Myths About Asia Travel

While Asia may seem out of reach to first-time travelers, nothing could be further from the truth! If you've been putting off a trip to Asia, here are a few popular myths debunked about Asia travel.

Myth: I Need to Learn the Language Before I Can Visit.

The Truth: 

Wrong! You'll find varying degrees of English spoken almost everywhere that you go in Asia -- especially in any tourist area. Unless you intend to explore remote regions where few tourists go, the language barrier will certainly not be a problem. 

While learning a few basics of the local language will certainly enhance your trip, get a few smiles, and maybe even land you better prices, studying before your trip is not a necessity.

Unless you have a local teach you to properly pronounce the tones in languages such as Mandarin Chinese or Thai, phrase books are of little use. If you're still worried about communicating, consider bringing aPoint It dictionary with thousands of small thumbnails that you can point to when you need something

Myth: Street Food is Not Safe

The Truth: 

Street food in Asia is typically cheap, delicious, convenient, and a fun cultural experience. Eating at the street carts is no more dangerous than in restaurants. In fact, eating at an open cart allows you to meet the cook and see the level of cleanliness; no one knows what horrors lurk behind the kitchen curtain in restaurants!

Whether eating street food or in restaurants, you can lower your risk of getting sick by eating at places with a high turnover of customers -- particularly local residents. A busy place often means that fresh ingredients are purchased more frequently

 Myth: Asia Travel is Dangerous

The Truth: 

No matter where you visit in the world, a little common sense goes a long way. You probably wouldn't walk alone down a dark alley at 4 a.m. in many cities at home, so don't do it while abroad. As with anywhere else, petty theft does happen, but vigilance and not providing temptation by leaving valuables in the open will ensure that you do not become a victim.

A 2010 census listed Asia far behind North America and Europe for homicide. There were only 3.1 intentional homicides in Asia for every 100,000 people as opposed to 4.7 in the US and Canada.

A good idea anyway, purchasing budget travel insurance for your trip will give you some peace of mind and protection for your valuables

Few Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Trip

     When shopping for your first trip, you'll encounter a multitude of cute, interesting, flashy gadgets that will supposedly make your trip more comfortable. Most of the items are designed to relieve you of your travel savings before you even leave home.

     Unless you're going to a very remote destination, the language difference will usually be hardly more than a small inconvenience. You may get the wrong order in restaurants from time to time, however, you can certainly get around with English and hand gestures.

     While learning some phrases in the local language is both fun and helpful, don't spend too much time studying before you leave home. You can learn exponentially faster from locals -- who will gladly help you and correct your pronunciation -- once you arrive. Practicing a local language is a great excuse for fun interaction.

     Seemingly obvious, packing too much is the most common mistake that all first-time travelers make. Dragging an overweight suitcase or backpack around can really take the fun out of moving around a fascinating country, and airlines will charge you a fortune for baggage. Many people end up giving away or leaving much of the useless stuff that they bring from home anyway.

     While it's tempting to just take your chances, the peace of mind that travel insurance brings is well worth the meager cost -- especially once you see how taxi drivers handle the roads!

     Good travel insurance will protect you and your bags; most include evacuation plans in case you become seriously injured while abroad.

     Don't let what you think you know about a country from movies and hearsay prevent you from discovering the real country. Everyone has different experiences in places, both good and bad, and formulates an opinion about a destination based on their own filters.

     Carrying money while traveling is all about diversity. Local ATMs will often offer the best rates, assuming your bank at home doesn't charge too steep of a fee; however, if the ATM network goes down as it often does on islands and in parts of Asia, you'll need backup cash.

     Despite the recent economy, US dollars are still widely accepted and readily exchanged all over Asia. Your credit card will only be useful in big resorts and cities; use it for emergencies or booking flights. Most places in Asia add a steep commission when you pay with plastic.

     Taxi drivers, street scammers, and anyone trying to sell you something can spot a newbie pretty quick; they have lots of experience. From the luggage tag on your oversize bag to the wide eyes looking around, you'll get lots of attention as a first-time visitor to Asia.

     Traveling around Asia comes with a learning curve, how expensive that beginning education has to be is up to you and your decisions. Learn to listen to your gut and to recognize a scam when you feel one developing, but don't let a few bad eggs you encounter jade you against the local people in a place.

Why Travel?

Flying is not quite the party it was in Sinatra's days and lots of energy is expended to leave home, so why travel?

Getting away from home and stepping outside of your usual routine are beneficial for both mind and body. The long-lasting personal benefits of visiting a foreign country far outweigh the costs and time to get there.

The great travel writer Pico Lyer said: "Travel is not really about leaving our homes, but leaving our habits."

You've done your old routine for so many years that you could run through it on autopilot. Being placed into a new environment engages a dormant part of your mind. Suddenly, you'll be required to navigate unfamiliar places, read foreign languages, try new things, make quick decisions, and choose your new eating and sleeping schedule.

Unlike at home, all the new sights, sounds, and places will require mental processing and filing. Your brain will welcome the workout!

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

While you may branch out at home with new restaurants from time to time, traveling kicks you out of the comfort zone and forces you, for better or worse, to try new things! Even if you don't enjoy your first attempt at scuba diving, at least you'll be able to relate in a new way the next time you see it in a movie.

Becoming a well-rounded individual enhances self confidence and will help you with new material for conversation in social settings.

Who knows, you may accidentally discover your new favorite food or find out that you want to pursue a new career in karaoke.

"A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles." -- Tim Cahill

You'll meet far more friendly people on the road than you will under ordinary circumstances at home. Other travelers are always looking to share experiences, give tips on places to go, and meet people from all over. Striking up a conversation with other travelers is extraordinarily easy.

A polite "so where are you from?" breaks the ice quite easily and may lead to lasting friendships.

