10 rules of travel with a full immersion Bashny.Net

Journey made up of many things. This feeling when the separation of the aircraft from the ground, and floating below the colored pieces of land, from time to time beneath the clouds. It and escaping under the wheels of the ribbon of the road, and roadside life: a cafe, a gas station, traveling on the adjacent lane drivers. This, of course, and the queue at the airport the country of arrival, where you can see the colorful variety of different visitors to hear dozens of languages. It's the people who get in another country in different places: on the way to the store, on walks, owners of rented apartments and new friends. Travel – it's all primarily people.
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How to travel? The question has no clear answer, because to each his own. I know that for many, the journey is a collection of services, shopping and opportunities to see what they expect to see. Too bad – if it helps someone to feel the atmosphere of the country, to each his own. For me the right to travel means to see that other world as he is. But the other one?

The more you travel, the more I realize that many places in the world similar to each other. Change of city scenery, but the people remain the same. And this is natural: everyone is different, but in General we remain one species, our closest genetic relatives. There are some places where life really is different, and this novelty travel to India on a sparsely populated Pacific Islands, making a Safari in habitats muzzled Australian aboriginal or Thai long-necked women. Appearance – clothes, behavior, manners, habits – will do others. But people are people, and this side is also a change of scenery…

How to travel to really engage with the world, not just to change the scenery? What it is, from a purely practical side of the issue? A few rules for this from my point of view of travel are as follows.

1) to Rent a flat or house, not hotel rooms.

First, it is practical: in the apartment can live, allow the guests to cook and feel at home. And this is important – to feel yourself in another country as home. Because while you're a tourist, the country will be revealed to you only with a tourist party. That is, do not open.

Fortunately, you can rent an apartment in almost any city in the world through AirBnb (there may be other similar services, but we use this). In the hotel room (which costs the same, if not more) there is only a bed, a starched pillow, standard hotel service and the same neighbors.

When you rent an apartment or house, then you live surrounded by real people who make up this country, not Chinese tourists (I apologize in advance, I'm not racist, but Chinese tourists – it's a tsunami, and Fukushima in one bottle; however, the Russian in the total mass do not differ much). These people say Hello on the stairs, hear their language, absorb their mood and emotions. In the apartment of another person has its charm and its atmosphere, and the next morning in the apartment Wake up a little other than leaving the country. Sometimes fails to communicate with the master himself – and it is a very great value.

Sometimes in the apartment there is even a cat (to us several times that across), in this case, the taste of the place is particularly bright, provided that you like cats. Life in a normal house along the hotel change the feeling of traveling, translating it from the category of idle weekend in the category of complete change of scenery.

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2) to Arrive at the opportunity for a long time.

Of course, such a possibility is not all: most people can escape somewhere for just a week or two. But if it turns out that it's worth it. And it may be the capital, small town, village in the mountains, or even wildlife. During a typical vacation is simply impossible to feel the place where you live. Because it lets in immediately. Dive into the life that endures…

3) don't just be limited to urban tourism.

I know people who do not recognize the city as a class. I do not share their categorical, but wherever I go, I try to go on nature. Or, sometimes, come only in wild conditions. Unlike people, nature is different everywhere. And it's not just the landscapes (forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, jungles, plains, etc.), but in a very special atmosphere, smell, of vegetable and animal life. Such nuances change, even if we move only a few tens of kilometers, and attached to each corner of the earth their special charm.

4) Visit places for the locals.

Strange, but I have seen people who, by moving to another country, struggled looking for it something familiar: establishments, kitchen, countrymen, language. Well, listen, because you are in any way a century escaped to another world, why do you need that you see every day?? But no. Many tourists instinctive search for something your familiar and safe prevails, and then there is the phenomenon of “like and not out.” This can be understood when one lives in a strange land over the years and missed you so much darling buckwheat and communication for life, that's just the trouble. But, perhaps, only in this case.

Again, countries are different. Restaurant in the centre of Paris, in principle, will offer you the usual French cuisine, although at that price the normal French lunch will not even a nightmare. But if, when in India, you go in a tourist restaurant, and then the usual Indian eatery, the difference will be shocking. In fact, does not match any one name, except water.

5) Watch people, not at home.

In fact, we repeat ourselves. But if you have just a couple of days, it is not necessary to spend on the race to museums and eyfeleva towers. Better to walk the streets, people watch, breathe the local air, ideally, to have a conversation with any natives (or aborigine). In order to become a resident of another part of the planet, do not have to have any close contacts (even though it would be great) and to be friends to everyone you meet. Because we don't do this at home. Simply be yourself and look at others as the same Homo sapiens, and not the funny animals in the cage.

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I can say that in different countries people react differently to a casual acquaintance. In America find new friends and maintain contact with them just. In Western Europe – is quite real. And in Finland, for example, is much more complicated – affected by the harsh Northern temperament. But this generalization: within each country people are very different. By the way, that in Finland I realized after one casual acquaintance that any generalization is just nonsense. Including this one.

