teach her at home. :)
Thanks Lesley! And I’m so glad that you’re teaching your kids the importance and relevance of travel while they’re young. They may not remember the specifics of a trip, but the lessons and characteristics that travel imparts will last a lifetime :)
All the best!
I run into this all the time, too. Especially the advice about safety in developing nations. In the last few months I also branched out and took my first two solo trips abroad. Although they were only to Grand Cayman and then Jamaica, I had no problems at all and actually liked not having to worry about others’ schedules or preferences!
Glad to hear you enjoyed your first solo trip abroad Cherri! I’ve heard great things about Jamaica and Grand Cayman, and totally feel you on the negative advice about safety in developing nations.
Solo travel is such a liberating way to explore – as you said, you’re not bound by anyone elses schedule and you can choose exactly what you want to do without having to sacrifice!
Happy travels!
Great list Megan. I especially can’t stand when people tell me not to go somewhere because it’s dangerous (unless they’ve been there). I used to get warned not to go to Colombia, then it was Venezuela, now it’s North Korea. Well, I haven’t been to that last one yet, so we’ll see.
Your advice to book in advance may be great in some places (such as Rome), but there’s a flip-side to that argument. In developing nations, the cheapest hotels don’t tend to have websites, and you can’t bargain if you book online. And then if you take an overnight bus to get there (I’m with you on that advice), you spend the first few hours of your day looking the hotel you’re already committed to, when there tend to be plenty of cheap places near the bus station. And to top it off, if you booked in advance, you might have to wait until the afternoon to check in, but if you just walk up to a place and ask for a room at a cheap hotel, you can get in right away.
Thanks Dan! And absolutely – I’m all for listening to advice, especially if someone’s been there personally – I’ve actually heard some pretty decent things about North Korea from a few people who have been – you can’t travel without a guide in that case, though everyone still reported back that it was a fascinating experience. And really, when you’re escorted by a guide at all times, I’m not sure how the country could really be that unsafe if you’re a tourist. But people make their assumptions without doing their research first.
Really good point on the flip side of the booking accommodation in advance. My travels havent yet taken me through Asia, though I’ve heard from a lot of people that this was their approach there, walking through the town and negotiating with little mum and pop B&B’s who don’t advertise online. So you do make a good point, and I’ll be sure to remember that when we do hit up developing nations.
Duly noted on the point of checking in straight away! Great tip – thanks!
I agree with every single one of these!
Glad to hear Brianna! Hope you don’t get too much of this bad advice anytime soon :D!
Great tips!! I always wonder why some people carry their passports with them at all times. I do carry a photocopy with me in case of emergency as well! In South East Asia, I find that it is easier to just go and find a place rather than booking online. I guess because a lot of the cheaper places aren’t even on the internet. But in Europe and North America, I agree, booking ahead of time is advisable!
Thanks Anna! I’m with you on the passport thing – I couldn’t handle it if mine got lost, though I know a friend who carriers hers with her at all times and she’s lost it 3 times now. Apparently the embassy told her at one point if she lost it again there would be no replacement! So photocopies for me all the way :D!
And thanks for the tip on SE Asia – Dan mentioned the same thing above that it’s easier to go and look rather than book online. I haven’t managed to make it through Asia much yet myself, so will definitely remember that tip when I do. Thanks for the advice!
Hard as it is to believe the issue of selfies with bears is alive and well. We recently saw a guy get out of a car with his two small children and take a selfie with a bear less than ten feet away. All four, including the bear, survived the encounter but it could so easily have turned into a tragedy.
*faceplam* People are never going to learn. The sad thing is that people treat wild animals like they’re in a zoo. They’re not. That’s what I mean when I say this is why we can’t have nice things lol because for some reason people can’t use their common sense out there!!
Yea, very funny I agree. Don’t you hate it when people put themselves in the driver’s seat who knows best which way you should go? But some people just like to hear themselves talk and when it comes to unsolicited advice, you’ll always get more than you need.
