Years ago, if you wanted to go on holiday, the furthest you would travel would be to the nearest seaside or pleasure beach, and spend a few days with the family building sandcastles in the English sun. This was once classed as luxurious, and the popular way to spend your summer holiday fund. In the next few years, Europe became a popular holiday destination, with Benidorm’s beaches swarming with English folk, and the Algarve proving to be popular too. Tourists then began to branch out a little further afield, taking to places like Turkey and Greece, where the best part of holiday makers had not quite taken over yet. Nevertheless, in the 21st century, places like Greece were becoming party islands, appealing to students, new graduates and party goers.
So for those of us who like to go on holiday to experience the culture of the island, now need to choose carefully where we are going, otherwise it may just be a version of your town in England in a hot country on a beach. Seeing the country in its natural state can be a heart-warming, enthralling experience. It’s like seeing a celebrity without make-up on, a country without all of the tourist attractions is somewhat more interesting.
Experiencing the culture of other countries is an eye-opener as to how other people live, be it in lavish mansions, or with the entire family in one room. It may not be how you might chose to live, but it will certainly give you aspirations or appreciations of your own life. It’s a different way of life on the other side of the world, right from the types of jobs that people have, down to how they cook their food for dinner.
However, with the massive range of technology available nowadays, visiting the other side of the world can be done from your own living room, with simple use of a video connection. It’s shocking to think that a five-year old could probably work this one out. But this is now our way of life, so the saying ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ comes to mind. Although, there is a substantial difference between googling a country to see what it looks like, and visiting it yourself.
Sitting at a computer and using Google maps can by no means express what a country is like. The sounds, smells, temperature, humidity and tastes of the country cannot be known unless you physically encounter these yourself. These are all part of learning what a country is like, and as a person, will broaden your knowledge and your perception of life will be enhanced.
Obviously, the cost of travelling can become quite dear, hence why a lot of people, particularly students are doing this in one big haul, travelling across Asia, Australia and America consecutively. This can be booked months in advance, so that all of your travel and accommodation is booked for each country.
