As you scroll through your feed, you’ll see travel photo after travel photo. A hiker with his or her fist in the air, as if announcing that (s)he’s reached the top of the world. The power couple, hand-in-hand in Paris, posing right in front of the Eiffel Tower. The adventurous backpacker who’s reached yet another country just by hitchhiking. But behind those stunning photos in social media, the reality is travellers actually put a lot of hard work into trekking the world. And if you’re thinking of following suit, you might want to consider these points.
Also read: The Ugly Truths About Travelling
1. Saving up isn’t easy
Not everyone is privileged enough to travel whenever they want. Most of us need to save up for our visas, plane tickets, and hotel reservations. For some people, saving up for a trip may take months of sacrificing luxuries — even essentials!
2. Assessing your budget gets confusing
Hard as it is to believe, not everything is on the Internet. Especially if you’re going to an exotic place, it’s hard to predict how high your expenses will go. Some sites don’t have updated ticket prices, other spots just won’t show up on Google at all. With this, you’ll need to have leeway in your budget. Basically, this means you’ll have to save up for at least twice your ideal travel budget in case of emergencies.
3. Doing research is time-consuming
If you want your trip to run fluidly, you’d have to plan it well. And trip planning is NOT easy at all. It requires proper research about places, from public transportation options to entrance fees. One tiny change in detail, like a hotel suddenly becoming fully booked, will require you to redo your whole itinerary once more.
4. There are so many travel requirements
In the Philippines, the process of getting a passport takes a lot of time, energy and effort. Let alone acquiring a visa. The good news is that frequent travellers don’t have to deal with as much hassles in obtaining travel requirements. But, first-timers are in for a long process.
5. Packing can get stressful
Packing itself is stressful. If you’re into taking photos of your OOTDs, you’d have to plan your daily outfits, ideally without overpacking. Then, you’d have to consider the weather. Imagine all the seasons you don’t have to deal with in the Philippines! Also, remember that there are different cultures around the world. Meaning, clothes that are acceptable in the Philippines may not be presentable somewhere else.
Also read: Easy Packing: This is How You Pack a Travel Capsule Wardrobe
6. Sleep deprivation kills excitement and enthusiasm
Travel tends to lead to sleep deprivation. On one hand, there’s the horrible jet lag. On the other, you have to get used to sleeping in a new environment. Imagine touring around a beautiful place without proper sleep. Adrenaline rush and caffeine can last you only so long. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself longing for more time to get some rest.
7. Getting lost is hardly fun
It’s never easy to go around a place you’re unfamiliar with, especially when you’re already tired. You’ll need extremely long patience to find your way around foreign land with a smile. Getting lost abroad is difficult since you aren’t used to public transportation and you can’t properly ask directions as you would with fellow Filipinos.
8. Language barrier makes everything complicated
Language barriers cost a huge gap in understanding, and we all know how misunderstanding creates numerous problems. Activities as basic as shopping and eating can become way too complicated when servers and other employees can’t understand you.
Also read: Filipinos Share Experiences When The Language Barrier Was Way Too Real!
9. It’s confusing to spend foreign currency
If you don’t properly plan your budget, you’re going to have a hard and risky time spending money abroad. But even if you did plan, splurging will never be easy whenever you’re using foreign currency. Whether you’re shopping or eating out, it’s hard to assess if something is worth its value.
10. Every traveller suffers from post-travel blues
As if these struggles weren’t enough, you’d have to go through a period of post-travel blues once your trip is over. You’ll need to deal with this sadness while unpacking and returning to the hustle and bustle of real life.
Also read: Confessions of a Traveller: 5 Reasons Why I Hate Travelling
Travel has become more accessible over the years. Globalisation has allowed us low-cost transportation, quick communication, and convenient transactions. Still, travel continues to be a privilege. And with that privilege, we have to deal with several responsibilities as well.
