I was feeding my relatively new addiction to Twitter a few weeks ago, browsing through the Tweets (is that what they’re called?) and came across one with a link to what they described as a course for travellers. A course for travellers, you ask? I was asking myself the same thing and went to check it out.
In their ‘about’ section, Travel Trainers say “Travel Trainers focuses on running seminars and courses for those wanting to travel” and that the company’s vision is “to use the company’s in-depth travel experience from both sides of the fence to help people to travel.” What is on offer are a variety of seminars for travellers. Everything from ‘First Time Travellers – What the Guide Book Doesn’t Tell You’ to ‘Travel Safely – Tips and Ideas to Keep You Safe’.
There are countless travel guide websites, blogs from people who are there now, guidebooks approaching travel from every possible angle and budget, word of mouth via Twitter, online reviews on everything from backpacks to hostels to tours, video blogs, Google Earth for a bird’s eye view in advance, and now you can even take your planning into the classroom. Just when I thought it was impossible to plan more for a trip, now there’s this.
I guess my question is whether or not you think this is over the top? Are ‘how to travel’ courses something that you think will catch on? Will young first-time travellers start to feel like they won’t be able to go abroad without paying $150 for a course that will tell them how to travel safely or what they should see? Will nervous parents start making their kids go on these courses before they let them go overseas? How much planning is too much planning?
I am trying to think back to my very first solo backpacking trip and I think I remember being so excited about it that I was eating up every possible bit of information I could possibly get in order to prepare myself. Would I have paid for a seminar? Probably not but I definitely would have wondered what I was missing.
I really hate seeing people spend money out of fear of the unknown. I know it’s easy to get carried away with the excitement of your trip but I believe it’s possible to prepare too much and I think these seminars are taking things a bit too far. Good on the guy if he can make a business out of it, but my advice would be to save the money because Europe is seriously expensive.
I would love to hear comments about this. What do you guys think?
Ps: To anyone who wants to drop NZ$149 on this course please read my living in London site first to answer many of the questions the seminar addresses and then shoot me an email with any other questions you might have. Cost: free.
Let’s face it Kirsty – it does sound more than a little bit sad… Where is the joy of discovery?
But I know New Zealand well (my wife is a kiwi) and they do like to be prepared – and having read the website I can see the point just about, for a nervous youngster (or parent) about to head off to London or wherever for their big OE (which is real rite of passage there) and needs reassurance.
Personally as a cocky (and stupid) eighteen year old with a brain full of Kerouac and Burroughs I wouldn’t have been seen dead at a travel training seminar. Might have stopped me getting badly stung 5 times within about 5 minutes of arrival in Delhi I suppose…
Wow!
It goes to show that you can sell almost anything online. A little online research can answer virtually any question you may have, so I don’t really see the value in this or a lot of training programs out there.
However, some people really need their hands held through the entire process. It is not for me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that had a fair number of customers.
LOL I must admit I used to help present a 1/2 day seminar on “independent travel” at the local high school in – you guessed it – Wellington, New Zealand! I think the cost was about $30. We used to get around 20 turn up twice a year. Most of them weren’t kids either – many were middle-aged – going for the first time – often women coming out a marriage is my guess.
This was before the Internet of cause – mid-90′s – but here was quite strong demaned – although they had the obvious questions – I actually answered them all on my first website – but what the really wanted was to meet other people that wouldn’t tell them they were insane heading off to Europe or Asia solo!
Yes you can do far too much planning IMHO – I think alot of it is nervousness – that’s why travel insurance sells so well!
I keep noticing this book in the travel section of every bookstore – it’s approx 300-400 pages and it’s entirely on “How to Pack”. Really?!? How much can you possibly write on the subject?
I seriously doubt this idea of classes on “How to Travel” will actually catch on. Sure, there’ll always be folks willing to pony up to take a class on anything, but I don’t see this idea going “mainstream”.
In the USA it seems you can get a degree for just about anything, am sure we will see Graduates of Travel in the next few years – geared towards tourism professions
And just to be a bit non PR I can think of a few Asian travelers who could sit a class or two about how to travel. e.g. taking photographs by the volcano you did not climb is not the same as climbing it.
Nice post.
As a mid-thirty-something traveler, here is how I do do it. I have never ever bought travel insurance in my life and have never felt the need for it. Yes in some cases I was supposed to but managed to skirt it. Although if you can afford it, insurance on your health is probably a good idea.
When I was younger, I traveled carrying a lot of crap that I didn’t need. It took me years to really strip things down. I probably traveled a little heavier when I was younger because I wanted to keep expenses down. I still keep expenses down, but now I buy almost everything as I need it and treat everything as expendable except for a few things like possibly laptop and personal notes or mementos. Even the laptop is expendable if push comes to shove. It’s the data I worry about. If I’m in one place for a while, I may stock up on some creature comforts that may include cookware, bedding, electronics, clothes, books maybe even a blender for getting the party started with the right kind of tropical drinks. I know from the start that I’m leaving all this behind, so I make sure it all goes to people who need it or people following in my footsteps. Depending on where you are, you can even buy a car for a few hundred bucks and just leave it to someone else ( I once considered letting a car roll off a cliff into the sea, but didn’t think that was a very responsible thing to do – I had to suppress my inner 12 year old).
