The fears of novice tourists are in vain. Tips and rules for beginner tourists. Faith in digital technology

The first trip abroad is an exciting event. What awaits you outside your home country? How will you cope with new challenges? Is there enough money for upcoming expenses?..

No matter how carefully you prepare for your first trip, unfortunate miscalculations are inevitable. As with any other aspect of life, understanding some things only comes with experience. However, let's try to avoid at least the most common mistakes of novice tourists.

Of course, it is tempting to plan the entire upcoming route in advance and book hotels or hostels, transfers, and excursions. After all, then you won’t have to worry about anything during the trip, which is very convenient. Or not? You will soon come to the conclusion that it is better to leave yourself some room for maneuver. Book only what you need, don’t deprive yourself of the opportunity to improvise. You never know what might force a traveler to change a previously planned route.

Use travel agencies wisely

Some services, for example, package tours, are actually more profitable to buy through a travel agency. In other cases, it is better to do everything yourself. By purchasing air tickets and booking a hotel yourself, you will save a significant portion of your travel budget.

A novice traveler is easy to recognize even in a crowd of similar tourists. Hands subconsciously reach for the pocket with the wallet, the face expresses distrust and suspicion, because it constantly seems to him that they want to rob or deceive him. Indeed, it is difficult for a beginner to distinguish a scammer from just a curious and friendly local resident, so he suspects everyone. This is mistake. Relax, for the vast majority of those around you, you are just another foreigner, and not an object of enrichment.

But don’t talk too much

At the same time, do not forget that among the friendly people there are also those who are not averse to making money at the expense of a naive tourist. Exercise caution in situations requiring the handling of cash and.

Don't try to see everything at once

Why are group tours so popular? People see offers from travel agencies like “ 6 countries in 10 days at a super price' and think it's a great idea. Another mistake of a novice tourist. Instead of galloping across Europe, choose one country for your first acquaintance. Once you get to know it from the inside, you will never forget this feeling, and you will forever be “sick” with the desire to travel.

Plan your expenses carefully

The arithmetic is simple: everything will cost more than you expect. Starting from airline tickets, which in advertising brochures were for “$300 round trip”, but are now sold out, ending with the cost of beer at the nearest bar. This is normal, just accept it and prepare twice as much for your trip as you think is enough.

Don't take a lot of things

A typical mistake of novice travelers is stuffed backpacks and huge suitcases. Do not take clothes “in reserve”, because you will still want to buy something for yourself during the trip. In a pinch, you can always find a laundromat.

Don't get carried away with shopping

Huge outlets and shopping centers attract tourists. You can leave thousands of dollars there buying everything indiscriminately, but think about it, do you really need it? Limit yourself to practical souvenirs and those that you simply cannot do without. It is better to spend the remaining money on exciting excursions.

Do not panic

Something can always “go wrong”. Not even because you, as a novice tourist, make a lot of mistakes. That's just how life is. Trains are late, hotels lose reservations, things go missing, taxis get stuck in traffic on the way to the airport... This is part of the big adventure called travel. Treat such situations calmly; panic will only make them worse.

Don't neglect insurance

Even if you're planning on lounging on the beach for a week, travel insurance should be the No. 1 item in your suitcase. On the most relaxing vacation, a million unforeseen things can happen: an accident, a sudden attack of illness, poisoning... The cost of an insurance policy is not that high compared to other travel costs, so you shouldn’t repeat the mistake of inexperienced travelers who decide to save on it.

More on the topic:

1. A lot of luggage

A study was conducted in the USA that showed that tourists take with them at least 6 extra things that they will never wear during their trip. This problem affects not only Americans, but also other inexperienced travelers who only increase their burden. Experts recommend taking half as many wardrobe items as rest days (1 item for 2 days).

2. A huge number of souvenirs

Having seen a lot of new and interesting things in another country, we often strive to buy everything that we liked even a little. Be careful - the quality of such products often leaves much to be desired or their value is completely useless. You can use universal advice when shopping: did you like something? Wait a couple of days, if the desire to purchase is still with you, then feel free to make a purchase.

