The Adventure Travel 101 series is designed to provide helpful information for veteran and beginner travelers alike. These posts are intended to inspire readers to pursue their adventurous dreams, while providing them helpful tips and skills to make traveling easier and more enjoyable along the way.
Getting Started with Adventure Travel
One of the questions that I am asked most regularly is “How do I get started with adventure travel.” This is a clear indication that many people have the desire to go on an adventure, but they’re not exactly sure how to go about doing so. The answer that I most commonly give to that question is to “Just do it!”, which is both very cliche and the best advice possible at the same time.
In reality, most people who ask that question already posses the most important quality necessary to pursue the adventure of their dreams – the desire to travel. They’ve probably even identified places they want to go, and have thought long and hard about what it would like to actually be there. They only lack one thing to get them started – a nudge out the front door and down the path towards their dreams.
Gaining Experience
But taking that first step out the door can be scary, as any first time-traveler can attest. It is one thing to think about the places you would like to visit, but it is another thing entirely to actually go there. Common fears include worries about
navigating unknown airports, spending hours on long flights, integrating into foreign cultures, not being able to speak the language, dealing with medical issues, and so on. These are all valid fears of course, but each of them can be easily overcome with a bit of experience. Unfortunately, that experience can’t come without first taking a leap of faith, and embarking on journey or two. That means finding a bit of confidence and determination to take those first steps out of your comfort zone and into the unknown.
One approach that works for many inexperienced travelers is to identify the types of destinations and activities that appeal to them most, and then take a similar trip or two in their home country first. For example, if your ultimate dream is to go trekking in the Himalaya, start with a long distance hike on trail that is closer to home first. Find a place that can provide a similar experience in your home country first, so you can get a taste of the experience you crave before embarking on something more difficult. Using this approach, you won’t have to deal with foreign languages, unusual foods, or long flights, but you’ll still gain valuable skills that will come in handy when you do make the leap to a foreign country. This gives you the opportunity to take small steps outside of your comfort zone, rather than leaping in head first.
Knowledge is Power
Experience isn’t the only way to gain a level of comfort that can help make adventure travel more accessible. Knowing what to expect when you embark on your first trip will also go a long way towards making it easier to take that first step out the door too. The Internet is a fantastic resource in this regard, providing all the tools you need to research exactly what to expect upon arrival at your destination and even allowing you to connect with others who have made the same trip themselves. Being able to ask questions, and have them answered by travelers who have actually been there is an invaluable resource that can go a long way towards allaying fears and reducing uncertainty.
When you have a better understanding and knowledge of the place you intend to visit, you’ll arrive with more confidence. This will make the entire experience seem more manageable, and will reduce any potential anxiety significantly. This is true whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, and the value of doing your homework ahead of time cannot be overstated.
Just Do It!
Of course all of the research, planning, and preparation still isn’t enough to get someone out the door and off on their first adventure. Those are just the tools that can help inch them a bit closer to the door. At some point, any would-be adventure traveler has to take the leap themselves, throwing caution to the wind to a degree. That means selecting a destination, booking your airfare, and planning the activities that they’ll do once they get there. This should all be a fun and exciting experience, not one that creates further anxiety or feelings of dread. That said, it is only natural to feel a bit of trepidation before embarking, but those feelings will subside once the adventure truly gets underway.
Of course, after just one trip, most of the fears that travelers felt initially are long gone. They now know more of what to expect while visiting foreign lands, and they have built even more valuable experience along the way. They’ve learned that a long flight isn’t as bad as they had once thought, and they’ve managed to cope just fine in a foreign country despite language and cultural barriers. Chances are, they’ll go home with a renewed sense of purpose, and a burning desire to travel even more.
The old adage that “travel is the one thing you buy that makes you richer” couldn’t be more apropos. That first major trip will be one that sticks with you for a lifetime, and will likely spur you on to further adventures. That is why it is important to “just do it!” The first step to becoming an adventure traveler is stepping out the door and heading out into the unknown. It will be a bit scary and challenging at first, but it will also be more than worth it.