Have you ever taken a look at the curriculum vitae of the 1960s even 1970s? One of the things old dads and mums’ pride of is being well travelled. The CVs concluding parts are usually adorned with “well-travelled”. What does this mean?

Is it being well travelled in their country or continent?

Sometimes, their travel may be limited to the country of domicile. Still, some go on with the illusion that they are well travelled. Someone recalls his encounter with a lady in the United States. The lady is in her sixties and boasts of “extensive travels”. There is no reason to doubt her. When asked further about the countries she has visited. The lady answers; none outside the U.S. She has never obtained a passport or travel document to visit other countries.  She is “well-travelled” in a sense! What do you think?

We know there are countries you can visit without a visa, but to claim to be well travelled without a passport or travel document of any kind leaves many questions than answers. This could suggest that such travels may be within a limited geographic location. One may perhaps leave out diplomatic and special service exceptions. In other words, it could imply that experiences and differences encountered in such travels are limited to the region. These may not be significant to merit same kind of discussion as the person making intercontinental travels.

 A possibility these days could be that a person – asylum seeker/ Illegal immigrant had stowed away in death-soaked contraption called rafts. In this type of travel, one could visit many countries without a passport or other travel documents. The absence of such documents may be a means to meander through uncertainties and make bogus claims. In this situation, legal traveling documents may mean a little to such a person.

If one is making a travel outside one’s continent, food challenge is a possibility.  Depending on the part of the world being visited there could be abundance of food. But Proper food identification is a sneaky game. 

What is a particular food? How is it served? What do you know about coffee, bread, egg, beef, meat, fish and other edibles? These are generic names. Chèvre is a generic term for all goat’s milk cheese. In different countries bread could mean “different types of the same thing”. A surprise?  You may pay for what you call coffee. But it tastes bland unlike the local coffee you know. Yet, you see others sipping it with relish, then you are in for a chuckle. Think ahead, read and research to be served conveniently. Save cost and your gut system. 

As you travel, do not get into action that will likely expose you to high medical cost and emergencies.

Save your host trouble by securing your own medical insurance that will be useful in foreign land during your stay. This is responsible and saves your host anxiety.

Perhaps, you are coming from a part of the world where people careless and things are assumed. Caution could be a helper. In some countries, there are systems that can limit much you can do in a hurry. Please do not adopt a “chaotic model” that suggests “the best is obtained in confusion!” Chaotic model will make you to be like airline passengers often seen doing 100 meters dash because of arriving too late at the airport and trying to catch up flights. Situation beyond one’s control could arise and not directly one’s fault. But as stated in part 1, preparation and allowance built into a travel objective can save a lot of hassles.

Humans are the same world over. Blood runs in their veins. They all sneeze. All over the world, when someone close sneezes, one often hears people splutter words to show concern about the persons health or life. This is real. Even though this reaction is more in some societies than others, it does not change the fact; we are all human. It is all human.

 But owing to orientations and geographic differences people act differently under different circumstances. Do not let this escape your notice. As you travel, some see the humanity in all men. Others may see only the peculiarities. How do you manage this? Do not be naive to be too positive about reactions you will get. Also, do not be too negative to think of evil and wickedness of men all the time. Balance helps you to observe and react appropriately. Always remember that decorous behavior is an asset everywhere even in foreign lands. Doing otherwise may expose you to a risk beyond your reaction.

In the same token, your moderated attitude will help you to be law abiding. Infraction with laws you are not familiar with could have high exchange value. Imagine packing a rented car wrongly and you are issued a ticket. Your demeanor which is not just formed in seconds could make or mar your joy. Observe the law of those who owns the land anywhere you may go.

As you move around the world you are sure to see where the whole world converge. Where is that location? Is it in the air or sea marked lines and time zones? Never. The world has a meeting at wealth and poverty, health and ill health, sadness and joy. Sanity and madness. Drug free and drug laden societies. You can only the see the underbelly of Tokyo, New York, London or any other big city when you look under. Have you been stranded at bus park, Ports Authority, New York at night? Have you spent early evening at downtown Cincinnati, Ohio? Indeed, the okpunor or orile of these locations. What did you observe?

It reminds of a community under threat of war from a nearby community. They ran to a distant valley location where they thought they were safe. On their arrival they drummed, danced and jubilated.  At every turn they chant “we are now free from war.” It was not long before they faced a different war of disease that decimated their numbers. At the end of the epidemic, those who survived perceptively renamed the community ” Who is free“. Is that the untold story of the world?

When a journey comes to an end what follows? In one’s effort to review, three things could emerge – integration, dissonance and reconciliation.

                           DATAZEAL

A review of travel objectives could come handy to deal with the aforementioned. The level of attainment can resolve the dissonance. Gradually, one begins to apply what one has seen. It could be perceived in adaptations. In matters like eating, dressing, attitude to work, timing, change of perspective, consolidation, frustration and rejection.

Do not be shocked. For some, positive impact of a travel has nothing to do with changes in their lives. A youngster asked: Is it why after years of social relations with various cultures and civilizations, some countries remain impervious to change and development?

Next time you travel either locally or internationally ask yourself how much has this journey impacted positively on your life. What changes has it brought?  One should not be like an African Head of state who was driven through many Fed Freeways in the United States during his visits but was unable to build one motor-able freeway in his years of rule despite enormous resources at his disposal. Let your travels impact on you positively. Let it add something new in you. Your speech, order, decorum, attitude, eating habits, development thoughts. Indeed, your world.

At the end of summer travels, what is your score? Don’t tell us. Show the world great lessons learned and the good it has done. A good house they say churns out good things. We do not expect less.

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