3. Roaming

You need to be careful when connecting newfangled tariffs with the possibility of international roaming. Such cellular communications will take a serious toll on your budget, and calls from work will not add positive emotions to your vacation.

4. Housing in the very center of the city

There is no doubt that hotels and rental housing in the center (be it a large city in Europe or Asia) are rented at inflated prices. The recommendation is simple: if possible, choose a place to stay within half an hour’s drive from the central part.

5. Buy a plane ticket too late or too early

In this matter, it is better not to overdo it, buying tickets at the last moment or many months in advance. It has long been known that it is best to purchase air tickets 21 days before departure if you are moving within the country, and 34 days before departure between countries.

6. Exchange money at the airport

In order to avoid the headache of finding an exchange office, some travelers go to the first one on their route and change money at the airport. Almost no one recommends this option, because the exchange rate is designed to generate a large profit for the item (which is not at all profitable for you).

7. Fear of buying local food

Many tourists deprive themselves of the pleasure of trying local fast food, especially if they travel to poor countries. In fact, in almost all cases there is nothing to fear, because the locals just don’t like getting food poisoning. The best way to find great local food on the street and have the best experience is to stand in the longest line at the food stand.

8. Buying the cheapest shoes

An inexperienced tourist thinks: “I will only wear flip-flops for a few days in a country where no one knows me. Why spend money? As a result, after many hours of walking, he gets chafed fingers and swollen feet.

9. Under-insurance

Many people think that nothing will happen to them in a week, they just have to be more careful. But in reality, saving a couple of tens of dollars can end up paying off hospital bills instead of buying souvenirs. Insurance is not something you should skimp on.

10. More photos. Even more!

This is the real disease of our generation. Experts believe that the obsession with photography prevents people from fully enjoying the beauty and views. And surveys show that many amateur photographers never look back at their hundreds of vacation photos.

Choosing a route

First of all, familiarize yourself with the procedure for payment, booking and cancellation of tours. Travel agencies, after the client pays a deposit, reserve a seat on the plane and hotel. In case of cancellation of the trip, the company will be charged with fines, which it will legally collect from the client.

When purchasing a tour, you will be issued a voucher and a travel package. These documents list the range of services that the travel agency provides and indicate the timing of the trip. The obligations of the parties and penalties in case of late cancellation of the tour are specified in the contract. Please review the list of services included in the voucher and check that they match your order using international travel terms:

ABOUT(only bed) - only accommodation
BB(bed end breakfast) - accommodation and breakfast
HB(half board) - accommodation, breakfast, dinner
FB(full board) - accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner
A.I.(all inclusive) - accommodation and meals on an all-inclusive basis (breakfast, lunch, dinner, local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
SGL(single) - single occupancy
DBL(double) - double occupancy
TRPL(triple) - triple occupancy Suite - accommodation in a luxury room
Family room- accommodation in a luxury room with separate rooms
Extra Bed- an extra bed
Chi(child) - child
Ad(adult) - adult
SV(Sea View) - view of the sea.

Large fees

Finally, your suitcase is packed and you are ready to leave the house to plunge into the atmosphere of the vacation you have been dreaming about all year. Check that you have taken all the documents necessary for the trip: passport and its photocopy (if you lose the original, it will make it easier to return home), voucher, medical insurance policy, air ticket, driver’s license (if you plan to rent a car).

At the airport, fill out the customs declaration in advance, get a seat in a non-smoking cabin (if necessary), prepare documents for exporting currency. Keep the customs declaration until you return to Moscow.

You have arrived at the hotel

Abroad, in all hotels the day begins and ends at 12 noon. Therefore, if you arrive before this time or leave later, you will have to spend some time on the beach, by the pool or wandering around the shops. If you like the room so much that you don’t want to leave it even a few hours before departure, be prepared to pay for half a day or an additional day, and at the highest hotel prices.

Some hotels offer the popular All inclusive concept (everything is included in the price). This concept involves three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Free - alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, light snacks throughout the day, a large selection of free sports activities, free participation in entertainment programs for adults and children. The range of these services varies depending on the hotel. More accurate information is provided in the catalogs of each of them.

