One of the great pleasures of modern life is the fact that thanks to modern technology, we can now visit the far corners of the earth. More and more people are travelling far distances and discovering what the world has to offer. It is so exciting to plan these trips, but there are lots of things that need to be considered before we leave our hometown. I am going to Colombia for a few months and I found this excellent webpage that offers advice on travelling alone.
Read through the article below and then try to complete the gaps with the missing vocabulary. Is anyone travelling at the moment?
Did you travel to learn English, to work or for pleasure? Has anyone done any volunteering while they’ve been away? I hope you find the article useful!
Lesson by Caroline
Going off and travelling alone can be a very _1_ experience as well as a great exercise in personal development and a resounding statement of independence. But it's not just about vainly trying your luck against the challenges that lie ahead. It's a steep learning _2_ that we attempt to scale when we set off on an adventure alone for the first time and the thrill of achieving such a goal does not come lightly.
Certain _3_ are required of a lone traveller to enable him or her to get by safely and securely. Common sense and an acute sense of personal responsibility are also essential.
Doing as much research as you can squeeze into your life before you go helps to reap great rewards later on. Learning about your destination(s) allows you to have a good idea of what to expect and therefore a solid foundation on which to begin your adventure. Learning about the _4_ cultural differences is essential, and learning a few words of the language doesn't go amiss either.
Getting lost can open the door to an even more eventful adventure than you bargained for, but it can often happen at the most inopportune times. A good map is _5_ and so is some knowledge of the public transport system.
You're out to have a good time, of course, but remember that as a tourist you are a target for thieves and _6_ and sometimes worse things. Getting excessively intoxicated with alcohol or other substances makes you extremely _7_, not to mention the fact that it's dimly looked upon by most other cultures. Penalties for flirtation with illegal substances can be more severe outside of Europe too.
Taking care of yourself while travelling abroad on your own encompasses many things, from protecting yourself from harm to staying healthy, from staying out of trouble to avoiding being robbed. How to go about it begins with your own self-awareness, followed by some thorough _8_, and rounded off with a nice helping of common sense.
Complete the gaps with the correct missing words:
