2020 put our lives on hold. We re-examined every aspect of our lives. For many of us, we decided to change our ways. Our course corrections have come in myriad ways. New careers, new schools, a return to core values, learning to cook, finding a hobby or even rediscovering on old passion are just a few. For many, the draw to travel called. We want to emerge from the pandemic with new curiosity of the world around us. That’s fantastic! But where to start.
“I want to travel somewhere but I’ve never been further than Disneyworld,” you think. You don’t speak any foreign languages. You have no idea how to convert pesos to dollars. There is no passport on your bureau. You remember the story your Aunt told about the time she was robbed on the train in France. It scares you. Don’t let it.
Before you can travel internationally, you need to get a passport. That takes some time, so I recommend you do that today. Go to travel.gov, fill out the proper paperwork, get your photos, and submit your application. I will publish a more thorough piece on required travel documents at a later date. Today’s article is about taking that first step.
Now that you’ve left the post office having dropped off your passport application, the fun begins. Where do you want to go? I sincerely recommend you choose your first international destination carefully. To ensure you have a great time and your first tentative step into the unknown helps thrust you into a lifetime of exploring, consider the following:
What interests you?
Do you long to wander aimlessly through a world class art museum? Does the natural world call you? Tropical beaches? World Class cities? What experience calls you?
Choose a Place that is more comfortable
Sure, you’ve always wanted to see the big cities in China, but that’s a very different world than the US. So choose a big city where they speak English. Maybe Sydney Australia or London or even Toronto looks appealing. Not having to work with a language barrier is a big plus on those first outings.
Don’t plan a trip to “Europe”
Sure, your sister went to Europe last year. In 10 days she toured London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Barcelona. She returned exhausted with a flash card full of photos but very few actual memories. If you plan on a 2-week trip, go to 1 or 2 cities at most. Or go to a hub city and take a couple day trips. For example, you could visit Sydney and take day trips to Canberra, the national capital, and the Blue Mountains on a second day. Otherwise stay in Sydney. There is plenty for you to explore and experience. If you choose London take day trips to Oxford and Salisbury and Stonehenge. Maybe you chose Toronto and a day trip to Niagara Falls is in the book.
Wherever you choose to visit, any large metropolitan city holds enough theatre, museums, cafes, sports, and shops to keep anyone busy for 10 days. Don’t believe me? I’ve spent 10 days in Rome and barely seen everything I wanted to experience. Likewise, 2 weeks in London is “almost” enough time. And LA? Oh my gosh. To really “live like a local” in the City of Angels, a month is the minimum.
Once you finally determine where you want to go, book a hotel or apartment close to the city center where you don’t need to navigate driving in a foreign country, possibly on the other side of the road, arm wrestling a manual transmission vehicle. Remember, you want this first trip to be easy. It’s a primer. It’s your introduction to world travel.
Armed with these basic tips, grab a map, fire up the internet and pick a place. Next thing you know you’ll be planning trips to explore Ulan Bator Mongolia because it just sounds so cool. Or you’ll be plotting an expedition through Greenland because, well, you haven’t been there yet!
Now Go Explore!