One of the many joys in life is the opportunity to travel and explore new places and horizons, experience different tastes, cultures, arts and languages.
Being able to travel is an eye opening experience that anyone can look forward to.
Exploring new lands and getting acquainted with the landscape and culture of the place is the best way to get to know a place, and at the same time broadens your horizon.
There are many beautiful places around the world to visit such as The Taj Mahal, The Great Wall of China, The Pyramids, the Grand Canyon, Eiffel and many more.
Each place and country has its own unique identity, and when you visit these places and see all the beauty that surrounds you, it will give you a deep insight of the diversity of cultures, beliefs, customs and traditions; leaving a lasting impression on your mind.
Travelling makes it possible for you to meet people, experience different sights and sounds, learn the vagaries of life and culture from different perspectives; or experience amusing things and events besides your normal routine. Here are some travel tips to get you started:
- Research - Learn about the places as there may be some important things you don't know about. Use the internet to learn about the local customs. Read about their culture, people, economy, cities, weather, and more.
- Packing - It isn't just about personal toiletries and clothes, it is important to bring things you enjoy and use often in your backpack so you will have easier access to them. Remember to bring extra batteries and the necessary equipment to make them work throughout your travels.
- Watch your belongings - These days, there are many things we need to carry around. It could be our handphones, laptops, digital camera and more. Never let those expensive belongings out of your sight. Keep them locked in a safe, or hidden in a good place. Don't leave your luggage or backpack unattended even you are out for a second.
- Expect the unexpected - As much as we want to have the perfect traveling experience, sometimes it won't turn out to be what we have planned for. Don't sweat the small stuff. Sometimes the things we don't plan for may turn out to be better than what we have planned.
- Be spontaneous - It is important to plan, but it is just as important to try something new. It could be something big as bungee jumping, or something small like trying out an exotic cuisine. Either way, you will have something interesting to do. If you find yourself disliking a place, don't hesitate to leave immediately. GO to all sorts of different places, not just tourist traps.
- Cherish the moments - Sometimes you may not realize how happy or carefree you are until you no longer have it. Recognize those moments and appreciate them. We know there are places we never return to, so it is important to keep the memories unique and special as they won't stay the same way. Some people know they just want to keep on going and discovering new places and do exciting things. Whatever you choose to do, cherish your traveling experiences, you may just look back one day and realize how lucky you were to have experienced it.
* For travels and outdoors activities on a shoestring budget, join the Budget Travellers Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/BudgetTravellers.
Founded by Peter Lau from KL on Oct 2009, the group is suitable for young and old wish to explore interesting destinations both local and overseas, through cheap public transportation and affordable guest houses. "With Budget Travellers, you simply spend less", said Lau.
Copy from a Note of one friend that she copied from The Straits Times on 12/11