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." -- Aldous Huxley

Until you visit a place and form your own opinions, your understanding only comes from what you were taught in school, read in books, or saw on media -- which may or may not be true.

Don't over research your upcoming destination in guidebooks. Do your best to avoid building a bias toward a place before you visit so that your opinion remains objective until you can make up your own mind.

After stepping away from home for a while, you'll return with renewed energy, a new set of mental filters, and ready to take on the next big project.

Getting away for some time, even though it requires effort, will greatly enhance your attitude and productivity once you return home.

Breaking up the monotony for a while is a great way to reduce stress and give your life an injection of excitement. Don't be surprised if you're already counting down days until the next trip!

Ladies-only travel adventures taking off

     Women-only holidays are taking off, with increasing numbers of them travelling solo or with girlfriends.

     They're shopping overseas, rolling up their sleeves at cooking classes, rejuvenating at health retreats, trekking remote trails and just finding some "me time".

     "We have seen women-only travel as an emerging trend for the past few years," said Bridget McDonald, the director of boutique agency Cherry Picked Travel.

     "Women are getting more confident about travelling alone, and in groups, and many prefer to travel with other women. Travelling with other females allows them to see and do things that suit them, rather than catering to the differing tastes of men," she said.

     Catherine Baker, a consultant who specialises in women-only travel for Flight Centre offshoot Travel Associates, said women are also hitting the adventure trail.

"Women-only travel is popular these days and involves everything from walking and hiking in Nepal, going to Africa, going on the Inca Trail and lovely holidays in Europe where they do one-day walks and culinary tours," she said.

     "Sometimes it is multi-generational travel, like mums and daughters doing trips together, or sometimes three generations that will travel to spend quality time together and do something pretty amazing."

     Jill Doble has just landed back in Australia after a two-week women-only trip, arranged through Travel Associates, to hike part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

     "It was my first trip to Europe and a non-English speaking country. Part of doing it with a women-only group and a guide was the sense of safety," she said. "I am in my 50s and most other women were about that age. It was non-threatening and it was good to be with like-minded people, women in particular."

     Ms Doble said it was a bit soon to plan her next journey, but she has her eye on a women-only writers' trip to Italy.

Jayson Westbury, the chief executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, said women-only travel may be in a renaissance.

     "There are lots of forms of niche travel and certainly travel that brings women together is a tremendous idea," he said. "It's like travel with kids, a space that has also got a heavy following."

Girls' World: Why Women Are Travelling Without Men

      Research by a US-based travel-insurance provider, Travel Guard, found solo travel is more common than it was 10 years ago and women are leading the way, taking more solo trips than men.One of the key reasons for women travelling alone is widowhood or divorce, with other reasons including wanting to follow their own schedule, having more time to travel than their family and friends, or wanting to pursue a specific interest.

      In Australia, a survey by lastminute.com.au of nearly 5000 women found 46 per cent have holidayed alone.Half of those surveyed said they thought solo travel sounded adventurous and rewarding, while about a quarter said they would be too scared to try it and the rest thought it sounded lonely.Women also like to call the shots when they travel with their partner or family. Lastminute's Female Travel and Lifestyle report found 48 per cent of women take most of the responsibility for travel decision-making, while 47 per cent share the load with their partner, indicating few men are taking charge.

     "There are many reasons why women like to travel together," Travelling Divas founder Andrea Powis says.

     "For some, husbands or partners may not enjoy travel, or don't want to travel to the particular destination.

     "For others, it is just wanting to do 'girl things', such as shopping or spa time ... or about having the time and space to reconnect with themselves."

     "We are finding that more and more women, particularly the over-50s, are keen to keep exploring the world, while their husbands or partners are not," managing director Lee-Anne Levett says.

  

     Renee Williams, a Melbourne-based personal travel manager with the Travel Managers group, has identified a niche in the "suddenly single" market, offering holidays for women who have been through a relationship breakup. Based on her own experience of going through a divorce and wanting to rediscover the benefits of single life, she has scheduled trips featuring cocktails, shopping, spa treatments and VIP entry at nightclubs.

     Powis believes there is "a great deal of growth to come" in women-only travel.

     "Women are doing more independently, taking control of their lives, and experiencing much more in life before they choose to settle down," she says.

     "This is also true of many women once their children have left home and they are able to travel in a different way."

     Powis says passengers on her tours have ranged in age from 20s to 70s and she often gets family members travelling together.However, those travelling alone have the option of being paired up to avoid paying single supplements.

     Bliss says it has averaged 85 to 100 per cent occupancy in its two years of operation and the property has already been expanded, with further development scheduled this year.

     Owner Zoe Watson believes most women fail to achieve true rest and rejuvenation when they travel, returning home feeling like they need a holiday to get over their holiday.

     "Women need to take a break for themselves, to refuel and enhance their wellbeing," she says.

      Sydney woman Christina Hanna Mifsud spent a week at Bliss earlier this year, choosing it because she wanted to holiday alone in a safe environment, without demanding children or other distractions.

     Hanna Mifsud is married but enjoys travelling alone and having some time to herself, without worrying about anyone else's needs. "I don't think I could have relaxed as much as I did if I'd travelled with other people..

     "It was just the right amount of time with others versus time alone," she says.

     "It [a women-only retreat] was important, because I wanted to feel free to go there and just be myself and to be able to step out of my room with that feeling of safety."

     Hanna Mifsud works in the corporate world and has also been setting up her own business.

"I've been running around like a crazy person for the past few years," she says. "I work hard and I thought it was time that I took more time out for myself.

     "I just wanted to be able to turn off the phone and computer and to absolutely stop.

"It was a really genuine break and I came back much more relaxed ... I'd like to be able to do it every year."

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