Absolutely Anda – I feel like sometimes people talk just because they like the sound of their own voice lol!
Oh My GOODNESS…. I couldn’t imagine visiting foreign lands and not eating street foods, some of my most favourite adventures EVER included very questionable eats, but dang it, sooooo worth the pain. :) What the fudge to travelling without insurance. Surely not?! And the selfie stick one made me giggle.
Mostly I don’t bother listening to travel ‘advise’, but if you want to tell me the best place to eat, drink or adventure, teeeelllll me!
I know, right!! Street food is the best way to experience the culture! I don’t know why people think going to a touristy Western restaurant is the best way to sample a country’s true cuisine!
And the travel insurance point you would be surprised – just the other day a big blogger came out and said they don’t travel with it – I was horrified!
I totally read that article too, and have been sending it to everyone I know since then. Maybe I’m sick of annoyingly wrong political FB posts or something, but I loved it. Cheers!
Love it so much!! It was really on the mark – I think people take their opinions way too far and have an entitled sense of being right when most of the time they’re just totally wrong!
Glad you enjoyed it too Julie!
Hey Megan!
Thanks for the inclusion!
I agree with you that danger and bad things can happen anywhere to anyone. Do you have a higher risk if you travel to remote and more dangerous places? perhaps, but I have also been caught up in riots in Kuala Lumpur and was in Sydney during the hostage situation last December (i know, I know, I really seem to attract danger!)
I am also not in favor of pre-booking much, but if time is not an issue, you are going places where there is little information and you can afford a taxi to go around, it is a good option to check the places out before committing. I did this in Tonga and in Vanuatu and it was useful to understand the relative location of places before taking a hotel and in the end only made me waste 20min
Always good to read you posts! informative and relatable!
Mar
Wow you really do seem to attract danger Mar!! Glad you’re always ok through it all! I remember the Sydney Siege last December, I was here in Canberra so it was obviously headline news at the time. A very sad and tragic situation all around.
Taxi is a good idea if it’s affordable for scoping out the location of different accommodation. I’m still a big fan of pre-booking, but I understand the pros and cons of both :)
I love this post- most people who give this advice have no idea what they’re talking about having never found out otherwise or are simply attached to some romantic notion of suffering (while traveling) to seem cooler somehow.
Totally agree with you Natasha – half the time I find that this kind of advice comes from those who haven’t even travelled!
Lots of great tips to ignore here haha! I think the one I ignore the most is not eating the street food. That’s the best part of traveling! I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t able to sample the different foods from around the world!
I do agree with the overnight bus, too many crazies! Although, I’ve been thinking I should strap a bunch of GoPro’s to myself and do it, just for scientific research purposes ;)
Absolutely re the street food Joe! Best part of traveling by far!
Haha and strapping a GoPro to document an overnight bus trip would probably send you viral on YouTube – could be quite a profitable expedition!
Well done Megan! I loved reading this and could hear my family, extended family and some friends in several of them. And we are in the thick of much of it now as my 15 year old daughter just announced (to family) she will be spending all of next year in South America. It’s like a replay of all the bad advice we were given when we started our round the world trip. Only one more to add – overnight flights in coach are not much better than overnight buses. And it equally wrecks the next day.
Thanks Rhonda! So glad you enjoyed it lol though sorry that you could hear it from the mouths of family and friends! I think we’ve definitely all been there!!
Well, I may be part of the rare few, though I think it’s absolutely brilliant that your 15 year old is heading overseas. It’s the best education you could possibly give her, and she’ll return a much different, much more worldy, and likely much more mature person than when she left. WIshing her all the best!
Lol and I do totally agree with you on that overnight in coach – I forgot how bad it was until recently when we flew back to Aus from the States. 16 hours was not a fun flight!!
I agree on most of them. Especially the one with the insurance and the selfie stick and Disney and…but an overnight bus can be really comfortable – especially in Argentina, where you can get seats which can almost fully recline and they are really comfortable and huge seats! :) I don’t book hotels/hostels (except for the first two nights of any of my trips), but I usually write down a few which are available, but sometimes I have been invited into homes or have been recommend a place way cooler than the one I had found :)
Ooooh wow overnight buses in Argentina sound like luxury compared to what I’ve experienced then. I would definitely go for something which could fully recline, maybe I was choosing bad buses! Or the buses in Europe just really badly suck!
Very cool to have been invited into peoples homes, I do see that in some cases being this flexible and last minute can lead to great adventures, I’ve just never been able to make it work for me. Always ends up being more trouble than it’s worth, but then again I’ve never really traveled through Asia yet and a few people above has mentioned that booking accommodation of the day of in Asia is actually the better way to go.
Happy travels! Thanks for stopping by :)
Great read and so many familiar ones. I don’t agree on the one with the selfie stick though. It’s just a matter of how you use it. I tend to travel to the wilderness and recently went on a couple of solo hikes in Alaska, where there weren’t many other people. I still wanted some pics of myself so in this case, a selfie stick comes out very handy. However, I agree that they become annoying in large crowds, where there’s plenty of opportunities for others to take your picture. If you know how to behave well with a stick, it’s a definite yes. If not, then better leave it at home!~
True that it’s a matter of how you use the selfie sticks – I totally see how they’re useful when you’re out in the wild, especially if you throw a GoPro on the end and can get that awesome wide angle! Though yes, use in crowds is absolutely annoying, which I think is why so many destinations are now jumping on the bandwagon of having them banned.
It’s all in how you behave! Sadly the majority of the population though needs to leave them at home lol :D
This list is so amazing. i started with never travel alone especially since you are a girl. I used to get this a lot and if I believed them then I wouldn’t have been able to go to most of the places I have been. I agree, be smart and be more cautious. I also hear a lot of travel advice about places you should never visit because it is extremely dangerous, but when I end up on those places, its not as bad as they say. Crime happens everywhere. THey say the Philippines has a lot of snathers, I got mugged in Europe and also there are a lot of scams in France. There is danger everywhere, you just have to be more careful but it shouldn’t stop you from exploring. I love this post on so many levels. Thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it Karla! And you’re 100% correct – crime really does happen everywhere, so it’s really impractical for someone to say that you shouldn’t travel anywhere because it’s dangerous – chances are you’re in a more dangerous city where you live at home!!
Sorry to hear that you were mugged in Europe :(. Goes to show I guess that danger really is everywhere and it’s the countries people don’t think to travel to which are actually likely to be a little more safer as they’re not used to taking advantage of or scamming mass tourism.
Glad to hear though that you don’t let this stop you from exploring. We would never live if we let fear dictate our lives!
Great list, though I do like the overnight auto-train from Lorton, Virginia to Orlando, Florida and vice versa!
Never tried an overnight auto-train – hopefully they’re a little better than my experiences with the overnight bus though :D
When we first left Peru to Laos we got so many of these pieces of advice. The one I got the most of was to keep my kids in sight because they could be kidnapped to be sold. Doesn´t that happen all over the world?
Probably actually in Europe more so than in Asia. But yes, lol I would think that would just be normal, generic advice for having kids – they didn’t really need to make that one country specific :D
LoL. I love this post. Selfie sticks are the most ridiculous thing ever. And so is avoiding street food and drinking the local water. I kind of like getting this bad advice though because it makes me proud that I know the truth. You can’t trick me into believing travel myths anymore.
Glad you enjoyed it Laura! And I agree with you – makes you feel superior almost knowing that those telling you this really have just absolutely no clue lol
All the points are great but thank you especially for mentioning selfie sticks – I’ve had moments in lovely, peaceful areas ruined by people clowning around with these things, distracting others and getting in their way. What’s wrong with just asking strangers to take a photo of you?? You’re likely to get a better shot and you might make a new friend..! Also love the 5kg clothes video!
Lol no worries Shannon – I’ve had the same moment ruined by them. My mum was actually wacked in the head pretty hard in Russia recently with a selfie stick while a couple of tourists were trying to push their cameras through the crowd. Seriously, people just don’t know how to behave, it’s like respect for personal space is a thing of the past now that they have these sticks!!
