You always hear and read that some people like to travel to the same country year after year, choose their usual all-inclusive hotel or spend their holidays in the same region, make more or less guided excursions and are always with other tourists.
The country's security, its own budget, other tourists' statements, the country's climate, the media or the duration of the flight play a major role in this decision
Traveling the first country is always a highlight that you will never forget, the first impressions of a foreign mentality far away from your own homeland to experience a new culture, get to know local people, to taste eat and drink, to enjoy, the flora & fauna to experience, to observe and simply internalize the entire "reboot" - as far as it goes with all-inclusive.
You have the pink glasses on and on the last day you are sad but at the same time happy by the sea, you can review the eventful days, the last steps on the beach with the view to the horizon...let go is difficult and one says to himself: Next year I come again!
One question that comes up is for example:
- Why visit a new, unknown country and take the risk of having a worse holiday, if you know what you have and what awaits you on the next visit?
One would regret it and it would be a shame to have spent money.
Our travels would have gone almost in that direction had it not been for the season and the job, which got everything rolling and we do not regret until today.
Countries are unique and each country has its own history, which the locals live and reflect.
Sri Lanka as a package holiday/individual trip, for example, was after a few European trips our first time Asia due to the professional situation and the offer of flights. The high humidity coupled with heat has always been a point not to travel to Asia but this time should give way to the ambition to explore new. It is a change, you have to acclimatize but after 2 days that is mastered.
It was a huge experience of which we still swarm today and our sure go for another visit next year. Also, it was the first long-haul flight of about 12 hours and the cost was higher than previous vacation trips, which was a small hurdle. A long-haul flight is certainly not easy but not difficult. During the flight there is always entertainment, with the seatboard computer and various films, music and games or you have someone to talk to...of course, sleep is also possible.
Everything goes well and when you land, then it was not so bad, because you are happy to have arrived and that is exactly the subconscious time or the trigger of one will make a long flight again. The necessary budget will be there, because these trips are well worth it. Once you do it, you do it more often. You will find a cheap trip at a certain time of the year, because even out of season, countries are also beautiful during a rainy season.
The weather reports are sometimes worse than spot the actual weather! Every day rain and showers were reported but rarely we had to use our extensive rain gear or cancel a tour and stayed dry. If it was not rainy, you could always find something else to do. In all Asia holidays we were also crisp brown, despite clouds and monsoon season. But above all, we had a lot of fun and we could collect a lot of experiences, because many tuk-tuk drivers or local train travelers are very informative about the country and people, they also like to tell their own little life story and maybe they also invite you to their home to eat.
Vietnam, which is right next to Cambodia, can be experienced quite differently. Be it the food, the religion in its presentation, the landscape and much more. Or take Thailand compared to Vietnam. Both typically Asian but so different. If you are there, you will understand, we do not want to reveal anything. Asia is not the same as Asia! It is also the little things that attract attention, but you have to explore the hotel and the country. This is also very good on your own and without a tourist guide.
Renting a car or scooter is a big advantage here. From hotel to hotel, from region to region. It's all possible thanks to good apps that you can easily use with Sim-cards of the country extensively. Due to the many changes of hotel you also have several comparisons and can rate for you what was good and what not and what you pay more attention in the future. You do not always have to go back to your hotel, but book a hotel which is on the way. Exploring the country itself means making your own experiences, getting to know the country freely, independently and without time pressure.
As beautiful as a country is, beaches, people, food and nature presented by pictures and videos...there is certainly crime everywhere, as in Germany or Norway and around the world. A holiday destination is never a better world and non-violent, just because you want to have a peaceful holiday. That's why safety is a big topic for travel choice.
You should first get well informed about the country, for example about the Foreign Office, various Facebook groups, forums, local media, acquaintances etc.
One finds contributions to each country about crime, as one also finds in his own homeland and sees on TV. This means that in my homeland, which is Germany, it is not safer than for example in Jordan or Morocco. Incidentally, I felt safer in the Jordanian Pampa than in downtown Berlin. Basically, something can happen to you everywhere.
You can also give many Arab or North African countries under previously obtained information security a good chance and to explore with a rental car everything. Mostly only certain areas or borders are to be avoided. And even the slightly adapted clothes that like the Emirates or Israel like to see are also not difficult to comply. If these dry lands are too hot, they look better in the "cold" season. Cheap flights and accommodations, much less tourism, still warm and enough for a swim.
It has gradually developed from an all-inclusive tourist to an individual tourist and has no regrets. Trolling from beach to beach in Thailand and sightseeing or taking a ferry to another island without having to wait for someone without shopping in a shop is simply wonderful.
By car 3000km through Morocco, always new landscapes, always stopping to take pictures, to eat in villages or to enjoy the sunset spontaneously on a mountain. Afterwards you can cook or have a BBQ for yourself in the selected accommodation.
The many small accommodations are grateful and happy about every visitor.
It is always a dive in for us and adapt for the particular country in which one is. You accept life and morals, clothes based on religion or nature, you take your time to talk with locals but at the same time you are also a tourist, who also has his mentality, reflects it and presents it to the country.
For a few years, we have been traveling regularly and often in one year to another country. Every time it is hard to leave and every time you want to come back next year. But the experience showed that it has its own beauty everywhere, even if the countries are still so close to each other. Even Kos and Rhodes have something different for themselves. Mallorca is not just Ballermann and beach - sit in a car, explore the island, you will be amazed.
We wish you much fun to search for journeys and enjoying countries and the traveling.