There’s a lot of general opinion about travel destinations that can only be described as trendy. Each person has their own thoughts about which countries and cities are the best and safest to visit. I would like to share my own feelings and experiences with the travel media, since we often get into trouble when sharing opinions.
For instance, the best us online casino doesn’t necessarily offer the same experience as its physical equivalent. It’s always slightly different at the very least.
I’ve been a frequent traveler for two decades, and I’ve been to 40 countries and counting. From Australia to Brazil, the US to South Korea, I’ve encountered a lot of situations and people who might seem friendly but were actually very offensive. I learned to develop a protective bubble around myself and my friends when in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. We want to speak freely, but can only reveal our true thoughts when we can trust the people we are talking to.
On my travels, I came across situations I would call “common misconceptions” or “common mistakes” about travel destinations. In my opinion, these things often cause us trouble and harm our visit to the place. For example, this is one of the common mistakes I learned to avoid:
1. Expecting to see prostitutes on every street corner in the US and other countries in the Western world
The world is not like the movies. In some countries, you might see prostitutes and perverts on every street corner and in every hotel. I have to say, I experienced it myself when I visited some of the eastern European cities. Even some of the hotels we stayed at had some girls in the back of the rooms. What I was surprised by was how calm and courteous the girls were. In the US, there’s this Hollywood stereotype of every woman in a hotel room as a prostitute. This is not true!
According to hotel rooms, not all US cities are crowded and full of prostitutes. Even in New York City, where we grew up, prostitution is hardly visible. It’s very difficult to find girls who will take your money. You can see them in hotels, massage parlors, shopping malls, on street corners, etc.
When in doubt, ask someone you know. Talk to someone who actually knows the city well.
2. Expecting to take the same routes all the time in all countries in the Western world
This makes it difficult to observe a country on a deeper level. It was easier when I could speak English to translate for myself. We shouldn’t expect to take the same paths to visit all the popular tourist destinations in all the countries in the Western world. Traveling isn’t the same everywhere. There are interesting and different paths to follow in most places.
3. Thinking Europeans are always poor and hungry
I know Americans who come to Europe and are shocked at how well-off Europeans are. They constantly talk about how poor and hungry the Europeans are and complain about the poor portions in restaurants. But that’s not always the case.
In the countries I’ve visited with the most food, they often take a lot more than we do. The portions are bigger, and they eat a lot of food. I know Europeans who will eat most of a serving of chicken breast, instead of just a few bites, like I did.
It makes you think about the differences in cultures and also the differences between our experiences. When we travel, it’s not enough just to visit places and talk about the good and bad things we see. We have to stay a while and really get to know the people, get to know the culture, and experience the area.
4. Thinking the level of service and attitude is always the same in all countries
Yes, we get bad service in some places, but it’s not universal.
Here’s an example: When we went to Paris last month, our hotel room was at the top of the tallest building in Paris, where we delighted in enjoying some of the best casino games on the remarkable free Wi-Fi. When we came down in the morning to get breakfast, we didn’t see anyone at the front desk, so we went out to the lobby.
In the lobby, there was a woman taking customers’ payments and giving out room keys, right there in the lobby. She was taking a lot of customers’ payments at once, and her back was to the front desk!