It’s fine to want to leave, still need to know where you want to go! The possibilities are many, enough so that we can afford to dream without limits. It is not necessary to be made in the skin of an adventurer or a millionaire to think outside the box. With minimal preparation, the boundaries begin to fall one after the other.
1 – In wanting
We must, of course, have the taste to go. But it is always prudent to be wary of its first bursts of enthusiasm that can be misleading. What we seek is found, perhaps not where one believes the find. It is always better to explore a bit. When we document more thoroughly, and certain destinations may disappoint others be much more enjoyable and exciting than the idea we had.
2 – The journey
The time available is probably the most fundamental criterion. Given the high price of tickets, better return on its investment and spend more time where it costs more to go. Consider also that jet lag can affect travelers for days. If one wants to enjoy his stay, he had better take this into consideration. In other words, the traveler who has only two weeks would be wise to skimp on distance and limited on the number of time zones crossed.
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3 – The period of the year
The time of year the traveler chooses to move is also of considerable importance. The climate and day length changes with the seasons, and before fixing his choice, the traveler must inform themselves. However, there are three basic concepts that can guide:
- South of the equator, the seasons are reversed from those in the north. And it’s the same principle on both sides: the further away from the equator, the more severe winters. So to visit Chile or Argentina , for example, better do it in January or February, during the austral summer. In the Andean countries, however, as it rains frequently during the summer, spring or fall are the most pleasant seasons for traveling there.
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- All tropical countries, that is, those located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, north and south of the equator, experiencing monsoon, or rainy season, which ends often by hurricanes. Under the tropic of Cancer, the busiest, this period is between May and September. The heat and monsoon intensity vary among regions and altitudes, so it would be wise to learn before leaving, especially when you can not stand the stifling humidity.
- The closer to the equator, there is less difference between day and night, between summer and winter, and the sun sets quickly. The long summer days and long winter nights are a northern or southern phenomenon. In Central America, the evening falls from nineteen hours in July as in January, and it spends a few minutes from day to night. In winter, we can therefore offer them a generous surplus of daylight.
4 – The Budget
The financial resources available greatly influence the choice of destination. However, the popular belief that more is far more expensive it is, is not always true.
In the vast majority of developing countries, the cost of living is ridiculously low for the average Westerner. It obviously costs more expensive to go there than to fly to another Western country, but once there, we saw very comfortable with a much smaller budget.
A good way to proceed in making his choice is to add the price of the ticket and the approximate cost of living – transportation, meals, hotels – and divide the total by the number of days required for the trip.
This gives a daily average which allows for comparisons between two or more hypotheses, and to objectively assess how best to leverage the money that is willing to invest. A Western country will prove potentially more economical for a short stay while for longer stays, a more exotic destination will prove more advantageous.
The following websites provide a good estimate of the cost of living in travel to most destinations:
- Lonely Planet (English version, more complete)
- Lonely Planet (French version)
- the backpacker
See also the BUDGET for an overview of the issue.
5 – The physical
Unless we have put together a project very « sporty » rarely travel demand higher skills than those required to practice daily activities. We must above all be able to walk, and walk a lot.
However, some countries with poor road networks, such as Cambodia , may request a fatigue resistance higher than average when you travel along the ground. And when one leads a sedentary life or suffering from respiratory failure, it is better to forgo trekking in the Himalayas or the Inca Trail.
The golden rule is to follow his own pace.
6 – Experience
Regarding experience, it’s another story. Gifted who can land only and without preparation into unknown territory and get away honorably are not legion. Traveling can be learned. And like in real life, to get good results, it is more efficient to start with small classes before coming to the baccalaureate. It is always better to graduate contrasts and difficulties, a trip to another, and gain experience elsewhere before tackling the country to dramatically different cultures, like India , otherwise you may miss the finest and most rewarding experiences of his life and to be disgusted forever the trip.
Terrorist acts have long been part of the political reality of our planet. However, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 were particularly affected tourism and, in all regions of the world.
Nevertheless, and in general, there is no reason to advise against travel in areas considered most at risk, for example, the Near and Middle East or North Africa and East. Terrorists whose strategy hit by surprise, their actions are unpredictable. And since it is impossible to predict when or where the next attack will occur, such a measure would be disproportionate to the risk. Also, refrain from traveling would help the terrorists achieve their main goal: to feed the fear and insecurity.
However, it should consult the websites of travel advisories by country. These are updated when changing the evaluation of the safety level in the world in general or in a particular region. It is also always advisable to follow the progress of the news media before and during your trip.
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Underdevelopment
The state of underdevelopment of a country is never really a barrier to choosing a destination. Even in the poorest countries there are rich people, and the rich feature-rich services. If you can afford, you can pay dearly for just about anywhere in the world. But in general, and relatively speaking, the services offered in developing countries are much less expensive than their counterparts in industrialized countries. This means that travel in developing countries does not mean travel misery. This is often the opposite: you would pay the luxury at low cost. There are still exceptions to this rule, such as Belize in Central America, the paradise of diving, which sells for gold the services it has to offer.
Language barriers or writing
Do not be deterred by language barriers and writing. With some tips and hands in proper working order, you can get out of any situation. And as the world became very small, one can always find someone who speaks a language familiar-sounding, more often than English
At the same time we will choose a destination, you choose how you will travel: on its own or in groups together. The purpose of this site is to encourage the potential traveler to choose the first option, which allows a more personal experience, more complete and rewarding, but it does not systematically exclude the second.
