In this week long series, we’ll be looking at debunking some of the travel world’s myths and explaining the truth behind these sentiments.  So follow along this week for some of the most well known travel myths and how we prove they aren’t true.

I recently had a good friend say to me, “you guys have seen so much now, I bet there aren’t a lot of places left to see.”  It struck me as strange because as a traveler, the more you see, the more you want to see.  But that’s often the mentality, that once you start traveling, once you start seeing the world, it’s easier to stop.  In fact, in reality it’s the complete opposite and yet that sentiment is brought up a lot to me by people who haven’t traveled.  So for the record, once you start traveling, it’s definitely not easy to stop and here’s why…

The world gets smaller as you see more.

When you travel, you realize how interconnected we all are.  And while you start with this notion that the world is so big, you eventually come to the realization that actually it’s very small.  The web of connections around the globe is getting smaller and more connected thanks to technology and ease of travel, so once you start seeing new places and see more and more of the world, the connections make you want to see everything even more.

Places that you never even knew existed are shared and found so easily on social media.

A large percentage of our travels to places have happened not by traditional research but merely through finding them on social media.  Instagram and Twitter and blogs have revolutionized the way we travel, including more and more places that we want to see that we might have never even thought of before.

Travel is all about exploration and seeing all you can.

There is no such thing as a true traveler who travels to one landmark place and says, “ok I’m done, I’ve seen enough.”  Travel is about exploration, it’s about trying new things, and it’s about doing it as often as you can.  The mindset is that there really is no amount of time that you could offer to see everything.  You have to keep doing it and know that you might not be able to get everywhere but you’ll try because you truly want to see and experience the world.

In this week long series, we’ll be looking at debunking some of the travel world’s myths and explaining the truth behind these sentiments.  So follow along this week for some of the most well known travel myths and how we prove they aren’t true.

You can always tell if people have traveled before if they rely solely on guidebooks when planning a trip.  I started that way too, looking through Frommer’s guides and Lonely Planet books on countries I was going to visit.  And while I still buy them as needed and use them for specific research, I have found over my years of traveling that guidebooks really don’t provide the best and most up to date information that you need to know when traveling.  There are so many amazing resources out there now that provide better information than the old fashioned guidebooks that are heavy and clunky to travel with, that today we’re debunking the theory that guidebooks are best for travel research.

You’ll find the best, most current recommendations on Instagram and travel blogs.

Travel blogs and social media are truly the best source of information regarding traveling.  I like to start following specific accounts and blogs when I know I’m headed to a specific destination.  I also screenshot any restaurants, activities or hotels that look cool from people I follow and keep them filed so that when I’m headed to that destination, I can look into them.  You’ll find the best, most current recommendations this way; things you’d never find in a standard guidebook.

Use travel guides like LUXE or Wallpaper guides that are small and can travel with you.

My favorite travel guides are the LUXE city guides and Wallpaper guides that are small, have relevant, modern information and that can be easily slipped into my purse when exploring without having to lug a giant book around.  Both companies are really modern and offer great advice for young travelers in a fun sophisticated way.

Download travel apps before you leave home so you can access information on your phone.

Most travel guidebook companies now have apps, which means you don’t need that big guidebook anymore.  Download the relevant apps before you leave for your trip and then you can access whatever you need to on the go on your smart phone.

 In this week long series, we’ll be looking at debunking some of the travel world’s myths and explaining the truth behind these sentiments.  So follow along this week for some of the most well known travel myths and how we prove they aren’t true.

For some reason, a large majority of people really believe the world is a dangerous place.  It’s probably the media and the bad things being replayed over and over.  But all in all, the majority of the world is totally safe to travel to.  Of course you still need to be safe, but so do you at home, so with some planning and common sense, the world really isn’t all that dangerous and doesn’t need to be feared.

You should travel safe, no matter where you are but don’t let that hinder your experience. 

One of the things that really bothers me from people I know are the comments that traveling is dangerous.  The thing is, you can have more happen to you around your home than while traveling, so being safe no matter where you are is important.  Travel safe, stay in well lit areas if you’re out at night, keep your belongings safe and use common sense and you won’t have issues.  Don’t let the fear of danger hinder your experience, just be safe in general and you’ll be totally fine and enjoy the travel experience.

There are more kind people in the world than dangerous ones.

I’m constantly amazed, regardless of what you’ll hear in the media, by how many amazingly kind and helpful people you’ll come across while traveling.  People want to help you if you let them.  Put your faith in the good side of humanity (while still being safe of course and listening to your intuition) and you most likely will be blown away by how kind people can be.  There is far more good in the world than bad.

Don’t believe everything you hear.  But do your research.

I hear all sorts of things from people in my life about destinations we travel to.  Before we went to Cambodia last year I got all sorts of comments from relatives about why we would travel to such a war-torn, unsafe country.  It turned out to be some of the friendliest people we’ve ever encountered while traveling and we had no qualms about safety while there.  People remember one bad thing they’ve heard over the years about a place and instead of looking into it or moving forward, they hold on to it and let it define a place for them.  Don’t do that.  Do your research and don’t believe everything you hear.  Some of the most incredible places on this planet have had conflicts in the past or something negative in the media, move forward and embrace the country for what it is now.

In this week long series, we’ll be looking at debunking some of the travel world’s myths and explaining the truth behind these sentiments.  So follow along this week for some of the most well known travel myths and how we prove they aren’t true.

One of the things I hear the most often regarding travel is that it’s just too expensive for the average person to see more of the world.  And while, yes, flights and hotels and activities cost money, it doesn’t have to be expensive and here’s why…

Traveling abroad isn’t always more expensive than domestic travel. 

This one is one of the complaints I hear time and time again.  And yet, if you can afford to take your family to Hawaii or Disneyland for a week, those trips easily cost way more than it would cost you to spend a week in some of Europe’s cheaper cities or in SE Asia.  I guarantee it.  If you pick the right place and spend your money well, there are lots of options to travel abroad that are the same price point as those domestic vacations you’re taking.

Those airline and credit card miles you have sitting and have never touched…that is money wasted.

I can’t believe how often people let points and miles just expire and never use them.  Points and miles are such an amazing way to cut cost on travel and you literally don’t have to do anything other than keep track of them.  Get a credit card that works for you (my favorites are the BA visa, the Sapphire visa and the AA MasterCard) and rack up points on your daily spending.  Just to give you an idea how much points and miles can be worth: we just booked first class tickets to Europe from the West Coast of the US for only $5.  That’s an incredible deal to save money on travel…don’t let them expire, use those points and miles for flights and hotels and rental cars!

There are a plethora of low budget airlines and hotel chains that offer incredible cost for wherever you’re headed.

Anymore, you can find such cheap flights to anywhere in the world that I get tired of people complaining about the cost of airfare.  You can fly from LA to Scandinavia on Norwegian Air for as little as $199 each way or from the East Coast of the US on WOW to Iceland, Paris or Amsterdam for just $99.  I can’t even get fares like that from Portland to Vegas (an hour and a half flight).  If you really want to travel, and you put the time into research, there are so many amazing low budget airlines and hotel chains out there that won’t break that bank.  AirBnB is another amazing way to save money on travel and lodging.  There are lots of deals out there, if you’re willing to look.

There are a lot of places in the world where you’d spend less per day on a vacation than you would at home.

There are numerous places around the globe where your day to day expenses will be such a fraction of your day to day expenses at home that you could easily spend a week and come home with money left over from what you’d be spending at home.  Places like SE Asia, India, some places the Middle East or Indonesia, you could live well on a fraction of what it costs in Europe or the States.  So find a place that you can afford and you might end up even saving money in the long run!