Travel Worries? Let Them Go!

You start to worry about some event that HAS happened....

Or worse.... you start to worry that something MIGHT happen while your traveling.

We've done it ourselves, and it IS usually just the few days before a trip when we're trying to get everything done. Don't get caught up in this.

Travelers tend to sit at home before their trip... all alone... just thinking of reasons to be stressed. You did your research about the safety of the country you're going to visit, you got all of your vaccinations, but still your "friends" have told you that it's not safe, you're nuts to go there, or you are sure to come down with some exotic fever.

Our advice is not to listen to them. They probably just wish they could be there with you! You've DONE your research. Don't let those nay-sayers stress you out.

Travel problems are always there. You... and your friends... will just start to notice them more when you are planning a trip.

Every year there are demonstrations on the streets of Paris. There are air-traffic controller strikes in Italy and transportation strikes somewhere else. There are train wrecks and bus accidents and terrorists attacks and disease outbreaks. There will be earthquakes and fierce storms.... I could go on and on, but then we'd all soon become paralyzed with travel worries.

We've traveled when those air-traffic controllers were on strike and when the public transportation shut down in Paris. Our trips came off just fine.

Most of the time these disruptive problems show up way back in the newspaper... on page 17 or something, and you'll never notice them. But it you're planning a trip to India... your friends will notice them. And if problems make the headline news, everyone will think you should just stay home.

You may begin to think that yourself, but even if something unexpected happens, in most cases, you should just take things in stride and go on your trip anyway.

We went to central India to see tigers a few years ago. There was unrest half a continent away. All of our friends said it was too risky, they might go to war. We read travel advisories from several different governments and decided to go anyway. We had no problems. We went to three national parks and saw tigers everyday..... I'm so glad we didn't succumb to travel worries on that trip!

Sometimes things will happen, and you could never have predicted them. We had just arrived in Nairobi on September 11, 2001. When the terrorist attacks hit New York, it was late afternoon in Nairobi. With the restrictions put on flying, we couldn't leave, so we went on our safari anyway. People couldn't have been nicer and more sympathetic.

We had a friend that went on a cruise as her first trip to Europe. Know what happened? Her ship sank!!!! Want to know what her next trip was? ....A CRUISE!!!

It IS a good idea to expect that there might be problems. If something comes up, tackle them creatively. We got stuck for five days in Queenstown, New Zealand due to weather one time. If something like that happens to you, do what we did... make friends! You'll probably find that you'll make lots of local new friends because people will try to help you.

The key to enjoying your travel is to take little unexpected glitches in stride. If something comes up before your trip, evaluate it. If it is really a dangerous situation, by all means, cancel your trip... but don't let travel worries ruin a good holiday because your friends said so.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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