You hear these tropes all the time: travel is expensive, it’s not safe for women to travel alone, book your plane ticket on a Tuesday for the best deal, and so many more. But guess what? They’re not true! In this week’s episode, we’re tackling 9 of the most common travel myths and why they need to go away for good in 2022. If any of these stereotypes has been stopping you from going out your door (sorry, couldn’t resist!), listen to the episode and get ready to book that ticket! And no, it doesn’t matter what day of the week you do it 😎. For a quick run-down, read on:
Myth #1: Traveling is expensive
Only if you want it to be! Travel can be expensive in the same way your everyday life can be expensive–it all depends on how you do it. Want to fly first class and eat at Michelin restaurants? (and hey, nothing wrong with that!). Go for it! But if you choose less expensive destinations, travel on the off season, book more budget-friendly accommodation (hi, hostels) and activities (free walking tours!), and always plan ahead, traveling can be super reasonable.
Also, it’s totally possible to actually make money while traveling or living in another country. Check out the episode on teaching ESL abroad or see if your job will let you go remote (it’s all the rage these days, right? Let’s make remote work in 2022 less of a pandemic thing and more of a travel thing!).
Myth #2: Traveling is dangerous, especially for women
Have you listened to the episode on women traveling alone? Go check it out and consider this myth busted! But really, yes, traveling can pose extra dangers for women and other marginalized people, but so can life in any country, unfortunately. Just like with the cost of travel, you can minimize risks by choosing destinations with care and taking common sense safety precautions, like staying aware of your surroundings, not wearing flashy clothes or jewelry, keeping to safe, public areas after dark, etc. Like I said, unfortunately, the same things you probably do at home will help keep you safe on the road.
Myth #3 (or #2b): Air Bnbs, couch surfing, hitchhiking, etc are unsafe:
Again, you want to take extra care anytime you’re out of your comfort zone and placing your trust in strangers, but strangers are overwhelmingly good people, so if you practice those same common sense precautions, things like Air Bnb and couch surfing can be great ways to find budget accommodation. And hitchhiking? Well, Nomadic Matt offers a great history on why it’s stigmatized in the US but actually a pretty common practice in other countries (short version: the FBI were trying to stop people from hitchhiking to civil rights rallies in the 1950s… 🙄)
Yep, I’ve done it a few times! One of the safety measures that I choose to take to make sure I’m comfortable is to always do it with a friend. Don’t forget that with any of these situations, you get to decide what you’re OK with. If you don’t want to couch surf, don’t, and that’s fine! It doesn’t mean that it’s inherently unsafe, though. For the record, I’ve never couch surfed. I think it could be a great option, but I’d never do it when I’m traveling alone. It’s definitely a topic for a future episode, though!
Myth #4: Street food will make you sick (also, other countries eat weird food)
No, no, no, no, no, no. Enough said? Ha! Street food is some of the tastiest food you will ever eat in your life. And weird is purely a matter of perspective and familiarity! Seriously, though, some street food stands have Michelin ratings, and most of them are just plain delicious. But again, you get to decide on your comfort level! If you think it looks like they’re not taking hygiene or sanitation seriously, don’t eat there (but also be aware that in the West we take those things to extremes that aren’t always necessary). You can also patronize stands that cook the food in front of you and have longer lines (they’re more popular which probably means they don’t frequently serve salmonella, and more business means fresher food).
Myth #5: English is spoken everywhere (on the flip side, you can’t travel unless you speak the local language).
As with most things in life, the truth is somewhere in between. Yes, English is largely the lingua franca around the world and it’s usually a good first bet if you need to communicate with someone. But remember that you’re a guest in their country, and there’s no reason they should speak English. And even if you don’t have a language in common, charades can get you very far! In my experience, most people are tickled by the challenge of trying to understand or be understood if you’re relaxed and good humored about it (and these days, there’s always Google Translate).
Myth #6: There are safe and unsafe countries
Yes, some countries are more dangerous because of political situations, corruption, laws and attitudes towards marginalized folks, etc. But be wary of painting an entire country with one label without seeing the nuances. For one, risk may differ greatly in different cities or regions. Petty crime is also usually more prevalent in common tourist destinations (which are often regarded as safe), fluke events can happen anywhere, and it’s entirely possible that your own country has similarly unsafe areas, but you’re just more familiar with it. Perception of safety can also vary greatly depending on ones gender, religion, sexual orientation, race, etc. Rarely can anything be summed up with one label, and it’s usually worth taking a closer look!
Myth #7: There is a magic day of the week or distance from your trip to book your ticket
If this were true, we’d all be getting cheap flights all the time! Unfortunately, this is a common myth. Check out the episode on how to find cheap flights for all the info, but it’s really more about being flexible and juggling several factors, including when you want to travel, where you’d like to go, different regional airports, etc.
8) Budget airlines are to be avoided at all costs. You’ll have approx. 12inx12in of space (ok, this is true) and a 50% chance of falling out of the sky (not true).
Guys, I missed out on so many cheap flights in my early travel days because I was so scared of budget airlines! If you can get a ticket on RyanAir for ~$15, how are they paying to maintain the airplane? But in reality, most budget airlines are just as safe as traditional airlines (before I fly a new airline, I always look up their safety rating on airlinesafetyratings.com, but generally as long as they’re cleared to fly in Europe and North America, they have to have passed various inspections and meet qualifications). They make up for their incredibly low prices by charging you up the wazoo for everything but your seat (and often that as well, if you want to choose your seat or have any kind of legroom): not having your boarding pass pre-printed, checking bags (sometimes even a carry-on), boarding first, all snacks and drinks, etc. But, if you’re aware of this going in and plan around it, butget airlines are a fantastic deal!
Myth #9: You’re only really traveling if you’re flying overseas or going to a new country
It’s so easy to get caught up in the relative ease of international travel that we forget the importance and joy of local travel, either within your country or even a few towns over. Travel is a mindset of seeing and experiencing new things, and that can be done anywhere (check out our home for the holidays episode, “How to explore your hometown like you’re traveling” for more tips!). And really, with the current state of the pandemic, local travel is probably where it’s at these days (while vaxed and masked and away from crowds, of course!).
If any of these common myths were holding you back from the traveling lifestyle, feel free to hit the road! If you have any other myths you’d like me to bust, you can leave a comment here or send them to goingoutyourdoortravel@gmail.com and make sure to follow @goingoutyourdoor on Instagram and Facebook!
Going Out Your Door 