What scares you about travel?

[Mattg]

By definition, travel takes you outside of your comfort zone. This is especially the case when travelling to unknown places where you've never been before, as well as to "high risk" destinations.

While many people love travel, I'm fairly sure that most people would find certain aspects of it scary. For example, some people are afraid of flying. Some people are scared of getting lost in a foreign city, or of getting attacked/robbed, or of getting scammed by a taxi driver, or of getting sick, or of getting arbitrarily detailed by a corrupt foreign official, etc. etc.

I'm curious to know: Are there aspects of travelling that you find scary? If so, how do you overcome that - or do you simply choose not to travel to certain places to avoid the perceived risk of getting into a scary or uncomfortable situation entirely?

 

[Forg]

Interesting … I guess there are two categories of Scary:
(a) the unknowns … will I get lost, will I be able to navigate around?
(2) the knowns … the 24 hours of pain in the Y seat, which I know is going to make me homicidal by about hour 14.

 

[RooFlyer]

Several things.

Formerly, when travel to Russia and similar places was permitted/OK, there was the small but finite risk of being caught up in something political and being incarcerated, which will end badly. Always had that in back of my mind.

In a number of places in West Africa and others, the value of life is so low that the risk of serious injury or death in a street robbery was quite real. Not just the west - parts of Jo'burg were extremely dangerous, even in your car.

On a less serious note, toll roads in France scare the dickens out of me (having been 'trapped' in front of the gates twice, with angry motorists behind me).

 

[SYD]

Involuntary downgrade from F to whY!

But ditto on some of the previous comment. First trip to Jo’burg we did the two hop on/off bus loops - we didn’t get off. Especially when the guide started describing one area as “marginal” (a euphemism for a place you do not enter).

Rio has some colourful areas you don’t want to visit either.

 

[VPS]

For me going out of the house is a risk (or to be fair getting out of bed can be as well) but I travel because I want to see other things.

I don't tend to worry about things because I don't travel on such a tight schedule that if there was a delay it would be annoying rather than tragedy. I do have concerns sometimes about being stranded at an airport with hundreds of others and not being able to get a bed.

My biggest concern is getting sick which happened earlier this year. I was lucky because I was flat sitting in London so was able to just chill but if I had to fly somewhere else then that would be tough. Having an anaphylactic food allergy is also a concern because I like to travel alone and like to get out of the big cities.

 

[Pushka]

I worry about health issues being so far from home and usual medical people. And falls. Falls can cause so much damage. And so easy to happen. Much easier than car accidents.

 

[yachty]

I worry about health issues being so far from home and usual medical people. And falls. Falls can cause so much damage. And so easy to happen. Much easier than car accidents.

Indeed. I've had a good run while travelling until a crash earlier in the year. No big injuries but it brought to mind how confronting the situation is if you find yourself in an unfamiliar place in need of medical care.

Everything else, like getting ripped off or assaulted, worries me but I've encountered the latter more in Australia than abroad. If the risk of it happening at home is equal to or greater than what I feel it to be while travelling then it doesn't concern me too much.

 

[Pushka]

Indeed. I've had a good run while travelling until a crash earlier in the year. No big injuries but it brought to mind how confronting the situation is if you find yourself in an unfamiliar place in need of medical care.

Everything else, like getting ripped off or assaulted, worries me but I've encountered the latter more in Australia than abroad. If the risk of it happening at home is equal to or greater than what I feel it to be while travelling then it doesn't concern me too much.

Yes I had a bum bug slashed off me in HCM while crossing the road. A month later a woman in Thailand was killed by the same style of robbery but was done by non professionals and she bled to death.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Yes I had a bum bug slashed off me in HCM while crossing the road. A month later a woman in Thailand was killed by the same style of robbery but was done by non professionals and she bled to death.

She was a friend of my brother's, their community found it so hard to comprehend.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Like many of you, as we have grown older and wiser, think we are more responsible with our outlook on travel and are more prepared.
I never worried about anything in my 20's, now I catastrophise about almost everything (Flyfrequently offspring would be disappointed if I didn't!)

On a serious note, medical issues and subsequent care are high on my list.

Great topic @Mattg

 

[Pushka]

She was a friend of my brother's, their community found it so hard to comprehend.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Well that's the sad thing. I understood at the time how lucky I was and how easily it could have been me.