It is advisable to leave the keys to the room at the hotel reception every time you leave it (unlike the guest card, which should always be with you - after all, this is your pass both to the hotel restaurant and to the world of paid hotel services, as well as a hint for taxi driver, if you are not at all comfortable with a foreign language).

Guides from the travel agency that sent you on vacation visit the hotel according to the schedule. It is posted on the information board, which is located in each hotel, usually next to the reception desk. Any problem related to your stay on vacation (transfer, hotel accommodation, shortcomings in hotel service, comments on excursions) must be resolved correctly but promptly with a representative of the host company.

Your own bodyguard

Don't risk your money by leaving it in your rooms - this is not recommended even in hotels of the highest category. It is safer to store money, documents and jewelry in a safe, which is available in the vast majority of hotels at the reception desk or in the room. The ability to use a safe is usually available for a small fee.

Home, home, home

The status of your account for any day can be found at the reception desk by asking for a computer printout. On the day of departure from the hotel, pay for all additional services: minibar, telephone calls, ordering food and drinks in your room, etc. Remember that international calls will cost you less from the machine in the lobby than from your room.

“I’ll give up everything and go to the ends of the world!” - such thoughts probably occurred to every person at least once in their life. The reasons may be different - the desire to see other countries, meet people of other cultures, or simply escape from boring everyday life. Take a backpack, buy a map, tickets and off you go! It would seem - what could be simpler?

But in reality, only a few people do this. Obligations, fears, lack of self-confidence, lack of money - this and much more slows down not only people over 30, but also young people, for whom, it would seem, it’s time to do crazy things and look for a fair wind, so that in old age they can remember with kindness smiling at his past adventures.

Let's try to understand the main problems and doubts of novice travelers - real and far-fetched, and identify possible ways to solve them.

1. I have no one to go with.

The lack of travel companions often stops even those who have everything else in order. It seems like I’ve already found the money and sorted out the work, but none of my friends want to support the bold initiative. And alone - it’s scary, scary, and probably boring?

Answer: All experienced travelers unanimously say that fellow travelers are a secondary and profitable matter. By daring to go out alone, you will benefit much more than couples and groups. Firstly, if you use hitchhiking as a transportation option, it is much more effective to do it alone - the more people there are, the harder it is to catch a car. Secondly, if you have a travel companion, you always have someone to talk to, and you will be much less eager to make new acquaintances, which means you will miss the lion's share of interesting discoveries and revelations that make up any trip. So it remains to be seen whether it is worth looking for travel companions at the start.

If you absolutely cannot take the first step solo, you can always turn to searching for travel companions online. Today there are many special forums and services that allow you to find a company for yourself, even for a trip to a nearby store.

Of the most popular - http://www.poputchik.ru/, http://www.mahnem.ru/, http://poputi.votpusk.ru/ or, for example - http://www.bpclub.ru - for hitchhiking.

2. What if? What if?

What if I get lost? What to do if you run out of money? What if there is nowhere to stay overnight?

Answer: Many people spend their entire lives in their comfort zone, moving along once established routes and traveling only in organized groups with a mandatory guide or guide. It is not surprising that the thought of traveling independently and the fact that you can be left alone in an unfamiliar place or find yourself in other unusual situations causes, if not horror, then quite expected trepidation.

“If you can randomly make your way to your own bed in complete darkness without hurting yourself, then it’s time to travel.” B.Y. Krieger

And here to assure you that all your fears are in vain, that everything will go without a hitch, would be wrong and dishonest. We are not immune to the unexpected, and that's true. And they can lie in wait for us even on the well-known “home-work” route, let alone other cities and countries.

But it is also true that without leaving our comfort zone, we will never test ourselves for strength, we will never recognize the real ourselves, our hidden capabilities, all our lives staying in the cocoon of our own ideas about ourselves. New tasks give rise to new solutions, expanding the field of vision and raising it to a new level.