6) Do something bright in each country.

Nothing helps to remember another place, like emotions. It is the law of biology: the brightest of all the memories that involve strong emotions. You can, of course, fall in love abroad – then the emotions are provided, personally, my choice is sport. And now different types of sports for me are associated with a particular country.

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In addition, sports are often collective, or at least you will have nice neighbours – one of the best representatives of the country you are visiting.

7) Be spontaneous when choosing a trip.

To focus the direction on recommendations countrymen (and foreigners) – the last thing I would do. Anyway, not the most on travel portals and forums. Once I decided to take all the same room in the hotel – the trip was a day from one city to another, meaning the whole apartment was not. Immersed in reading reviews about the one ended up quite a decent hotel, I was very surprised. Most of the negative reviews were from the Russians and it concerns the fact that:
— the hotel has no Russian TV
— staff doesn't speak Russian
in the restaurant a small selection of alcohol
and so in the same spirit.

And because I write about the country as well. A beautiful country with friendly people and unspoilt nature can be drenched in the virtual mud because it does not know Putin or do not serve English breakfasts in restaurants. If you need immersion, positive emotions, enthusiasm, communication and beauty – most of will never help you. Most tourists are not traveling, it goes to rest. Things are fundamentally different, as the idea of holidays for different people…

Whom to listen to? Other traveler. You can read blogs of individuals who seem to be pleasant and congenial. You can chat live, if possible, or in social networks. And you can just point a finger at the globe at random and fly... Because every place on earth in its own way is wonderful, and everywhere there is much to learn and whose wisdom to learn from.

8) to arrange to complete the dive.

Several times we tried CouchSurfing. It is a kind of social network for travelers. On this site it is possible to find those with whom you live in another country or city. And you, in turn, can find willing to come to your city. No one obliges you to accept any traveler, and not all can take you. Someone taken, someone left, and someone is tired of socializing and want to live a happy lonely life. All voluntarily. Nice in this service that about every person can read the reviews of other travelers (or host), to watch his interests, views on life and stuff that only fits in sparse format text description.

When you live in a house of strangers in another country, it is a bit of a shock at first. But precisely because such an option and beautiful. He plunges at once, with the head, without the ability to get out of it: after all, taking people through CouchSurfing not for money but for free. You and the other party are interested in communication and knowledge of each other, no matter how it sounded.

And this is probably the best way to quickly find new friends in different corners of our beautiful planet (well, or to quarrel with the masters in the trash and walk away, was an adventure too).

9) to Respect the locals.

It is written with a different degree of evidence in every guidebook, but the people still come as if someone him something (that people) need. Strange to talk about the need to respect local traditions, customs and rules of politeness. The language of the country you can learn at least a few words, but the language of international communication – English – to know at least on the level of consumer understanding required. It just so happened. It would be the official international language French, Russian or Hindi – everyone said it would.

Yes, in some overcrowded, widely popular among Russian tourists resorts, a local can string a sentence together in Russian. And some say even good. Money because you want everything. But if your goal is not the enrichment of the service industry, and a real journey, in such places should not go.

Modern cultured man, leaving his country, speaks English. Or use a translator. Or at least trying to explain on the fingers. But on contact, not waiting for the aborigines of the wonderful knowledge of your own language Express method only because in his hands the wad of bills which he is going to spend.

Generally, when respected local and trying to communicate with them, they treat you differently. You magically turn them out of another walking wallet to the person with whom you can build relationships. At this point, the journey really becomes so.

The same applies to imposing their political and religious beliefs, ostentatious patriotism, condescension and arrogance. I like to be a guest and to respect my host hosts. It brings tolerance, open-mindedness and respect for people in General.

10) do Not rush to make judgments.

I have seen countries in which one part differs from another is stronger than France from Singapore. Countries in which visiting just one area, it is impossible to say anything about others. I was in the place where he caught the bait hasty judgment, and his verdict after the first Dating, you'd regret watching in the course of later life as from the original judgment does not remain a stone…

Often play the role and the geographical-political stereotypes. For example, contempt for all post-Soviet countries default in absentia. Or the belief that Europe always safe. Or grafted to the masses since the days of the USSR dislike to all 300 million Americans, about whom I know only from the TV series. Or the belief that Turkey is only cheap beaches and annoying the waiters. Or... well, anything. As the saying goes: if you were in Kerch? It was not, so shut up…

First impression has great power, but to yield to it is not always necessary. And yet – crucially, why did you come to this country and what you want to see there. If you expect disappointments and ill will – they will appear. If you are set on adoption and positive perception of the country will love you back.

I believe that it is important to remain unaware, a man with an open mind, ready to absorb like a sponge, new and unusual things, not appreciating them and not culling, but to be yourself. Beginner's mind is an indispensable condition for travel. And for happiness, by the way.  published 

Author: Andrew Nordbon

P. S. And remember, just changing your mind — together we change the world! ©

Source: mindness.ru/travellers_rules/