 

[kileskus]

Losing passports in countries without an Australian embassy. I compulsively check for them every couple of hours or when I'm moving between cities/across borders. On overnight train/buses I sleep with them tucked into my waistband just in case someone steals my backpack.

Assault as well but I haven't travelled to places that have particularly high rates of it (unless commutes to Sunshine count?) and probably won't do so outside of a tour group unless I know a local who I can call for help. A private driver I hired once to take me to a mountainous area drove off route and made demands and tried to physically restrain me. Reception was spotty but I managed to get just enough to call a friend who lived in a neighbouring city and he intimidated the driver into taking me back.

 

[kpc]

Falling sick whilst overseas esp in places where medical care is not so good and there is a language barrier. Recently we got Covid at the tail end of our trip to Tanzania, and only fell sick on the flights home...as soon as we got home we tested and both were RAT positive...we were very relieved we were home as being stuck in a hotel in Tanzania with Covid would have been quite stressful!

 

[Guvner]

I'm usually a little worried someone will plant something in my luggage when I go to a country with very strict rules around drugs etc. I double/triple check every pocket of my backpack/carry-on and rummage through my suitcase before getting to customs / border control where possible.

 

[JohnM]

QF Dom J F&B W-E coast or vv...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

***"We regret to inform you that due to operational reasons, your flight from Adelaide to Sydney has been cancelled"***
Please contact our ground staff who would try to assist...
Last flight of the day.
And that I have a first flight next day Sydney - ... some where internationa.
Worst if unlinked PNR as its a different airline for the next days flight.
Hypothetical of now of course.
===
I am sorry sir, but we are unable to find your booking, ... but we do have rooms available, for which you would have to pay the current price.
Please contact your booking agent for any queries.
Like it or lump it, you have to pay for that one nights premium accomomdation.
Hypothetical of course, esp if booking that hotel on a hotel booking website, or with QF hotels, after the recent horror story.

 

[latawiec]

Several things.

Formerly, when travel to Russia and similar places was permitted/OK, there was the small but finite risk of being caught up in something political and being incarcerated, which will end badly. Always had that in back of my mind.

In a number of places in West Africa and others, the value of life is so low that the risk of serious injury or death in a street robbery was quite real. Not just the west - parts of Jo'burg were extremely dangerous, even in your car.

On a less serious note, toll roads in France scare the dickens out of me (having been 'trapped' in front of the gates twice, with angry motorists behind me).

This is very interesting thread.

Yes, political awareness always was concern in the previous Eastern Block. And you still need to careful to speak your mind ie in China. And not only, because you have respect local political environment, culture and also religion to prevent risk of offending.

Before traveling everybody should learn about destination that may significantly differ from ours.

It is essential to be careful and polite in an unknown environment but also be able to enjoy it and find new friends.

Being in 1990 in New York I asked my local working friend to take me pubs, night clubs and also to Bronx...
He said that the Bronx is "no go area" particularly during night. Eventually he agreed to drove me there on Sunday noon.

There are safe, less safe and also dangerous places. Locals usually know this and local friends may take you to see even such "no go" places.

Health is another scary that my wife usually afraid. It took me a lot of persuasion to convince her to travel to Marocco, India, Thailand, Burma or Vietnam. But after visiting these countries she was very happy that she experienced these places and their culture. And now she wants to go again to Vietnam.

Finally, learning about unknown locations usually is increasing our interests and also removing scary factors. Through travels, we are exploring, learning and expanding our knowledge.
I wish everybody to experience unknown, learn about other foreign cultures, their food and enjoy your life.

 

[Brissy1]

Q pub wine choices.

 

[mireille]

Travel by myself or having to share trips with people I can't tolerate, on top of the all the issues mentioned above.
When my husband was alive, we used to travel extensively with no real worry whatsover, even when we had a few mishaps. Being together, we got the feeling of being secure, subconciously we morally supported each other and didn't have that feeling of anxiety which comes along with age; we just made sure taking turn to keep an eye on potential danger.
But after his death 5 years ago, my confidence vanished completely; being alone, I couldn't find the courage to travel by myself, besides the fact that there's no joy in solo travelling.
I'm actually trying to get to know this group with the same interest of travel, and with some luck, will find friends willing to share my future trips, as my SIN miles are about to expire.

 

[latawiec]

It is sad that you are 5 yrs alone.
I wish you mingle more with ladies of a similar age and find someone likable and also suitable companion for traveling.

Good luck.