And glad you enjoyed the video! Haha that’s not something I’ll be repeating again anytime soon though :D
I’ve heard some one these when I did my year in OZ. In fact, I’ve recently gone on a trip to Vegas and I had my coworkers corner me and give me all of this advise on how to be safe. Let’s just say, the word “pimp” was used a lot.
I must say though, while I was in OZ, I only had Travel Insurance for 6 months and then didn’t bother to renew it after that.
Also, your video on the 5kg of clothes onto a flight doesn’t seem to work, FYI.
Thanks for letting me know Priya – seems to be working OK now so perhaps you caught YouTube at a temp down moment. Let me know if it’s still not working for you now.
I would definitely advise to get insurance for all of your trips abroad though – you may not have needed it during those 6 months, but you don’t want to face the one time you do need it when you’re not covered. The costs you’ll save would totally compensate for the money you had spent on the time you hadn’t used it :)
Travel safe!
Thank god someone wrote about how stupid the selfie stick looks!! Lol I’m in agreement with you on all accounts. I’ve had just as scary things happen in LA as I did traveling abroad!
Lol glad I’m not the only one Bobbi! And absolutely – LA is probably a lot worse than a lot of Asian or African destinations out there!
What a fantastic list! I cracked up at the relatives yelling at your parents for them letting you travel solo at 18. Just had the exact scenario happen to me and..let’s just say, I’m more than a bit older than 18!
Oh I know right!! It’s ridiculous – I really wanted to call back and point out that I’m actually an adult now so even if they did have a problem with it, wouldn’t have exactly made much of a difference :D!! Glad to know I’m not the only one though!!
This is my new favourite travel post ;) The funny thing is that most of the time the kind of advice you describe come completely unrequested. I particularly love the “don’t eat from street stands” advice. Save from occasions in which the food is unsafe (Bolivia and salmonella that many of my friends got docet), I usually believe that street food is safer than most 5 star restaurants. They cook continuously, they sell everything they cook, and there is no way you are eating warmed up leftovers. In fact, I got two BAD cases of food poisoning in Mexico and they both came from “well known” restaurants.
I usually only take the advice of people who have travelled a lot. I told a friend of mine who has travelled most of the world yesterday that i am considering going to Venezuela. She has been there a few times and she told me that yes, it is a cool country, but that things haven’t been too cool for travellers lately and I should consider that very carefully. That is the advice that really matters!
I’m so glad to hear Claudia!! And I totally agree – it really usually is all unrequested, and generally comes from people who don’t exactly have a clue :D
I agree with you that street food is likely to be more sanitary – obviously it’s important to use your common sense and gut instinct there, but for sure, it’s very rare that food is able to sit and fester, because it’s all fresh and they have such a high turn around.
And I agree with listening to advice from experienced travellers – it’s these people who provide the most accurate insights :)
Travel safe!
A fun article! Thankfully, people have long since given up saying things like ‘you can’t do that, it’s too dangerous’ type of thing. 23 years of travel, including cycling from England to South Africa, Alaska to Argentina have helped me show people that the world is not such a bad place after all ;)
Thanks Dave! And absolutely – after a while the bad travel advice does wear off after they’ve probably realized you’re too far gone down the path of the travel bug :D
Sounds like some epic adventures on your part though – heading out to stalk through your blog!
You nailed it! Actually, I was laughing reading it since just yesterday one of our friends asked about where we go next and was horrified to learn that it would be Sicily. The reasoning for not going there was exactly as you described: from been killed there to going broke because Italy/Europe is so expensive. Stereotypes are hard to overcome and some people have amusingly stubborn views about something that they haven’t experienced themselves. Thank you for putting it all together.
That continues to blow my mind – as you said, these ignorant and stubborn views generally come through those who haven’t even experienced the area! Sad that it’s so prevalent! I guess people will always be afraid of that which is unknown.