As far as travel prep goes. I do research at the book store. Mainly to find the places really want to go. I may have a travel guide, but more likely my books will be on the local language. I don’t have any hard time frames or reservations beyond where I stay when I first get there. The exception would be enrolling in a language school for an extended period (by far the easiest way to get traction in a foreign land). In fact if you go to a language school, it’s like hitting an easy button.
The only reason I buy a return ticket is because they are usually cheaper than one-way fares. They also give you and easy return if absolute disaster strikes, but I generally write off the thought of using my return fare from the get go. However, I generally put the return date way out like 9 months or so to keep it alive as long as possible. It’s just a little asset to keep in the back of your head that can be rejiggered if the need arises.
Once I’ve arrived at my initial destination, my subsequent excursions and even loner term plans will pretty much be determined by the lay of the land. For instance I may hear about something or someplace that I never known of before, and it ends up being one of the best parts of the trip. Maybe I find a cheap an interesting way of spending some time in an adjacent country which I never had an intention of visiting, but if your plans are loose and you haven’t committed to other things then you can go there.
The big problem with too much planning that I’ve seen is with people I come across along the way. I’ve often crossed paths with other travelers in a small town, for example. It may be a place they want to hang out for weeks or months, but they have to move on because they’ve already paid for reservations on the next leg of their trip and they are forced to move on even though they aren’t ready to.
I think my basic strategy is to keep things loose and commitment to timetables and specifics low. Making the most of opportunities as they present themselves is my preference.
The only thing I would recommend though, is to travel without preconceptions and go with flow. I never build pictures in my mind of what to expect. I’m not saying to do foolhardy things, but rather be game for all the things you never expected. A rule of thumb is: no plan ever survives contact with reality.
Finally, I have nothing against sites like Travel Trainers because some people like to have these services. Most people don’t have experience with foreign travel so are somewhat apprehensive. If they have a day job, 2 weeks of vacation a year and travel is something they think about on rare occasions then it comes with the territory. By the way, if they have an affiliate program, they are another good resource for the nomads who make their living online.
It’s an interesting thought, although I don’t think there really is a need for a “How to Travel” class. It’d be good to have a how to get grants and scholarships for travel class.
Yeah that is way over the top. One of the best things about travel is the unexpected, I’m sure no evening course could teach you everything but whatever happened to just putting yourself out there?
Actually one of my recent posts was on “un-planning” your travels, so I guess that shows my feelings pretty clearly.
You know, maybe it sounds a bit ridiculous to a veteran backpacker but maybe it’s just the thing to ignite the will to get started traveling in a seventeen year old. When you’re still in school at home you might think that traveling in Central America or wherever you want to go is too dangerous or expensive to consider.
…or not. I mean, there’s the Internet to answer every question so maybe it is a scam.
John Britton@ I am much concern with your point of view.
Looking at my website and the weight of my pack as I’m currently traveling, I definitely wish I brought less stuff (and most people think I brought too little!). Though I am glad I have read tons of info in Lonely Planet, forums and other stuff as I know there are plenty of traps, touts and whatnot to help relieve me of money and things on the way. Most useful to me I think has been traveling forums where the travelers are very young and ask really stupid questions, as well as listening to experienced travelers regarding what to eat, wear and do in different countries.
Having been to Sri Lanka with people who had stayed there for 3 months I learned the basics quickly and have a better understanding of India (where I am now) and hopefully don’t ask too many stupid questions! One shouldn’t be too afraid to ask them, though.
But paying for a seminar like the one you mention? I think I’d only do it if the speaker was a celebrity (like Ian Wright from Globe Trekker!! He’s awesome) or someone who’d have really interesting stories to tell, not to learn how to travel.
I run a website giving free advice for preparing a RTW trip, and from my experience there is a demand for that, although most people wouldn’t pay to get the info. The site’s focus is more on the “what to do before the trip” part, and I don’t think it takes away the joy of discovery. Besides, there are discoveries that you’d rather not make, like finding out you don’t get unemployment pay after your return because you missed to fill out a few forms before you went travelling.
I do think, though, that you can overplan (itinerary-wise), and that it’s one of the bigger mistakes you can make while travelling.
I too provide all sorts of advice on my site – in my case geared at women heading off on their own. Advice, information and even inspiration are welcome – but a course?? Not sure about that.
I’ve made plenty of travel mistakes – ending up in the wrong place, packing too much/too little, choosing the wrong travel companions, acting on fear, under-budgeting and on and on… But each mistake taught me something, and I grew through my travels.
I love the diversity of being on the road – meeting different people, experiencing different things – wouldn’t a travel course take some of this away? So I’m not sure what I think – only that I think it is definitely odd…
My best school for finding out about travel? Just do it! Hit the road.
I do say i agree entierly