“Away from our native language and loved ones, deprived of all our usual disguises and supports (after all, you don’t even know the price of a tram ticket), we are completely on the surface. But at the same time, feeling out of place, we discover in every object and in every wondrous creature their true magical essence.” Albert Camus

"Forewarned is forearmed". Your main trump card is information. Study any information you can get (and there is no shortage of it today), consult in specialized communities, and do not hesitate to ask questions to experienced travelers. Let you have a pile of pieces of paper with the names of a dozen different hotels and telephone numbers of people living in these places and willing to help (you can also find them on forums or in communities like couchsurfing (https://www.couchsurfing.org/), the main thing is to find the ground under your feet before the first start. And the second time you will remember all this with laughter.

It’s also great to have a phone with mobile internet and GPS. With such information support it is difficult to get lost or not find accommodation for the night;)

And, of course, it is important to be open and friendly in any, even the most emergency, situation. Sometimes help can come from complete strangers when you are not expecting it at all. So - an open look and a smile + information preparation - and you are not afraid of any surprises.

3. I don’t have money for such trips.

Of course, free travel is every backpacker's dream. In reality, this is not always possible - only, perhaps, when traveling by hitchhiking or on a bicycle with your own tent and/or sleeping bag and a supply of canned food. But this is a special case, not everyone will decide to do this. Let's think about what can be done.

Answer:

And in conclusion, I would like to say: independent travel is always an experiment on yourself, a challenge, a struggle - both with your vices (laziness, timidity, fears) and with circumstances.

But, at the same time, it is always drive, courage, it is something that you will never forget and will never regret, even if the experience is negative at first.

This is what you will remember when you are sitting in a rocking chair at 99 years old, and what you will be proud to tell your grandchildren about.

This is what will teach you to understand yourself - what you need and what is imposed by someone, where is your limit of strength, what are you capable of.

And what will teach you to understand others and accept other people’s truth, to go beyond your point of view and look at the world with a thousand eyes at once, looking at and remembering all the details of this many-sided and beautiful world.

“I feel that great feats await me, but the life of a Moomintroll is short.
And that’s why I’m leaving this house, goodbye, don’t be sad, I’ll return crowned with glory!

P.S. I’m taking a jar of pumpkin puree with me.”

Tove Jansson. Memoirs of Moominpappa.

Amanda Carpenter

Unnecessary fears

CHAPTER FIRST

Nikki Ashton ran for dear life. She rounded the corner of an old brick house, but then she tripped and crashed her head into someone's hard chest.

They caught up with her! There's nowhere to run! These thoughts flashed through Nikki's mind as strong arms wrapped around her. She screamed in horror and complete helplessness. The man immediately pulled back as if she was contagious, but not before shaking her firmly by the shoulders. Nikki heard a deep voice, the sounds of which reverberated in her head with sharp blows, as if she were being whipped with an iron-tipped whip.

Come to your senses, finally! I swear to God, I'm not going to rape you - I accidentally bumped into you.

Her legs buckled and she fell. Raising her head, Nikki saw that in front of her was not the man who had attacked her in the dark alley. The yellow light of a street lamp in the middle of a dirty block illuminated her pale, narrow face with high cheekbones and huge blue eyes; his black hair was cut short. She only saw a dark figure looming over her, as the light fell from behind. The man seemed to be about to leave. Then, in desperation, she pulled at his trouser leg, trying to hold him, but the material slipped out of her stiff fingers. Again it seemed to her that he was going to leave, and she began to cry. Tears blurred her eyes, and Nikki wiped them away, feeling something sticky on her cheek.

Don’t leave... - she breathed out with difficulty. - Please... I'm in trouble.

A bloody streak stood out on her deathly pale face.

“Oh my God,” the man said in a completely different tone. He squatted down and Nikki saw dark brown eyes looking at her piercingly. -You're American, aren't you? Don't you know, you brainless creature, that Soho is not the place for sightseeing alone, especially at night?

Do I look like a sightseer? - Nikki blurted out, pressing her palms, burning with pain, to her chest. “I got lost, and then two men attacked me, one of them was already catching up, that’s why I turned the corner so sharply!”

The stranger rose to his feet and walked away. Stunned, Nikki helplessly dropped her head on her wounded hands. So, she hoped in vain! But he just walked to the corner, looked around the street and came back. Kneeling down, he said abruptly:

There's no one there now, but it's not worth the risk of staying here. Can you go?

