The world is a very big and intriguing place. It holds many strange wonders, all manner of curiosities, and places of great natural beauty. Unusual architecture and awe inspiring scenery draw a certain kind of traveler. It is the adventurous traveler who finds great joy in exploring places that not a lot of other people know about – places that offer something radically different than what the average tour guide has in store for you. Such people have a lot of fun things to look forward to, but there are also some downfalls that only the traveling adventurer would know about.
1. You really depend on your connections to get access to the good stuff
A big part of being a worldly traveler is about making connections. You spend a lot of time crashing in people’s houses, hanging out with other travelers on the train and making friends with the locals, which can come in handy when you want to go off the beaten path and explore some of the sites most tourists don’t know about. In fact, some of the greatest places to visit are little hidden gems that a local has to point out. So get good at making friends.
2. You have some very weird things in your search history
Some things you just can’t help, and preparing for your next exciting trip involves plenty of very awkward research. Once you’ve put Iceland Penis Museum or Museum of Medieval Torture into your search engine you know it only gets stranger from there. The funny thing is that you have some of these pages bookmarked and it can take a bit to explain to people that you just love traveling to unusual places.
3. You have to survive without a connection or access to certain online content on your phone
Looking for the most unusual and exciting places means that you will sometimes find yourself in the middle of the desert or the open sea, and your phone is going to be mostly useless. There is also the issue of content restricted only to some areas, which you will be unable to access. Luckily, in the latter case you can check out different Smart DNS providers to fix the problem, but if there is no connection or Wi-Fi you’re just going to have to manage without your phone.
4. You can get so awestruck by some sights that you just don’t want to leave
While you’ll come across plenty of lovely things during any trip abroad, those who seek only the most intriguing places will tend to get honestly moved every now and then. There comes a point where you stumble across such a rare and wonderful find that you just don’t want to leave.
5. You have to sometimes say goodbye to comfort to experience beauty
Not every step of the way is going to be magnificent and filled with fun – a lot of the roads around the world aren’t that great, and you need to climb or hike to reach some places, which can be quite taxing. However, some sacrifices (in terms of comfort) have to be made in order to reach some of those gorgeous or unusual destinations that you will remember fondly and tell people about for years to come.
6. You will have trouble keeping relationships with non-travelers
Relationships can be quite difficult as is, but when you throw frequent traveling into the mix, and you have a partner who doesn’t like to or can’t travel, then you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Not a lot of us can effectively manage a long-distance relationship, particularly when it’s with someone we met during our travels. You know you’ll be leaving them behind shortly, even though they make you feel great, it can feel very weird.
7. You can be your best companion
It sounds a bit strange, but you may not want to have several other people trudging along with you on your little adventure. There are some trips that help you discover more about yourself, as well as other cultures, and you need to make them on your own. Call it a spiritual journey or some alone time. It’s that unlikely beautiful feeling of being alone against the world that we can all benefit from once in a while.
8. You always spend your money wisely
People often look surprised when I tell them how cheap it can actually be to travel, just as long as you are willing to make some compromises and work a bit harder. The art of stretching out your budget for days and days beyond your planned vacation period is an essential one for an adventurous traveler.
9. You get used to hospitality
It feels kind of strange not to have people offering you to crash at their place or to come over for dinner when you come back home from your travels. It’s not that people back home aren’t that hospitable, it’s just that you get so used to being the stranger traveling from a far-away country that some of the more mundane aspects of life begin to bore you.
10. You can get a bit over-excited when telling people your travel stories
One of the curses of being a traveler who seeks out unconventional places around the world is that you won’t be able to restrain yourself from going into a monologue about “the time I visited…” in front of other people. Don’t get me wrong, these stories are fun and great ice-breakers, but when one too many people have heard them one too many times you start to come across a little pompous.
These are just some of the things that you can expect when you start looking for the world’s oddities. There are tons of amazing things to be seen and experienced, some in the oddest and unlikeliest of places. Be aware that frequent travelers have a lot on their plate.