- By its own means
Organize one’s own journey has significant advantages: a wider range of destinations, a better choice of dates of departure and return, greater flexibility in developing the route, greater flexibility in travel and more freedom during your stay. Travelling independently allows especially to travel « to the ground, » to develop a better and more direct knowledge of the visited country and to establish closer contacts with the people who inhabit it.
- In group together: the tour
The reasons
However, several excellent reasons may motivate someone to join a group to travel. A person may not have a traveling companion and desiring not to leave alone. Another, especially if it occupies a position of responsibility throughout the year, may wish to be strongly supported during his vacation. Still another may want to take advantage of group rates for some destinations expensive. Yet another may prefer to be accompanied by experienced people, especially for some less obvious destinations.
In addition, there are places where it simply is not possible or inadvisable to travel other than group together, for political reasons (such as North Korea) or geographical (such as some desert areas). Similarly, there are others which go with a group can avoid a lot of practical problems and harassment of any kind: when public transportation is scarce, capricious formalities, the cost of services to the client’s head or hotel infrastructure sporadic.
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The choice
As most of the world was opened to tourism and tourists in most of the world, the tour group did not hesitate to increase significantly the number and variety of products offered. Internet offers a tremendous amount. Cushy cruise ship line in the adventure framed – a nice option if you want exotic but little audacity – the choice is important. If we add some sports or cultural associations organize tours depending on specific needs of their members, the range is widened.
When you decide to do a tour, make sure first that the itinerary and the tour program we agree. Then you have to inform the group size and composition: a group of ten is less restrictive than a group of forty, and a person of thirty years has not always wanted to travel with retirees or a student of history with the petanque club in a neighboring village. Finally, we must examine the personal flexibility that may be available: the free days, the choice of excursions, an opportunity to leave the group from time to time and that to stay longer, if necessary.
Practical drawbacks
Travel in groups leads to certain concessions. Be part of a group is easy enough for a person naturally sociable. But as you can not choose his traveling companions, always expect the possibility of unpleasant surprises. Voyager en groupe limite aussi la mobilité : l’itinéraire a été déterminé à partir de certains standards, le rythme des déplacements et des visites a été fixé selon des moyennes pré-établies, et les réservations généralement réglées d’avance. Il reste donc fort peu de place pour l’imprévu ou pour les impulsions personnelles. Il faut se rendre compte également qu’un groupe se déménage moins facilement qu’une personne seule, que c’est parfois frustrant de suivre et qu’on doit souvent attendre. Un groupe est aussi beaucoup plus voyant et rend difficiles, sinon impossibles, les virées discrètes dans la vie privée d’une ville.
Inconvénients psychologiques
Mais les inconvénients les plus sérieux du voyage en groupe sont plutôt d’ordre psychologique que pratique. Tout d’abord, l’existence du groupe peut créer un faux sentiment de sécurité pouvant aller, chez le néophyte, jusqu’à la véritable dépendance. Ceci a comme conséquence étrange d’engendrer un réel sentiment d’insécurité face au pays visité quand ce n’est pas face à la notion de voyage elle-même. Le risque de tomber dans la passivité, de voyager comme on va au spectacle, est tout à fait réel. Il faut réaliser que le groupe absorbe beaucoup de l’attention que l’on pourrait autrement consacrer aux lieux et aux gens. Le jugement de la moyenne du groupe peut même affecter son propre jugement et le profit moral qu’on s’attend à retirer d’un voyage s’en trouver d’autant compromis.
Ceux qui voyagent en groupe doivent donc faire preuve de personnalité et d’indépendance aussi systématiquement que s’ils voyageaient par leurs propres moyens. Ils devraient de se comporter comme s’ils étaient responsables du groupe, se préparer aussi soigneusement que s’ils partaient seuls, gérer leur itinéraire comme s’ils en étaient les auteurs, s’orienter géographiquement comme si personne d’autre ne pouvait le faire pour eux, se documenter comme s’ils avaient la charge d’informer les autres et profiter de toutes les occasions qui passent pour s’offrir des bains de culture locale
Le compromis
Que ce soit pour apprendre à voler de ses propres ailes après avoir vécu dans le cocon d’un groupe, pour prolonger un voyage organisé trop court ou pour visiter une destination non prévue au programme, on peut toujours se ménager une plage personnelle de quelques jours en fin d’itinéraire. Dans le premier cas, cette solution permet d’exercer à petites doses ses capacités d’autonomie. Dans les deux autres cas, elle corrige les lacunes de l’itinéraire conçu pour le groupe. Et dans tous les cas, ce supplément d’expérience provoque une montée très nette du niveau de satisfaction personnelle face à son voyage.
The opposite may be true. When you travel by yourself, join a group for a tour of a few hours or days can oddly make life easier, especially when the route is tight and time is running out. It even happens that this is the only way to get to his goal.
- Travelling with children
Travelling with children fear be a fantastic experience provided they are well prepared. It is not organized the same way if we start driving in Europe, where the United States that if we want to offer an adventure in India or Guatemala. Similarly, the preparation is very different if traveling with a baby or a child of 10 years.