I couldn’t help but laugh while reading this post! Especially the one from Disney. I haven’t heard that comment before but if I do, I definitely would have the same reaction.
I agree with so many of these. I’ve heard so many of these and even more because I am deaf. I’ve actually met so many kind people throughout my travel who go out of their way to ensure my safety. Also, it’s great to meet other Deaf people around the world and showing them that they can travel too despite of the misconceptions and fear that people have placed on them. I truly enjoyed this post, thank you for writing!
The Disney comment genuinely shocked me when I heard it, I mean I’ve heard the round of bad travel advice, but come on!! Lol it’s a little sad.
And you’re truly inspiring Lieurene! Good on you for not allowing any obstacle to stand in your way. I interviewed a woman who travels who has been legally blind since birth, and it’s so amazing listening to how she travels and enjoys the world from completely different perspective. And you’re right – people are generally very caring for tourists – they want you to enjoy their country!
Thanks for sharing your experiences Lieurene.
I agree with all of these. The carry the actual passport one varies depending on country, but you should always have a color copy of it on your person. If it’s a country that requires you to carry it, you should have several color copies stored in your hotel/hostel.
I loved the horror stories I got about Colombia when I was going there and traveling by bus. Not one of the stories was from someone who had been to Colombia. My boss who had been to Colombia, pretty much didn’t have any issues. I don’t let the dangerous worry me. That doesn’t mean I don’t take safety into consideration. But most counties are inherently safe. Yea things happen, but they also happen in the USA. Look at how many people die in car crashes driving to work every day.
Carrying your passport will definitely vary from country to country – and keeping color copies in your accommodation if you do need it on your person is a great tip Jennifer :)
And I’m glad you don’t let the dangers worry you – all it takes is common sense and you’ll generally stay quite safe. Safety is definitely a consideration, we shouldn’t ignore it all together obviously, though it’s definitely amusing when the majority of these horror stories come from people say in the US where they do have so much death from gangs, or shootings, or the road!! I think people are just afraid of the unknown. Which is sad, because they’re missing out :)
AHHAHAHAHAHA! I loved everything most especially “There’s No Way I’m Flying out of the Country with All of These Terrorist Threats. I’m Staying Right Here in the US of A!” Although I have to disagree with the overnight bus issue. I love overnight bus cause it saves me time and money. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable but I’ve been traveling South America by land (for 2 years now) so I guess I just got used to the horrifying overnight bus.
South America is a good place to get used to a horrifying bus – anything that you go on now will seem super luxurious :D! We had the option to get an ovenright bus in Bolivia, took one look and instantly passed. There comes a certain point in your life I think where it becomes absolutely worthwhile to spend that extra cash on a flight :D
Dead on Meg! We once took a nice overnight bus ride in India but even then, it didn’t compare to an awesome overnight train ride in Vietnam, where we had our own room. Selfie sticks are maybe the worst idea ever, travel-wise, because people are not all 7 foot tall with 7 foot wing spans for a reason, LOL.
Ryan
I’ve heard the overnight trains in Vietnam are amazing, probably definitely a bit of a downgrade from that to then go on an overnight bus :D
True that people could probably benefit from the extra height lol though the majority just don’t know how to behave with a selfie stick and pull them out in big crowds. Recipe for disaster! Lol
I loved this post! It was entertaining, informative, and inspiring! You pretty much hit all the typical bad advice and had really good responses to them. I actually took some of that advice and never tried street food for fear of food poisoning but I finally did in Puerto Rico last month (and go figure, I was with a group of locals!) and it was SO good! I’m happy to report that I didn’t get sick at all! ^_^
Glad you enjoyed it Francesca! And glad to hear you enjoyed the street food in Puerto Rico – seriously, it’s some of the best food, just like having a home cooked meal essentially. It’s all authentic, and really, the locals aren’t going to be eating anything which makes them sick when it comes down to it!
Happy travels!
