One of the best things about social media is that you can explore the world without leaving your corner of it. You can check out all kinds of places you’ve never even heard of before, and start planning your own trip. The problem though is that social media can often not match up to the real thing. What should you do when you reach your destination, and it’s not what you were expecting?

Dealing With Culture Shock

It’s easy to think you’re prepared for everything that a different culture can throw at you. From what you’ve seen online, you feel that you’re prepared and that you can deal with anything. Once you get there though, it’s easy to find something that you weren’t ready for, and that throws you for a loop. For example, perhaps the culture is more around dining with company, and you’ve traveled alone.

It’s easy to feel blind sided, and even with all the research you do you’ll see that there’s something that you weren’t ready for. If you’re in a situation that you’re uncomfortable with, don’t be afraid to remove yourself quietly. If you’re ready for something to take you unawares, you’ll be more prepared if it does happen.

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Not Getting The ‘Travel Memoir’ Experience

There are so many travel memoirs out there that make travel sound like a life changing experience. The writers go out to a destination and they’re able to find themselves, understand themselves better, and make life changing decisions. As such, it’s easy to plan your own trip hoping the same will happen for you.

The problem is, you go to the same destination and you’re just not seeing what the writer saw. It’s hugely disappointing if you were hoping to get what they got. Instead, remember that everyone is different and will get different things out of their travel experience. Go with an open mind, and look for your own meaning when you travel.

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Having To Deal With Huge Crowds

When reading about destinations online, it’s easy to start thinking about the kind of experience you’ll have there, and what you’ll be able to see and do. For example, if you want to visit the Vatican, you’ll expect to be able to wander round and see things at your leisure. The reality is though, there’s likely to be large crowds there all hoping to to get the same thing. That’s going to be a real dampener on the trip.

To stop this happening, do your research about the busy tourist seasons in the area you want to visit. If you can plan your trip in the quieter seasons, then you’ll be able to get around with less crowds. You will have to remember that there will always be crowds though, and prepare for that.

Avoiding The Tourist Spots

Many would be travellers are actually put off visiting some areas, as they’re told online that they’re over commercialised now and not as fun to visit. Venice is a good example of this. With so much tourism there, many feel that it’s lost its charm.

If you want to visit somewhere, then you can still plan the trip without having to miss out. The trick is to look for the less populated spots. Many find that they can visit Venice and actually explore its history without having to deal with the tourist crush. Do your research ahead of time, and you can have the experience you want.

“Wherever You Go, There You Are”

This is something every would be traveler needs to be aware of. Many go abroad as they feel they can be a whole new person, away from their troubles and daily life. Travel is a great way to recharge and get a break from the every day. However, many travellers are disappointed that they aren’t able to fix the parts of their life they aren’t happy with with travel, though. Instead, see it as a break rather than a transformative experience.

If you go into travel with the right expectations, you’re going to have an amazing time. Be prepared for the things that could go wrong, and be realistic about what you’ll experience. That way, you’ll have a great time no matter where you go.

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Sara Sparrow is a writer with Paper writing service, where she covers travel and travel tips.