Despite the harsh tone, his movements were gentle: he wiped the blood from her face, then took both her hands in his hands and unclenched them. She straightened her fingers as best she could so that he could see everything better. The palms of both of her hands, which she always carefully looked after, were deeply cut from the index finger diagonally down. Blood was still flowing from the wounds.

The man took a deep breath in surprise, his eyes widened, and rage flashed through them.

Did they do this?

They tried to do something even worse! - Nikki answered angrily. The tender features of her face were distorted with indignation. “I grabbed the wrist of the one with the knife, and when he pulled his hand away, I cut myself.

The stranger raised his eyebrow mockingly at the way Nikki’s eyes sparkled and her chin lifted militantly - even frightened, she was ready to fight back.

We need a doctor and a policeman,” he said decisively. - I'll take you to the nearest phone.

He lifted Nikki to her feet and, as she swayed, he grabbed her around the waist. As they walked down the street, Nikki gradually came to her senses and saw her companion. He was thin and well-built, with thick grayish hair that looked like the pelt of a wolf.

The nearest phone was in the stranger's car. They walked two blocks and stopped at a sleek black Jaguar. Nikki looked at the car in surprise as its owner opened the door. The Jaguar, with its sleekness and grace, suited this tall man, but only as an addition. This type of man did not need a prestigious car to prove his high social status. He clearly took the best from life, but did not attach much importance to it. Nikki knew such men and felt from experience his strength and authority.

The excitement from the horror had subsided, but the resulting depression had not yet set in, so Nikki thought clearly and easily. As the gray-haired stranger helped her into the car, she noted all the details in her mind: dark eyes looked at her carefully, assessing her condition; he extended his long hand to her with a graceful gesture, but there was no feeling of weakness in this movement - his palm was so strong; A predatory expression flashed across his thin, impassive face as he took one last look around the deserted street.

He slammed the door on her side and walked around the car. A very reserved character, Nikki thought as she settled into the seat. Then she remembered the expression with which he looked at her crippled hands, and decided that he simply knew how to control himself.

Once in the car, he pressed the button and the doors automatically latched. A head with stunning gray hair turned towards her, and a stern gaze bored into Nikki. The face of a player or a member of the board of directors of a large company. This man had power and knew how to use it. And he was not at all as old as it might seem at first because of his gray hair. Nikki met his gaze with genuine calm.

You seem to be not at all afraid of being locked in a car with a stranger? - he remarked sarcastically.

Nikki wasn't angry at all. Looking into his hard eyes, she replied:

I only survived because I came across you. And this is thought-provoking.

Maybe we shouldn't trust people so easily? - he said insinuatingly.

She gave him a white-toothed smile.

There are devils in still waters, right? The expression on his face did not change, but something flashed in his gaze. Nikki’s heart sank, but he lowered his eyes and took the white scarf from his neck.

Stretch out your hands,” he ordered, without explaining anything, much less reassuring.

Does he really want to tie her up? Nikki actually understood the intricacies of human behavior. It seemed to her that she could trust him, she could sense the ability to sympathize, and she had no choice but to obey him. Nikki was amused that she had seen through this side of his nature and smiled boldly at him. Her face shone with a smile and the features of a woman wise with life experience were visible in it. And he remembered that the last time another woman, who died five years ago, looked at him so insightfully, but even she did not have such a direct and pure gaze. This young lady is simply a rarity.

He took the scarf with both hands, and the strong shoulders under the black evening jacket tensed slightly - the thin material tore with a crash. Nikki obediently extended her wounded palms to him, and with great care he wrapped them with homemade bandages made of expensive silk. Then he reached over to the seat belt on her seat and clicked the buckle. His movement was unexpected, and Nikki instinctively pulled away, not understanding why: either to not interfere, or so that he would not touch her.

“I didn’t even know that we were going somewhere,” she remarked with some causticity and received an ironic look in retaliation.

You might prefer to sit here for an hour waiting for the police, but I don't intend to do that. - There was boredom and impatience in his voice.