I blame a lot of the silly fears on the media. I threw my TV away about 5 years ago and gave my mind a detox from all the fear that is pumped out daily. Some people enjoy their safe little box. But it’s them that miss out.
Anyway, nice article
I do too Alan – and we’ve stopped watching television too. We stream a few of our favorite shows like the Nat Geo channel through our iPads, though really, the only thing on the news anymore is negative and depressing and often spreads these myths, so we’ve got better ways to spend our time and can be much more selective in what we consume.
Totally with you on people enjoying being in their bubble. Their loss!
These tips are SPOT ON.
So glad you enjoyed the post Diana :)
Great article! I’ve heard all of these bad tips. I especiaĺly hate when people refer to the movie Hostel when you mention that you’ll be staying in one. Ridiculous!
Thanks Sabrina! Sorry you’ve heard these tips though!! And OMG the note about Hostel was literally like one of the first travel “tips” I was given – I remember it to this day actually lol way back in year 12 when I was talking about taking a year off before starting university and hitting up hostels throughout Europe.
Well, I returned home! :D Happy travels :)
I have had the privilege of hearing all of these myself. I will have to check into that insurance though. I’ve never bothered with it in the past, but I now have a kid of my own on the way and will need to make that a must when we get back to traveling.
Sorry to hear you’ve been plagued with this horrible advice too Jason! So sad how it’s so widespread and reaches us all!! But definitely look into the insurance, especially now that it’s not just you – it’s absolutely not worth taking the risk. And congrats BTW on your upcoming arrival!!
Happy travels! Feel free to reach out if you do have any Q’s about insurance – always happy to help :)
I don’t really consider it a plague. For me, it’s just a reminder of what other’s are missing out on. But I may take you up on that insurance advice, if we ever decide to leave Colombia. We have dirt cheap insurance here that’s better than I’ve seen anywhere in the world.
Well put advices!
I remember once I had to take a bus in India at 4am and the ride was around 8 hours. It was nightmare, not only because I did not get enough sleep, but the badly isolated windows and rough roads made me go nuts. Although when the day light appeared things got much better.
Thanks Marius! So sorry to hear you’ve had a bad bus experience also – unless it’s absolutely necessary now, I refuse to put myself through it again lol!! I guess we’ve all got to learn for ourselves though at one point or another!!
Happy travels X
I absolutely LOVE this post! Thank you for the great read and a few chuckles.
Thanks Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed the post :)
hey! Great article – loved it. However, as far as the passport things goes, a lot of countries don’t accept US driver licenses as “real” identification, so getting into bars, buying wine, etc all require a passport. And if you don’t know what you are doing on any given day, it’s best to carry it with you. This has happened to me in: Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Norway. (Funny enough, all countries that have a drinking age of 18 – and I am well over that!)
Thanks Sarah! You do make a good point re the passports, I know that while I was spending time in the UK I needed my passport to get into clubs because they wouldn’t accept my Australian ID. I always found that really scary as if I was going to loose my passport it was more than likely to happen while drunk than sober!!
So perhaps something for people to keep in mind to weigh up when planning their evenings/days. Thanks for sharing your experience :)
This is spot on ?? I want to travel with all of you forever?
Thanks Kellie! Happy travels :)
The one about the night bus is good to know. We’ve survived sleeper trains in the past but haven’t attempted the bus yet.
From the comments I’ve had, the night bus seems to be a very personal thing, some people have had good experiences, though from my personal experience I would never do it again lol! So highly recommend it being worth forking out the extra cash for a flight :)
This is great advice for travel buddies Meg. Thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed the post :) Happy travels!
Hey Meg,
I can’t agree more with all your worst travel tips. My favorite two: “woman do not travel alone” and “don’t eat street food”.
Never had any problems traveling alone, went to India, Nepal and central America and I could write a food guide of the best street food if they had an address :)
Great share.
Lara
Hi Lara, thanks for stopping by … so glad you enjoyed the post! Yes, solo female travel is incredible – more women should travel alone! :D
Totally with you on the street food – haha but yes I always have trouble describing where to go to people after the fact!