When I was in 4th grade my parents bought me an encyclopedia set.... back in the day when encyclopedias came in book form. That year there was a special gift that came with the purchase: an additional set of books titled "People and Places of the World". It was basically all the countries, alphabetically, and it listed facts and figures: size, population, topography, imports/exports, religious holidays and celebrations. I read that every day. My Dad used to say, "Lindsey, do your homework and then you can read the encyclopedia". (Dork! I know.)
I love to travel. I love to learn. I'm fascinated by other cultures, new experiences, and when it comes to traveling I have no real fears. But I acknowledge that other people do and they can be very, very scary. I would hate to think a person would avoid a travel experience due to fears.
I'm here to help. And you're welcome.
Flying:
I know it's a common fear and that plane crashes seem even more common than ever, but the fact still remains:
Probability of death due to a plane crash: 1 in 7 Million.
Probability of death due to cardiovascular disease: 1 in 2.
(One of those seems MUCH more terrifying to me - but that's neither here nor there.)
Incase you still can't convince that anxiety to get out I suggest the following.
1) Booze and Pills
This seems to be the most common way to deal with flight anxiety. And life anxiety. Anxiety in general. Pick your poison and Viola! Wake up in your destination!
2) Fly first class
I've never done this, but from what I understand it's much better than coach, and I assume that means a smoother ride and you arrive earlier. Plus, #1 above is included!
3) Fly with friends
Especially if your friends are my friends. We're hysterical!
And your flight will fly right by.
(Pun Intended! See what I mean: Hysterical!)
I highly recommend flying with Julie and Kalli.
Food:
Now here's the thing: isn't the food part of the experience?
Think about it:
If you go to Chicago, you have to eat Pizza;
If you go to Maine, you have to eat Lobster;
If you go to Philadelphia, you have eat a Philly Cheesesteak. And Cream Cheese.
Yes, these are all examples from The States....
Would you go to Ireland and NOT drink beer? No! That's just silly!
Would you go to Italy and NOT eat pasta? No! Don't be ridiculous!
Would you go to Russia and NOT have Vodka? Now I've Crossed A Line!!
So why would you go to Cambodia and not have fried tarantula (called A-Ping)?
(Photo curtesy of www.en-wikipedia.org)
.......Ok, I see the difference.....
But SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!! It's part of the culture!
It IS the Beer/Pasta/Vodka/Pizza/Cream Cheese of it's place. So, dig in!
At least that's how I look at it.
For those who do not see it this way, I recommend:
1) Research your destinations and plan all travel base on your food options.
2) Have you heard of Peanut Butter? It's fantastic! And delicious! And you can take it through customs. If you have a peanut issue - no worries! It comes in Almond AND Cashew options.
3) Pack protein bars.
And don't travel longer than a week.... cause you'll be bored of your food options after that.
Getting Lost:
I am sooooooo good at getting lost! Seriously, it's one of my strong suits. Don't mistake this for having zero sense of direction or not having the ability to get where I need to go, but when it comes to travel I LOVE to get lost. Some cities are built for it. (Venice, Italy) Some are so confusing you don't really have an option. (Lisbon, Portugal) Getting lost is a good thing - you don't get to see what you don't know about. If/when you do get lost just breathe and think of it as a learning opportunity.
Safety:
I'll tell ya what: I feel more unsafe in my apartment when my roommate doesn't have her Diet Coke, or after I run back into my room after jumping on her to wake her up for no reason. But what can I say? I laugh in the face of danger and live for the thrill!
Having said that, use common sense here people. Do some research (on reputable sites) to see what's going on where. If there's turmoil and violence I don't recommend that destination at that time. Common sense: don't walk alone at night (especially down dark allies), don't take all valuables with you at all times, don't draw attention to said valuables, and, as my Dad always said, "Be Aware of Your Surroundings".
Side note: I tend to think people are inherently good. Make friends, do what locals do, but don't get in cabs with strangers. Again, solid advice from Dad.
Access to Bathrooms:
This is just silly: Helllllooooooo everywhere is a bathroom!
Is it ideal? Hell no! But it can be done. Chelsea Handler wrote about a bathroom emergency in her book Uganda Be Kidding Me, and if she can out herself about a 'lack of bathroom' situation, well then we all can handle it. Squat away people! Or pack some Depends. No one needs to know.
Snakes:
Ok, this one is REAL. REALLY REAL! This is my biggest fear.
I want to go to Australia. Australia happens to be covered in these terrifying reptiles.
My solution: bring a hunky man to give me piggy-back rides everywhere I go.
Problem solved!
Similar fears that fall into this category: Bugs, Birds, Bats, Dinosaurs, and Monkies running wild in Brazil. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Ummm, what about spiders?" To you I say, "Don't be ridiculous!" Spiders can't hurt you! There's no such thing as a poisonous, deadly spider. The worst that can happen is that you turn into Spiderman. Trust me.
Falling In Love:
Possibly the most terrifying thing on this list.
And I assume it means falling in love with travel.
Do you have some travel fears? Comment below and I'll leave you some expert advice on how to overcome it.
Again, you're welcome. ;)